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DIY Shed Ramps Are They Necessary?
By: Marion Bailey
Now that you have a new shed the next thing you need to figure out is how to get all that gardening equipment in and out of the shed easily and safely. A DYI shed ramp is just what you need to get your lawnmower, tiller and other heavy equipment in and out of your new shed. You need to be careful with the construction of any DIY shed ramp; it needs to be able to support the weight of the heavy equipment plus your own weight. If you do not want your DIY shed ramps to collapse the first time you ride your lawn tractor on them they need to be built properly.
Build your ramp with 2inches of slope per vertical foot of rise. For example, if your shed was a foot and a half (18 inches) above grade your ramp must be at least 9 feet long. Any steeper than that and your ride on lawn tractor could have the blade strike on the entrance when you drive it into the shed. Another problem is if the grade is too steep and your ramp becomes wet it could cause you to slip and fall and become seriously injured.
To construct your ramps you need to use a minimum of 4 X 4 pressure treated lumber for the framing supports. They must be no more than 16 inches apart, if your ramp was going to be four feet wide you would need three framing members at 16 inch centers. That would leave a 6 inch overhang at each side which is perfectly acceptable. For the ramp surface there are several options, you could use pressure treated plywood, pressure treated boards or my favorite 5/4 X 4inch pressure treated decking boards. Whatever you decide to use just remember it must be at least ¾ inch thick to support your weight and the weight of the equipment. To keep the ramp deck from becoming slippery in the rain you can use either non-skid coatings or real rubber on the ramp. If you have any asphalt shingles left over from the roof construction you can cut them into strips and, with left over roofing nails, nail them to the ramp deck. You can save money and prevent injuries all at the same time.
If you like there are pre-fabricated metal ramps available for you to buy, but they can be quite expensive. If you build a set of DIY shed ramps properly, they will do the job just as efficiently and safely as any set you could buy. If you have purchased a quality set of shed building plans the will almost certainly include the instructions to build a set of DIY shed ramps. Most quality plans include everything you need to build a shed and if you follow the instructions carefully you should end up with a safe and sturdy shed ramp.
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