Author Topic: Legit way to protect a miniramp.  (Read 1825 times)

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Ankle_Lift

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Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« on: August 11, 2021, 05:16:22 PM »
I helped a buddy build a miniramp a few years ago. Due to marital reasons, he is selling me his miniramp. It's set up in a garage right now, but will be set up outside when I move it over to my place.

It will be outside in my backyard, but not covered, and I live in Canada (BC, but not rainy Vancouver)
I'll put it kind of under a large fir tree, so it will stay dryer than out in the open.

Anyone have a miniramp that lives outside with any tips on protecting it decently from the elements?

Blueabyssofthisss

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2021, 06:25:35 PM »
If it’s ever my marriage or the mini ramp, I’m gonna choose the mini ramp every time.

Plan9Customs

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2021, 08:39:44 PM »
Not really any snow here but it’s NorCal so we normally get a fair amount of rain. What’s worked for me is paint the masonite top and bottom with an oil based varnish(personally I use rustoleum varathane) cover with a tarp or 2. Don’t use the blue ones. They’re garbage. Be aware if you go the oil based varnish paint top and bottom with at least 3 coats, be prepared to do this every 2ish years, and it’ll be slick for a couple weeks when it’s fresh. Last surface lasted about 3 years even with a few heavy unexpected rains that it was uncovered for. You can also try caulking the seams but it may be a bitch when it does need resurfaced. I haven’t so can’t say.

j....soy.....

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2021, 11:14:13 PM »
I think pallets on the flat bottom for airflow....consider skatelite/ pure surface/ skater blend?

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2021, 05:52:36 AM »
Not really any snow here but it’s NorCal so we normally get a fair amount of rain. What’s worked for me is paint the masonite top and bottom with an oil based varnish(personally I use rustoleum varathane) cover with a tarp or 2. Don’t use the blue ones. They’re garbage. Be aware if you go the oil based varnish paint top and bottom with at least 3 coats, be prepared to do this every 2ish years, and it’ll be slick for a couple weeks when it’s fresh. Last surface lasted about 3 years even with a few heavy unexpected rains that it was uncovered for. You can also try caulking the seams but it may be a bitch when it does need resurfaced. I haven’t so can’t say.

Excellent. Thanks for the tips!
It's pretty dry where I live but winter is snowy, and hovers around freezing for most of the winter, so snow thawing will be the issue so I'll definitely be covering it up with tarps over the winter and brushing the snow off the tarps throughout the winter to keep the melt at bay.

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2021, 05:54:01 AM »
I think pallets on the flat bottom for airflow....consider skatelite/ pure surface/ skater blend?

I will look into that. It will be put on a concrete base, so that will probably help as opposed to putting it directly on grasses or dirt.

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2021, 06:36:39 AM »
If it’s ever my marriage or the mini ramp, I’m gonna choose the mini ramp every time.

Busting out the Techdecks and pretending your wife's boobs are a miniramp really just isn't the same.
 

biaherl

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2021, 10:39:05 AM »
Incase the structure with fiberglass and resin and top it with skatelite or gatorskin.

Or use it as a form for concrete

Thrash-trash

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2021, 07:56:33 AM »
If its built on a concrete slab, that will def help. I would still raise the ramp of the concrete 4 to 6 inches to allow air to flow under the flat and trannys. Also try to give the flat bottom and decks a slight pitch to allow the water to flow of. If its completely level, water will pool and sit before you'll be able to sweep or squeegee. Nothing too extreme, a 1/4 inch will let the water flow.

Also think about longevity. Skatelite, Ramp Armor and Gator Skin will save you money in the long run. If you can invest in that, its the best route. Think Gator Skin is a bit cheaper than the others but it will all depend if you have a distributor in your area on what the final cost will end up being.

Lastly, just remember that outside wooden ramps are never finished. There will always be upkeep, repairs, and screws to be set. Dont go cheap on screws either. Exterior deck screws will hold and last way better than Drywall screws. Get Star headed screws, cause Phillip heads strip.

