Excellent tutorial on weatherproofing wood ramps. My mother just had three indoor and one outdoor ramp for (cane, walker and wheelchair) accessibility at her home. The wood is unfinished and I will use both the DAP 40 year waterproof caulking and the Thompson's WaterSeal to all the ramps. Thank you!
Thanks for the information, these videos are brilliant. I found a product in Toolstation in the UK called Everflex siliconised acrylic sealant which seems to be similar to the stuff you used.
Great tips and on point. Thanks for sharing. I'm originally from U.K now living in the Philippines and I'm planning to build an outdoor ramp here int he next couple of months. We also have monsoon season as well as temperatures up to 38 degrees so all this information was really helpful for me. Thanks!
Great tip. I am renovating/repairing my 12 year old Bowl in L.A. (originally built by myself and my breddah's @ Speerco ) I would suggest, for the same purpose (water proofing your Plywood underlayment), it is a good Idea to paint the plywood sheets with some exterior paint as well. We have always run Skatelite but I am considering Gator skins for the bowl surface this time around....just money issues at this time...but hopefully soon we will be able to purchase what we need to surface our groovy little bowl here in L.A. and get back to the ripping sessions we used to have here. BleSsUP!!!
Yeah, the treatment was intended only for the underlayment sheets. Give us a shot man. You'll be loving the ride, save a bunch of loot and guarantee you'll never look back.
All the videos I watched not one video told you to do this . That’s what I was looking for the most because weather will ruin all that money and work in no time .
What’s the difference between Thompson’s weather seal and SkatePaint that is sold for way more money? Ideally I would like to go with the cheaper option but what am I missing?
Great tips! Would you apply the Thompson's water seal on the top surface that you ride on? Curious about how the finish will feel as I wouldn't want the ramp to be too slippery
one or the other, the two are incompatible as far as i know. paint definitely won't stick to the Thompsons and the Thompsons would be pointless over paint -- if it would even penetrate at all.
Is there anything you can coat the ramp portion to prevent the wood from getting dented or chipped? I am worried about using marine varnish because them the ramp could be slippery. We already use Thompson's weather seal to waterproof. Thanks!
You coated the skate surface with Thompsons? Yikes, that stuff is slippery. I was recommending it only for the substrate (base plywood layers). Best thing you can do is get some Gator Skins and layer it up! Then you have a maintenance-free surface with a 5 year warranty and its fast and grippy.
I think new Thomson’s is formulated with wax or even silicone which makes adhesion over it problematic. You can keep soaking it in water seal or wait for it to get really dry and worn and see if some kind of oil based paint will stick. Do some sample patches. Call the number on the Thomson’s can and ask what they recommend. With coatings there’s always a solution. Boiled linseed oil might soak in to the Thomson’s and then oil paint stick to that. But it may cost more than a new layer.
Hey man thanks this has been the most helpful vid on the topic so far. I'm building a ramp inside a shed so it doesn't really have to be waterproofed but in the case that I move it to another location and it ends up outside I'd like it to be. I guess it would also protect it from any humidity in the shed too. Do you think a polyurethane paint would work as well as a 'water sealant'? There's already loads of paint in the shed so just looking to save some pennies where I can!
I get some free azek/trex decking from job sites im at, you ever use that stuff. I'm gonna mess w making a few boxes and little kickers to try em out. No wide thin stuff though for sheathing yet.
There was a post on ramptech's site about exterior halfpipes saying you really should use pressure treated plywood and lumber. Is it THAT critical? It might double or triple the cost of building the ramp. How does that compare to the suggestions here? Also, does the water seal ever need to be reapplied?
I've seen that as well. I'm just gonna use paint to protect my ramp. I don't see why it can't protect the ramp wood when it protects the wood on my house, you know?
It depends where you live. East of Mid-Texas, you can never go wrong with pressure treated wood. But, if the cost makes it a non-starter, definitely weatherize the wood to protect your investment. We have another, more detailed tutorial on our Instagram account also. Only problem with Thompsons is that it can wick up into your Gator Skins layer from the plywood underneath and cause stains. Check out that other tutorial i mentioned on IG.
