Thursday, December 31, 2009

How Do You Build a Shed Ramp For a Lawn Mower? Easier Than You Might Think

If your shed is elevated, you know that you need a ramp, especially if you have a riding lawn mower. But how do you build a shed ramp for a lawn mower? It's not as hard as you might think. While you could go and buy an expensive metal ramp, a wooden one can be just as safe and much cheaper.

First, you need to figure out how much wood you need. Your ramp should be at least 12 inches wider than your lawn mower. It also should slope no more than three inches per vertical foot. This means that for every three inches your shed is off the ground, you need at least one foot of ramp. Calculate the width and length you need your ramp to be.

Once you have the dimensions, you can then figure out how many support beams you need. Your ramp is going to be made from a frame of 4" X 4" pressure treated wood set no more than 12 inches apart and covered with " plywood. These dimensions are important as you want your ramp to be sturdy enough to support both you and a 400 pound lawn mower! To make the ramp even stronger, place the beams nine or even six inches apart.

Get your beams and lay them out on the ground, no more than 12 inches apart. The length should be slightly longer than the length you want your ramp to be. Picking one up, mark the angle at which it hits the ground, then cut off that end. You also may want to adjust the other end, depending on how you will attach the ramp to the shed. Make each of the beams level.

Attach the plywood to the top of the beams. Over top of that, you may want to put a layer of nonstick rubber matting. This will help you avoid accidents when the weather gets wet or icy. If you want to get fancy, you can attach molding to the sides. This will help you avoid rolling off the sides of your ramp.



Autor: Todd Albright

If you're interested in plans for shed ramps, as well as plans for just about any woodworking project you can think of, please visit Best Shed Plans. Not only can you learn how to build a ramp, you can learn how to make just about anything, from sheds to dog houses to jewelry boxes. It's a resource every man or woman should have.


Added: December 31, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

0 Comments: