How to Build a Shed Ramp

How to Build a Shed Ramp

The steps below outline the basic process of building a shed ramp. Adjust the measurements as needed to better fit your shed’s opening and height.

1. Measure Your Shed’s Opening

   Measure the opening of your shed to verify that the items you wish to store utilizing a ramp will fit. You can mount your ramp totally on the face of your shed or design it to fit within the door opening, which will minimize the size of the gap between the ramp and the shed floor. If possible, we recommend the latter.

   Measure the distance from one side of the opening to the other. This will determine the width of your ramp.

   Tip

   Depending on your shed’s design, it may benefit you to remove the doors and cut a small portion off the bottom of each door to make room for the ramp.

2. Measure the Height

   Measure the distance from the shed floor to the ground. This will vary for nearly every shed, as no two sheds are installed exactly alike.

3. Determine the Ramp Angle

   Use the distance from the shed floor to the ground to determine the angle of your ramp. The goal is to maintain a pitch of no more than 2 inches of fall per 12 inches, which is around 10 degrees. Any steeper and the ramp can be dangerous and ineffective.

   For instance, if your shed’s floor is 12 inches from the ground, the ramp needs to extend a minimum of 6 feet (72 inches) from the shed to keep it from being too steep.

4. Find the Ramp Length

   Now that you’ve found the height of your shed and determined how far the ramp needs to extend to have a safe and effective angle, you can find the required length of your ramp. To do so, use the Pythagorean Theorem, or A² + B² = C².

   In this case, “A” represents the height, “B” represents the distance the ramp extends from the shed, and “C” represents the actual length of your ramp and joists.

   So, implementing the example numbers in the prior step would yield this result:

   12² + 72² = 72.99²

   This means the length of the ramp is just over 6 feet.

5. Cut Joists to Length

   While you can implement calculations and measuring devices to find the exact angle of the joists, there’s a faster and easier way. Start by cutting each joist around 1 foot longer than the length you found in the last step.

6. Cut and Mount Ledger Board

   Cut a 2×6 to the width of the shed’s opening and use exterior wood screws to mount it across the bottom of the opening spaced 1 inch below the lip of the opening.

   Warning

   Make sure you securely mount the ledger board to the shed’s frame and achieve a strong hold. Failure to do so can result in the ramp pulling from the shed during use, which can lead to injury.

7. Mark and Cut the Joist Angle

   Hold one end of a joist perpendicular to the ledger board while letting the opposite end rest on the ground. Slide a scrap piece of straight lumber (or similar straight object) against the ledger board and joist and mark the line on the joist to find the angle you should cut at the end of the joist.

   Cut on the line using a miter saw or circular saw.

8. Mark and Cut Second Angle

   Place the cut end against the ledger board once more and, if you don’t have a helper to hold it in place, screw it in place temporarily. Go to the end that is resting on the ground and place a scrap board next to it resting on the ground. Trace along the top of the board to mark the angle, then cut along the line using a circular saw or miter saw.

   Tip

   Cutting lumber with a circular saw is much easier and safer when the board is clamped down to a cutting surface. This is especially helpful when performing long rip cuts.

9. Cut Remaining Joists

   Use this first joist as a pattern to cut the remaining joists. For most shed ramps, 3 to 4 joists should be enough. Place the joists a minimum of 12 inches apart and move them closer to increase the strength of the ramp.

10. Mount the Joists

    Mount the joists to the ledger board with 3-1/2-inch exterior wood screws.

11. Mount Lower Frame Support

    On the other end of the joists, slide a 2×6 cut to the same length as the ledger beneath the ends of the joists, then screw through the top of the joists into the 2×6.

12. Add Blocking

    Cut 2×6 blocks to the width of the space between each joist and mount them in between each joist in the middle area. This will help tie the frame system together. To mount the blocks, screw through the joists into the ends of the blocks.

13. Level the Ramp

    Slide several pavers or concrete blocks beneath the end of the ramp to support it. To level the ramp, add or remove dirt beneath each block until a level reads level when placed across the end of the ramp.

14. Cut and Add Deck Boards

    Cut the deck boards to your ramp’s width, then mount them in place by driving exterior wood screws through each board into the joists. Cutting them slightly wider will provide an overhang which will offer a nice visual touch.

    Tip

    A slight gap between each deck board will allow the ramp to shed water more effectively. However, pressure-treated wood tends to shrink when it dries, so refrain from gapping the boards more than 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

15. Fill in With Gravel

    To soften the transition from the ramp to the ground, fill in the bottom with gravel.

How to Maintain a Shed Ramp

To ensure your DIY shed ramp lasts for years to come, consider applying a staining deck sealer to the wood once it has had ample time to dry. Applying sealer to pressure-treated wood prematurely will result in improper adhesion. Reseal as necessary to offer ongoing protection to the wood.