How To Build A Shed Ramp

Building a ramp for a shed or storage building

Building a shed ramp to assist entering a shed makes sense when considering the types of things that usually go in sheds like lawn mowers, snow blowers, bikes and rolling fertilizer spreaders. It is much easier to push a lawnmower up a ramp than stairs. A ramp can be anything from a board laying from the floor of the shed down to the ground to a custom built ramp that is strong enough to hold a riding lawn mower. This article will teach you how to build a shed ramp that is strong enough to hold anything you can fit through the shed door. The plans included in this article are free plans for a shed ramp.

The slope for these ramp plans is about 12 degrees which makes a 4' long ramp when the floor to ground height is 12 inches. All the ramps detailed on our Shed Ramp Stringer Cut Chart will build a ramp with the same 12 degree slope the only thing that will change will be the floor to ground height.

These instructions use 2x6 treated lumber. If you are using a composite decking like Trex or similar product make sure you account for the thickness of the board. Composite decking's are thinner than regular lumber.

1. 2x6 Pressure treated wood. Verify amounts with the size of ramp you need to build
2. 1 lb. Deck Screws #9 flat head, polymer 3"
3. Simpson Rafter Hangers LSU26, or equivalent (1 for each stringer)

steps to building a shed ramp

step 1 - Design The Shed Ramp

1. Figure out the wide you want you ramp to be. Typically it goes about 3 to 6 inches past the door opening on each side.
2. The length of the ledger board will be the width of the ramp.
3. Mark the top of the ledger board location on the shed wall. The top of the ledger board will sit 2" below the shed floor height so that when the decking boards are installed there will be a smooth transition between the first deck board and the shed floor.

step 2 - Make The First Stringer

1. Use the drawing and chart below to mark up the first stringer board
2. Cut along the lines to make the first stringer.
3. Use a block of wood to simulate the ledger board. Hold the block of wood on the shed wall and set the stringer on the block to make sure that the bottom angle rests evenly on the ground.
4. Adjust as necessary to get the edges of the stringer either resting against the shed wall or ground.

step 3 - Use The First Stringer To Make The Remaining Stringers

1. Set the first stringer against the wood to be used as one of the other stringers
2. Outline the stringer on the new board.
3. Cut out the new stringer.
4. Repeat with the remaining stringers. There should be a stringer at about 16" o.c. A 4' wide ramp will use 4 stringers.

step 4 - Assemble The Shed Ramp Stringers And Ledger

1. Layout the stringer locations on the ledger board by spacing the stringer locations evenly on the ledger board.
2. Attach the stringers to the ledger board using 3" deck screws. Use 3 screws to screw from the face of the ledger board into the top ends of the stringers.

step 5 - Attach The Shed Ramp To The Shed

1. Rest the ledger board and stringer assembly against the shed wall below the door on the line you drew when laying out the ramp height.
2. Use 3" deck screws to attach the ledger board to the shed wall. Make sure to go through the siding and into the floor joist. Use 3 screws every 12 inches along the ledger board.
3. Install Simpson Rafter hangers at each stringer (Simpson LSU26) The end hangers will have the outer edges flattened and nailed to the ends of the ledger board.

step 6 - Install The Ramp Decking

1. Measure the decking boards and cut them to length. They should be the same length as the ledger board.
2. Start at the top of the ramp and install the first board. This board may have an angle cut in it so there is no gap between the top of the ramp and the shed floor.
3. Install the deck boards down the ramp with at least 1/8" gap between boards. It is typically best to set all the boards on the ramp in their respective locations and adjust them so that the gaps are equal and then fasten them to the ledger boards using the 3" deck screws.
4. The tread that comes in contact with the ground may have an angle cut into it to make the transition from the ground to the ramp smoother. There is little or no wood at the end of the stringers to attach the bottom tread to so it is typically best to hold it up on the stringers and get at least 2 screws through the decking tread and into the stringers.

step 7 - Shed Ramp Safety

Shed ramps can be slippery when wet. When building a shed ramp it is advised that you install a non slip surface on the deck boards.There are adhesive backed non slip stair tread stickers that can be installed on the top of the ramp or floor paints that have sand in them to provide a non slip coating.