How to Build a Vert Ramp

Posted on March 12th, 2009 by Marck

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Backyard skateboarding is still a very popular hobby for many teenagers, young adults, and skateboarding enthusiasts. Many people take their hobby to the extreme by draining pools and building their own backyard skate parks. Building a vert ramp for you to practice your aerial tricks is easy, provided you have the right tools and equipment to build one.

Tools

Carpentry tools (hammer, jigsaw, circular saw)
Shovel or auger
12 20-foot lengths of lumber for the frame
16 20-foot lengths of lumber for the support struts
12 20-foot lengths of lumber for the transition
Assorted lengths of lumber for the deck
Plywood for the vert surface
Nails
Clamps or bricks to weigh down the plywood

Steps

Build your ramp on a level surface to avoid having to build a base for the frame.
Dig 12 post-holes four feet deep to hold the lumber for the frame, and set the posts in.
Construct the support struts by propping the bottom ends on the ground, and crossing them both over into an X shape. Eight support struts for each side of the vert ramp should be enough.
Prop the lumber for the transition on the support struts, and bend them into a curve with clamps. Allow the lumber to cure until the wood remains bent to the desired curve even without the aid of clamps.
Construct the deck by creating a frame out of lumber, covering it with plywood, and nailing it on top of the support struts.
Nail the plywood vert surface along the struts, the ground, and the transition. Use clamps or bricks to allow the wood to curve along the transition.
Allow the plywood to cure before painting the vert ramp in any way you want.

Give the vert ramp a few passes with some safe tricks, like lip tricks, deck grinds, and a few aerial tricks here and there. If you feel that the ramp is safe, try landing a big trick with high air; the ramp should hold up without breaking at the transition or at any part of the structure. Now you can invite your friends over for a jam session on your new, custom-built backyard vert ramp.