Good luck and update us with how the ramp is doing. 

Mariatorresflores

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #9 on: August 13, 2021, 08:23:19 AM »
To echo what others have said here it's still best to put it up on blocks to allow airflow and minimize seepage (moisture will travel through concrete up into wood). You could even put pieces of aluminum sheeting between the blocks and the ramp to completely eliminate any moisture creeping issues.

I also would recommend a water proof tarp. They're really not very expensive for the benefits they provide. I've had a ramp topped with Masonite that's now into it's third year of use and it's showing no signs of needing to be replaced.

I put a ladder in the middle of the ramp and then drape the tarp over it, putting weights on the corners of the ramp so all the water runs off the ramp entirely,  keeps it from pooling on the flat bottom.

Might sound like a lot of work but it's never taken me more then 5 minutes to put up/take down, besides even if you use skatelite for the surface the water's still going to warp the structural boards eventually.

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2021, 04:14:51 PM »
To echo what others have said here it's still best to put it up on blocks to allow airflow and minimize seepage (moisture will travel through concrete up into wood).

Would pallets work? I have an unlimited supply of them at work. It seems like it would be hard to level out if everything was sitting on pallets.

j....soy.....

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #11 on: August 13, 2021, 11:14:40 PM »
Expand Quote
I think pallets on the flat bottom for airflow....consider skatelite/ pure surface/ skater blend?
[close]

I will look into that. It will be put on a concrete base, so that will probably help as opposed to putting it directly on grasses or dirt.

I meant between the tarp and the ramp.....

Mariatorresflores

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2021, 08:41:34 AM »
Expand Quote
To echo what others have said here it's still best to put it up on blocks to allow airflow and minimize seepage (moisture will travel through concrete up into wood).
[close]

Would pallets work? I have an unlimited supply of them at work. It seems like it would be hard to level out if everything was sitting on pallets.

Pallets aren't weather proofed and are really designed for temporary use; they're made of poor quality wood that would otherwise be considered worthless. The weight of the ramp would likely level them out but still I'd want to find some way to weather proof them before using them for something like this, and that's going to make it more expensive than just putting it on cinder blocks. Also, on blocks you'll never need to worry about any sort of deterioration.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Standard-Cored-Concrete-Block-Common-8-in-x-8-in-x-16-in-Actual-7-625-in-x-7-625-in-x-15-625-in/3608962?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-bdm-_-google-_-lia-_-210-_-brickandblock-_-3608962-_-0&placeholder=null&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjw092IBhAwEiwAxR1lRkw219XG4sXjD_c8A0WOa5Vg7SeakS9yEWcSxt6vUvPeo8n9RPhqXxoCaHUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

You should be able to find them for around 2 bucks a piece (US) so, spaced evenly (and depending on the size of the ramp), around 12-20 will be enough. This way the most it should cost you is $40(US) to permanently set it up.

The only thing is it's a lot easier to build a ramp on blocks, I'm afraid you're going to need a lot of homies to actually lift the ramp, hope everything works out!


Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #13 on: August 15, 2021, 03:10:23 PM »
Expand Quote
Expand Quote
I think pallets on the flat bottom for airflow....consider skatelite/ pure surface/ skater blend?
[close]

I will look into that. It will be put on a concrete base, so that will probably help as opposed to putting it directly on grasses or dirt.
[close]

I meant between the tarp and the ramp.....

Oh, righ. That makes way more sense now.

Plan9Customs

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2021, 07:28:23 PM »
Yeah definitely skip the pallets. I went close to what @Mariatorresflores said. Skipped the cored block and used the caps. Less $ and they’re 2”x8” so you can stack them if needed. Mines on a slab and partially on grass so why dig out 6” to place blocks stack and glue them with construction adhesive.