Yeah pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine lumber is ubiquitous on the East Coast and well worth the extra bucks wherever it’s near ground or exposed to moisture. IN ground is a must. “Ground contact” grade. PT plywood is available and is maybe worth it for parts of the transitions. It is often soaking wet when you buy it. So buy ahead and sticker dry under weight. Same with the 2xs if they’re wet. A lot of the ribs are well sheltered and don’t need to be PT. Flat bottom yes good idea there. Actual ramp surface layers probably not worth the money for PT. You need 3/8 anyhow. Exterior grade sheathing works ok. I think painting the heck out it and caulking is smart. Just like a boat.
Hey man, i primed every piece of wood on my ramp so far and plan to seal the edges with Alex. One question how can I weatherproof the Masonite? Also should I apply Alex to the 2x4’s as well?
@@clemfandango5908 yep. hard stop on masonite. its pressed cardboard... soggy, wrinkly after 1st rain and itchy as hell. the stuff sucks bigtime and i don't know anyone who has ever come up with a method of waterproofing it.
@@jason0s I used 18 mm marine ply on transitions , started with 6ft transition to steep for me then 7 which was better then 8ft which is perfect ,my trick progression has improved 100% on 8ft , do you have Instagram, I have pictures of it on that
1/8th an inch between each piece of skatelite (i stick a nal between the pieces to do the spacing) and make sure not to lay down the skatelite at the same cracks as the plywood. Overlap by a inch or more if possible so you dont get buckling.
Nah, no need, If you weatherize the surface properly, they will have very minimal to no exposure. Painting any exposed framing of the decks is a good idea though.
only the ply used for the transitions which was 3/4" exterior grade subfloor ply. all the rest was standard, cheap CDX stuff you would get at Home Depot.
Yeah. Exterior grade ply holds up pretty well due to the type of glue used. At least the yellow pine type in the East does. The grade used to be CDX. They call it something else now but it says exterior on the stamp. I don’t know about Doug Fir ply. That shit is splintery too.
Hey man. Thanks for the tips! I never thought about doing the edges. I planned on staining with Thompson’s but what would you recommend for the surface if I’m using Luan? I was going to coat the whole thing in Thompson’s and then go back over the skate surface with skatepaint but I keep seeing horror stories of it being too slick or not bonding properly. Someone recommended a marine polymer but I’m worried that will be too slick as well. Do you think the Thompson’s will suffice? Thanks man!
Hey you definitely don't want to use Thompsons on your final surface as it is paraffin based and would be unbelievably slick. Luan is definitely going to splinter up really bad. I'd go with masonite over luan although neither one of those are ideal as a surface.
Hey buddy. I'm gonna build a ramp but I'm in Russia and it's gonna be a bitch finding skate tech composite sheets for final surface. What would recommend I do to the reg ply wood that will go on as my last coat
![Building a Mini Ramp Halfpipe [Start to Finish]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PUSN384UI1o/mqdefault.jpg)
![Building a Mini Ramp Halfpipe [Start to Finish]](/img/tr.png)
NICE! I have a Painting company now and used to have a ramp in my yard, just wanted to say this dude is on point!
thanks bro! Just passing along an old trick my Pops showed me.
loving the Sublime in the background
Sublime is next to a religion in this house man hahaha
Excellent tutorial on weatherproofing wood ramps. My mother just had three indoor and one outdoor ramp for (cane, walker and wheelchair) accessibility at her home. The wood is unfinished and I will use both the DAP 40 year waterproof caulking and the Thompson's WaterSeal to all the ramps. Thank you!
Thanks for the information, these videos are brilliant. I found a product in Toolstation in the UK called Everflex siliconised acrylic sealant which seems to be similar to the stuff you used.
Thanks for the feedback bro! And, yep! That's exactly what ALEX40 is.
Great tips and on point. Thanks for sharing. I'm originally from U.K now living in the Philippines and I'm planning to build an outdoor ramp here int he next couple of months. We also have monsoon season as well as temperatures up to 38 degrees so all this information was really helpful for me. Thanks!
Great tip. I am renovating/repairing my 12 year old Bowl in L.A. (originally built by myself and my breddah's @ Speerco ) I would suggest, for the same purpose (water proofing your Plywood underlayment), it is a good Idea to paint the plywood sheets with some exterior paint as well. We have always run Skatelite but I am considering Gator skins for the bowl surface this time around....just money issues at this time...but hopefully soon we will be able to purchase what we need to surface our groovy little bowl here in L.A. and get back to the ripping sessions we used to have here. BleSsUP!!!
