Before you start, consider the following: - How big and how heavy is your dog?
- How often will you need to move the ramp?
- How wide do you want your ramp to be?
- Is there a chance that humans will use the ramp too?
- How many ramps will you need?
For a dog or humans over 100 lbs, you may need 3/8 or 1/2 inch plywood; otherwise you can use 1/4 inch plywood.
If the ramp is to be moved frequently, you will most likely want as light a ramp as possible. The recommended width is between 16 and 24 inches.
MATERIALS NEEDED - Plywood (for length see Instructions below)
- Indoor-outdoor carpeting to cover one side of the plywood
- 4 strips of wooden lathe, each piece as long as the ramp's width
- Wood or drywall screws
INSTRUCTIONS - Measure the distance from the top of the stairs to the bottom
- Add 4 inches
- This will determine the length of the plywood and carpeting
- Cut the plywood
- Staple or glue the carpeting to the top side of the plywood
- Starting from the bottom, screw the lathe crosswise over the carpeting at regular intervals, for example every 10 or 12 inches
- Place the ramp over the steps and let your dog try it
- If the ramp is too steep, add another two feet of plywood and try again (screw a piece of board underneath the two sections to join them)
- Once your dog can use the ramp, move it to where you want it, then anchor the top end to the stairs with screws or nails
- Make sure nothing pokes out to hurt your dog's paws
- If your steps are made of cement, use concrete anchors or concrete nails for fastening
Congratulations, that's all there is to building a dog ramp out of plywood! |
