If you’re thinking about building a ramp deck, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, how much will it cost? Second, what type of material won’t rot or decay like wood. Third, how do you make the whole thing aesthetically pleasing? Finally, there are some steps to take before starting construction that can help ensure everything goes smoothly. Building a ramp deck is easy, and you don’t need any special tools for the job. To make your life even easier, we recommend doing this project in one day.
Building a ramp deck is not so difficult as you might think. All you need is the right materials, hardware and knowledge; and you’re ready to go! The key to making a ramp is having one accessible to ease the wheelchair into. To make it easier, add support posts at different locations around your house. Make sure that they are large enough so as not to obstruct too much of the wheelchair movement.
Planning for a ramp for your deck is an important step if you want to ensure that everyone who visits will be able to safely enter and exit the space. Ramps should have a non-slip surface, be sturdy, slope at the right angle, and not obstruct any doors or windows. In this post, we’ll outline how-to build the perfect ramp for your deck.
What is the ramp being used for?
When planning a ramp, it’s important to consider who will be using the ramp. For example, if you’re building a ramp for your child to use their scooter or wheelchair on, you’ll want to make sure that there is enough space for them to navigate through safely. A small child may need an incline that isn’t too steep and doesn’t have any sharp curves in it. An adult may require an incline with more of an angle and sharper turns so that they can easily move from one side of the decking area to the other without having trouble controlling their movement or balance during this process. It’s also important to consider how much weight each individual user will have when using their equipment so that there aren’t any safety issues involved with using these items on your decking surface (such as falling). If someone weighing 350 pounds were attempting to walk across your newly constructed ramp system (which only has 400 pounds per square foot), they could easily cause major damage by bending or breaking certain sections of lumber due insufficient strength compared against such high weight loadings over long periods of time; thus resulting in needing repairs sooner rather than later.
Special considerations.
- Check local building codes. Some municipalities have laws about how much of a deck can be above ground, so you should check your local building code before starting construction.
- Check that your deck is built to code. The height of the deck needs to be within ADA regulations for wheelchair accessibility, and there are other considerations such as the width between the house and the deck and the slope at which it’s constructed that must also be specified in most jurisdictions.
- Determine whether you need permits or inspections prior to installing any ramps or stairs on your property
Step 1: Measure, measure, measure.
This is the most important step in building a deck ramp. You need to measure the distance from your deck to the ground and make sure that it’s not too steep for an elderly person or someone with mobility issues. If you’re building a ramp for stairs, use these measurements:
- length of each step (measured from front to back)
- height between steps (measured from top surface of one step to another)
- width of each step (measured from side-to-side)
Step 2: Create a plan.
It is important to have a plan before you start building your deck ramp. You should know what tools you will need and where they can be purchased. It is also helpful to visualize the end result of your project so that you can get an idea of what it will look like when it is completed.
When building a deck ramp, consider the following:
- Have a plan for your project and know what tools are needed
- Visualize the end result
Step 3: Use the right materials.
Use pressure treated lumber for the decking and railings. You can use cedar, redwood or pine if you want to save money. If you’re building a ramp for a wheelchair, your lumber may need to meet ADA standards as well.
If you’re on a budget, consider using composite decking materials instead of pressure treated lumber for your steps and railings. Composite materials are made from recycled plastic made from post-consumer waste like soda bottles, milk jugs and other recyclables; they don’t absorb moisture like wood does which makes them less susceptible to rot over time so no staining is needed when building with composites versus traditional wood species like cedar or pine (which require regular maintenance).
A word of caution: cheap composite products won’t last nearly as long as real wood.
Step 4: Level out the ramp site. Dig holes and set posts into place.
- Level out the ramp site. Dig holes and set posts into place.
The next step is to level out your ramp site by digging holes for your posts, making sure they are level, and attaching joist hangers at the top of each post. There should be joist hangers on both sides, near where they attach to the deck boards (the horizontal ones). Attach these before you install them because if they’re too high or low, it can cause problems later on when installing newels posts (those fancy caps at the top). If you don’t have any helpers around to hold things in place while you use a leveler tool or spirit leveler app to make sure everything’s straight, just mark where your measurements are going with tape so that if anything happens later down here after digging up that hole again before moving on to something else nearby instead of trying undoing everything yourself again–we’ve been there too many times already! It gets frustrating fast.
Step 5: Attach joist hangers to the posts so that they are facing towards the deck. The bottom of each will be even with the top of the highest deck board that will be used.
The next step is to attach joist hangers to the posts. The hangers will be facing towards the deck, and will sit even with the top of the highest deck board that will be used. Once you have set them in place, secure them with screws or nails into their appropriate holes on each post.
Step 6: Install the deck boards at a 45-degree angle, making sure to leave 1/4 inch of space between them; keep them tight against each other as you work your way down the ramp.
- Install the deck boards at a 45-degree angle, making sure to leave 1/4 inch of space between them; keep them tight against each other as you work your way down the ramp.
- Use the same spacing for each deck board.
- Check that all of the boards are straight and level using a level before attaching them permanently with nails or screws.
Step 7: Place newels posts on the side of the ramp onto which a railing will be installed. Attach them by securing them to the ends of each ramp board with screws or nails.
To build a deck with a railing and to make it as safe as possible, you will need newel posts. Newel posts are generally placed at the end of each ramp board that descends into the ground on either side of the staircase. They serve as strong supports for railing installation and can also be used to attach decorative railings around your deck if you have any additional space left over from building your deck.
Rails in general help prevent falls by creating barriers between potentially slippery surfaces like those on decks and stairs, where people might slip off otherwise if there weren’t rails present.
Final words
Once your ramp is built, you can make it more user-friendly with a railing. Make sure to calculate the distance between handrails and posts, then add them to your ramp so that the disabled visitor feels entirely comfortable using the ramp.
