So you have either purchased or built your new storage shed, but now you need to find a way to get your gear in and out of your new shed.
Building a DIY shed ramp is the perfect solution to help you get your lawnmower, tiller, wheelbarrow and other heavy equipment in and out of your shed.
When building your DIY shed ramps you have to think about your own weight as well as the weight of your equipment.
If not built correctly your DIY shed ramps could collapse the first time that you try to drive your ride on lawnmower out of your shed.
Any ramp should be constructed to have an incline of no more than 2 inches per foot of length.
That means if your shed is one foot off grade your ramp must be at least 6 feet long.
If your ramp is any steeper than that it could cause problems in a couple different ways.
First think that could happen is the blade of your ride on lawn tractor could strike the entrance to the shed if the ramp is too steep or if it became wet the ramp could become slippery and cause you to fall and injure yourself.
You need to construct your ramp supports from 4 X 4 pressure treated lumber at a minimum.
They must be no more than 16 inches between them; which means that for a four foot wide ramp you would need three 4 X 4 supports.
There would be a six inch overhang at each side of the ramp which is perfectly acceptable.
What you use for the ramp top surface is also very important; it must withstand the elements and be rugged enough to support your weight and the weight of your equipment.
It must be at least ¾ inch thick and be made of pressure treated lumber.
You could use plywood, boards or my personal favorite; 5/4 X 4 pressure treated decking boards.
They look great; they will support the weight and can be found at almost any building supply store.
Also it is a good idea to make the deck of your ramp skid-proof; you could an anti-skid coating or real rubber.
If you have a few asphalt shingles remaining from your roof construction a cheap and easy way to make your deck skid proof by cutting them into strips and nailing them on top of your ramp with roofing nails.
You can buy prefabricated metal ramps as well but they are expensive.
Any DIY shed ramps made from wood will be just as safe and work perfectly if constructed properly.
Just about any quality shed building plans that you buy will include directions for a set of DIY shed ramps and if you follow their instructions you should not have any difficulties.