|
Old Dog Resources
|
|
Deborah Zelten's Do-It-Yourself Dog Ramp
Last Christmas I decided to get a present for my friend's aging Lab/Newfie
mix (weighing in at about 105 pounds) who is starting to have problems getting
into and out of her SUV – a dog ramp. I researched them and found they were
quite expensive, costing $200 - $225 for "large" dogs. When I looked at them I
thought: "I could build that for a lot less money!" Since I am quite handy, I
designed one myself, basing my plans on those I saw in various magazines and
catalogs. After about $25 worth of material and a couple of hours of "building"
– voila! a handy, dandy dog ramp for one-tenth the cost of a "commercial" one!
The plans follow.
This makes a dog ramp that measures approximately 5 feet in length by 16
inches wide. (Commercial dog ramps are usually 4 feet 8 inches [56 inches] long
by either 12, 14 or 16 inches wide.) It uses rubberized non-skid ribbed carpet
and has "sides" to keep unsteady dog feet from slipping sideways. I bought all
my materials at Home Depot. The ramp has optional features such as a ramp ledge
and the ramp can be made to fold in half for easier storage.
I have written very detailed plans to help those who are not used to building
things. Obviously, more experienced people can just skim them.
REQUIRED SUPPLIES:
One 5-foot section (or two 2 ½-foot sections for a folding ramp) of 16-
inch wide lumber or "shelving" board. (I used a 16-inch wide, ¾- inch thick
melamine-coated shelving board made of particle board. This is heavier in weight
than normal pine lumber boards such as a 1x16, but I wanted sturdiness since the
ramp may be used by a St. Bernard.) I had to buy an eight foot length of this
shelving board [about $13] and had the lumber company cut a 5 foot section for
me. This wood is for the actual "ramp." Two 5-foot sections of 3- or 4-inch wide base-board moulding (or four 2½-foot
sections for the folding ramp). Moulding is usually sold by the foot (about
40 to 80 cents a foot depending on the type). I paid 40 cents a foot for some 3½
inch wide, already-painted moulding that I had the lumber company cut for me.
This moulding makes the "side rails."
Ten #6 1¼-inch (drywall) screws – five for each side. (Use twelve screws
for the folding ramp) to attach the side rails to the ramp. (A box of 100 screws
is a about $5.)
One 6-foot section of carpet runner approximately 15 inches wide. I
bought a 15-inch section of a non- skid, ribbed indoor/outdoor carpet. This
carpet looked like giant "wide wale corduroy" and was on a huge roll that was 6
feet wide. It was sold by the linear foot and cost $4 per linear foot or $5 for
a 15 inch strip.) Another material you could buy by the linear foot is the
rubberized matting that is put under throw rugs to keep them from slipping on
hardwood or tile floors. It looks like rubber-coated hardware cloth. A couple
layers would make a good non-slip surface. Another possibility is ordinary
bathtub rubber non-slip mats – a couple of them would also work.
Approximately twenty ½-inch flathead screws (or nails) for attaching the
carpeting (or rubber mats) to the ramp to provide non-slip footing. OR
use a heavy duty staple gun and staples instead of the screws.
OPTIONAL Supplies for the RAMP LEDGE:
One 6-inch section of the same lumber or shelving board as the ramp
base – again, have the lumber company cut this section for you from the
original "board." This will become the ramp ledge.
Four 135º heavy duty angle braces (about $1 each). These braces are
for attaching the 6-inch piece of lumber to the 5-foot section. The angle braces
are made of metal, about an eighth of an inch thick. They are about 6 inches
wide and each "side" of the angle is about 2 and a half inches long with
pre-drilled screw holes. I found them in the section of Home Depot where all the
deck building supplies are. (Specifically, they were in bins next to the various
joist hangers, etc.)
Approximately twenty-four ½-inch flathead screws for attaching the
two wood sections with the angle braces
OPTIONAL Supplies for the FOLDING RAMP:
Two heavy duty 4- or 5-inch hinges with screws. (I have found
that 2 heavy duty hinges are stronger than one long "piano hinge".)
Two heavy duty barrel (slide) bolts with screws.