Yeah, the treatment was intended only for the underlayment sheets. Give us a shot man. You'll be loving the ride, save a bunch of loot and guarantee you'll never look back.
All the videos I watched not one video told you to do this . That’s what I was looking for the most because weather will ruin all that money and work in no time .
ya i know, must be alot of ramps breaking down or they have room to store them indoors!
you know the old saying... an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! and $$$ ;)
Beautiful work
Thanks man. Great vid. What do you think is the best type of plywood to use?
👌
If painting the transition frames, will that sealant work overtop paint?
Great freaking vids!! I hope you’ll keep making these!!
Check our account on Instagram. There are lots more of these tips videos there.
What’s the difference between Thompson’s weather seal and SkatePaint that is sold for way more money? Ideally I would like to go with the cheaper option but what am I missing?
Great tips! Would you apply the Thompson's water seal on the top surface that you ride on? Curious about how the finish will feel as I wouldn't want the ramp to be too slippery
Thank you. Great advice
Very welcome!
If you plan to use the Thompson’s water seal, and paint..which should you put down first?
one or the other, the two are incompatible as far as i know. paint definitely won't stick to the Thompsons and the Thompsons would be pointless over paint -- if it would even penetrate at all.
Thank you x
;)
Great video.
Can I have the design and construction dimensions of your backyard yard please
Is there anything you can coat the ramp portion to prevent the wood from getting dented or chipped? I am worried about using marine varnish because them the ramp could be slippery. We already use Thompson's weather seal to waterproof. Thanks!
You coated the skate surface with Thompsons? Yikes, that stuff is slippery. I was recommending it only for the substrate (base plywood layers). Best thing you can do is get some Gator Skins and layer it up! Then you have a maintenance-free surface with a 5 year warranty and its fast and grippy.
I think new Thomson’s is formulated with wax or even silicone which makes adhesion over it problematic. You can keep soaking it in water seal or wait for it to get really dry and worn and see if some kind of oil based paint will stick. Do some sample patches. Call the number on the Thomson’s can and ask what they recommend. With coatings there’s always a solution. Boiled linseed oil might soak in to the Thomson’s and then oil paint stick to that. But it may cost more than a new layer.
Good tips! Good video!
I'm in Australia and I'm trying to find an alternative to Alex Plus, What would you recommend?
Dimensions on that ramp? Specifically the flatbottom? Thanks.
How does the acrylic/water mixture compare to Thompson water seal? Which does the better job and longer lasting?
Hey man thanks this has been the most helpful vid on the topic so far. I'm building a ramp inside a shed so it doesn't really have to be waterproofed but in the case that I move it to another location and it ends up outside I'd like it to be. I guess it would also protect it from any humidity in the shed too. Do you think a polyurethane paint would work as well as a 'water sealant'? There's already loads of paint in the shed so just looking to save some pennies where I can!
Urethane would work for sure but the stuff is crazy expensive!
What is your top piece of wood on your half pipe
I get some free azek/trex decking from job sites im at, you ever use that stuff. I'm gonna mess w making a few boxes and little kickers to try em out. No wide thin stuff though for sheathing yet.
is that composite wood? i've never tried it...
@@gatorskinsskateboardsurfac5345 Yeah composite decking. Plastic or vinyl I guess. Was fun to play with. I made a little manual pad with some.
There was a post on ramptech's site about exterior halfpipes saying you really should use pressure treated plywood and lumber. Is it THAT critical? It might double or triple the cost of building the ramp. How does that compare to the suggestions here? Also, does the water seal ever need to be reapplied?
I've seen that as well. I'm just gonna use paint to protect my ramp. I don't see why it can't protect the ramp wood when it protects the wood on my house, you know?
It depends where you live. East of Mid-Texas, you can never go wrong with pressure treated wood. But, if the cost makes it a non-starter, definitely weatherize the wood to protect your investment. We have another, more detailed tutorial on our Instagram account also. Only problem with Thompsons is that it can wick up into your Gator Skins layer from the plywood underneath and cause stains. Check out that other tutorial i mentioned on IG.