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2021, 08:04:04 PM »
Last week, I got the top sheets off. It took me 2 hours. Lots of screws! Underneath is the layers of plywood. My brother is coming to visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, and he's going to bring his drill, so we're going to attack the thing and get it apart. Once it's apart, buddy who's ramp it is has a tractor that he can lift the pieces up for me onto a trailer I'm going to have to rent from Home Depot. I figure I can maybe get two QPs on a small trailer and then maybe one in the back of my pickup, so maybe two or three trips out to his place back to mine

Once I get it to my place, I just need to figure out how to get it into my backyard, but at that point it's out of his place and at mine. I might have to take it all apart piece by piece and then reassemble it, but fuck it, I've always wanted a miniramp in my backyard.  Hopefully my daughter will want to skate it a bit





« Last Edit: August 22, 2021, 08:15:58 PM by Ankle_Lift »

biaherl

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #16 on: August 24, 2021, 10:27:11 AM »
If your gate isn't wider then 4 feet you can take every other rib out and make it light enough to lift it over your fence as long if your walk way is 4 feet.

If you rent your truck from uhal you can rent furniture dollies that are way better then a cruiser board but they work too

Plan9Customs

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #17 on: August 24, 2021, 08:20:21 PM »
When I sold my last house I just pulled the whole thing apart. It’s way easier to carry studs and sheets of ply than a whole section of transition and flat. Takes time though.
However you do it looks like your getting a sweet mini.

rawbertson.

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #18 on: August 25, 2021, 10:41:53 AM »
i think its 100% worth the investment to keep it up on cinder blocks if you get snow

looks so sick dude stoked you are getting that in your backyard, good luck with everything cant wait to see it
ONTARIO CANADA

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2021, 05:25:52 PM »
Well, I got the mini all in pieces and moved over to my house. The hardest part was actually getting the top sheet layer off, because of all the screws, and then apparently we screwed the two QPs on either side together, and it was a bitch of a time trying to find the screws that held them together.  Some screws for the ply top sheet underlay didn't want to come out either, so we did have to just rip the plywood up, but there ended up being minimal damage.

It took me all total 4 trips with my pick up to get it home. A trip for each QP side, a trip for the two bottoms, and a trip for the tipsheets. Buddlly lives 30km away, so it was a bit nerve racking driving down the highway this last trip with the coping sticking so far out the back.

It's a long weekend this weekend and it supposed to be mid 20°s out, so I figure in going to lacquer everything while it's still apart and then hopefully maybe get it together beginning next week.  The photo is the concrete pad in my backyard, but like some dudes have said, I'll probably look into getting a bunch of cinder blocks to put it all on.

Anyone have any experience putting some type of concrete pool coping on a mini?

Ray C. Usery

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2021, 08:44:22 PM »
Anyone have any experience putting some type of concrete pool coping on a mini?

Drill through and screw down is the one way I've done it but I would assume some good mastic or mortar might work. Wood and concrete does like to dry out adhesives till they fail.

I was building for a friend and he wanted them screwed down without glue. They lasted the four years he had the property

Ankle_Lift

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #21 on: September 24, 2021, 05:25:45 PM »
She's done, my dudes! Moved and re-assembled.

Everything turned out pretty good. Ended up putting concrete patio blocks underneath it like was recommended.
A few pieces of the Masonite didn't line up as well as they were in originally, the ramp has some weird slants it didn't have set up at my buddies place, but whatever, it's good enough.


« Last Edit: September 24, 2021, 05:36:09 PM by Ankle_Lift »

matty_c

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2021, 07:26:47 PM »
As others said, get a tarp and tape the cunt down or use bricks or something heavy
listen to cosmic psychos

Plan9Customs

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Re: Legit way to protect a miniramp.
« Reply #23 on: September 25, 2021, 08:13:47 PM »
Tie down straps and 1” spring clips(tie downs across the flat and spring clips on the ply on the back of the decks). Looks rad.