REQUIRED TOOLS:
Screwdriver and/or hammer
Optional Tools:
Saw to cut lumber if you can't get your local lumber store to cut the
wood for you.
Drill with 3/32-inch drill bit for pre- drilling screw holes
Heavy Duty Staple Gun and staples
Cordless screwdriver
INSTRUCTIONS:Note: These instructions are geared toward a non-folding
ramp. If you want to make a "folding" ramp, you will need to cut your "ramp"
lumber in half and each of the two baseboard moulding pieces will have to be cut
in half also. Then you will need to do Step 1 of the "assembly" steps twice.
STEP 1. Ramp sides.
Cut the baseboard moulding into two 5-foot sections (the same length as your
piece of ramp lumber). Nail or screw, using the #6 1¼-inch (drywall) screws,
through the thickest part of the moulding sections, to attach them to the piece
of lumber as in the diagram below. If you are using screws, it helps to
pre-drill the screw holes with a drill and drill bit indicated in the "Required
Tools" list.
| moulding ------> |
||______________|| |
< ------ moulding |
| |
lumber |
|
STEP 2. Ramp Ledge
This step is optional – do it only if you want to make a ramp ledge.
If you don't want the ramp ledge, skip to Step 3. The ledge gives the ramp a bit
more stability as it leans on your vehicle. The diagram below gives you a rough
idea of a side view of how the ramp ledge will look when it is attached to the
ramp with the angle braces.
Step 2A. The angle braces will be used to attach the ledge to the
ramp. Attach two of the angle braces to the bottom side of the ramp "top" with
the ½-inch screws so that the "bend" of the angle is even with the end of the
ramp top.
Step 2B. Using the ½-inch screws, attach the 6-inch piece of lumber
(the ramp ledge) to the top of the angle braces you just attached to the ramp in
Step 2A, making sure that the edge of the ramp top and the ramp ledge are flush
up against one another. (Note that for a totally flat fit it will be necessary
to cut the butting end of this piece at the appropriate angle; however, this is
not really necessary.)
Step 2C. Using the ½-inch screws, attach the remaining two angle
braces to the top of the ramp and the top of the ramp ledge. (The bend of the
angle braces will cover up the point where the ramp top and ramp ledge meet.)
STEP 3. Carpeting/Non-skid Matting.
Screw (using ½-inch flathead screws) or use a staple gun to attach the carpet
or non- skid matting to the ramp. Wrap the extra carpet/matting length a couple
inches over each end of the ramp (extend it onto the ramp ledge if you made the
ramp ledge) and attach it securely to the bottom of the ramp. (This helps keep
the ramp from slipping on the ground as your dog walks up the ramp into your
vehicle.) NOTE: If you are making a folding ramp, only wrap the carpet over the
ramp top (or ramp ledge) and ramp bottom – do not wrap it over the edges where
the hinges will be.
STEP 4. Folding Ramp
This step is optional – do it only if you want to make a "folding" ramp.
This allows the ramp to fit more easily into your vehicle. The ramp will fold so
that the bottom side (i.e., the side without the carpeting) folds onto
itself.
Step 4A. Take your two ramp halves and attach them with two heavy duty
hinges evenly-spaced and put on the bottom sides of the two ramp sections so
that the ramp will fold together with the two bottom sides touching. Make sure
the hinges are placed correctly!
Step 4B. For added support and less flexibility at the joint of the
two ramp ramp sections, attach the two heavy duty barrel (slide) bolts to the
bottom outside of the ramp at the break in the ramp. These will be kept
open when the ramp is folded, closed only when used for large dogs. Make sure
they are placed so that each section of the bolt is on either side of the
opening. Also, they should be attached so that one row of screws is
connected through the moulding into the actual bed of the ramp. Use
longer screws for this row
AND THAT'S IT! You are now the proud owner of a dog ramp that you made
yourself! You can paint or stain the ramp to preserve the wood if you wish.
Also, the folded ramp should fit quite nicely into an old pillowcase, allowing
you to keep it clean and present a nice, finished product.
Thank you to Deborah Zelten for writing this helpful article and our new friends at http://www.bouviers.net
for allowing us to reprint. |
|
|