Yeah pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine lumber is ubiquitous on the East Coast and well worth the extra bucks wherever it’s near ground or exposed to moisture. IN ground is a must. “Ground contact” grade. PT plywood is available and is maybe worth it for parts of the transitions. It is often soaking wet when you buy it. So buy ahead and sticker dry under weight. Same with the 2xs if they’re wet. A lot of the ribs are well sheltered and don’t need to be PT. Flat bottom yes good idea there. Actual ramp surface layers probably not worth the money for PT. You need 3/8 anyhow. Exterior grade sheathing works ok. I think painting the heck out it and caulking is smart. Just like a boat.
Hell yeah bro save me on that Masonite
Amazing information.
Thanks I’ll do that! What is the height and radius of your backyard ramp? Looks bigger that 4 foot! 5? Thanks -
Yep! 5 high, 8' transition radius
what should i use for the surface of my ramp so it doesn't rot in the rain and such?
Question: Does this Thompson seal work on the masonite as well?
Never put Thompsons on a surface that you are going to skate. It's made from paraffin wax...deadly slick!
Hey man, i primed every piece of wood on my ramp so far and plan to seal the edges with Alex. One question how can I weatherproof the Masonite? Also should I apply Alex to the 2x4’s as well?
Paint everything with elastomeric, 2 coats.. don’t use Masonite. Splerge for the skatelite
Clem fandango agreed
@@clemfandango5908 splerge for gatorskins!
@@grenadeam best advice possible
@@clemfandango5908 yep. hard stop on masonite. its pressed cardboard... soggy, wrinkly after 1st rain and itchy as hell. the stuff sucks bigtime and i don't know anyone who has ever come up with a method of waterproofing it.
Is there anything I can put on top of masonite to weatherproof it?
Do water go through the edges of treated wood?
Less so with pressure treated wood but yes, eventually. I'd recommend this treatment on any type of plywood.
Do you need to cover all of the panels with Alex?
Just the transition template edges and the edges of the base plywood layers.
Hi , I can't get that silicone you use in the uk can I use normal silicone no caulk , thanks
I have the same question. Would love to know of correct alternatives!
@@jason0s hi , I used thomson one coat seal , and stix all silicon in the joints and edges , and covered with tarp and it seams to be working
@@jamesbondred9997 Nice one thanks - what kind of wood did you use for the first transitions layers?
@@jason0s I used 18 mm marine ply on transitions , started with 6ft transition to steep for me then 7 which was better then 8ft which is perfect ,my trick progression has improved 100% on 8ft , do you have Instagram, I have pictures of it on that
Holy crap thank you so much!!
totally welcome man!
Also, when building my ramp ( I live in Texas) should I leave lots of space in between it?
1/8th an inch between each piece of skatelite (i stick a nal between the pieces to do the spacing) and make sure not to lay down the skatelite at the same cracks as the plywood. Overlap by a inch or more if possible so you dont get buckling.
Skatelite shouldn’t expand at all , but maybe I’m wrong
Clem fandango Danny way video said it does expand a little
if you have high humidity, yes. i use a few 6d nails along the edges for spacers. nickels work too!
Can u out Thompson’s water seal on
Masonite since it’s not waterproof
Skip out on Masonite and do two sheets of 1/2 ply and waterseal and paint
I never have but I would not recommend that as it would be deathly slippery.
Do you Waterseal all the 2x4s as well?
Nah, no need, If you weatherize the surface properly, they will have very minimal to no exposure. Painting any exposed framing of the decks is a good idea though.
Was the ramp in your backyard constructed with marine/pressure treated lumber ?
only the ply used for the transitions which was 3/4" exterior grade subfloor ply. all the rest was standard, cheap CDX stuff you would get at Home Depot.
You live in AZ and yet you have a surfboard in your garage?
They look like they never been ridden !
i'm from Miami. i take those down to Rocky Point, Mexico in the Summer
Are you getting delamination on treated ply or are you using untreated?
The ply shown to be delaminated in the example was not exterior grade. It was just standard plywood from Home Depot - untreated.
Yeah. Exterior grade ply holds up pretty well due to the type of glue used. At least the yellow pine type in the East does. The grade used to be CDX. They call it something else now but it says exterior on the stamp. I don’t know about Doug Fir ply. That shit is splintery too.
What did you use for the surface? Masonite?
Gator Skins panels on the surface....the best you can get.
Hey man. Thanks for the tips! I never thought about doing the edges. I planned on staining with Thompson’s but what would you recommend for the surface if I’m using Luan? I was going to coat the whole thing in Thompson’s and then go back over the skate surface with skatepaint but I keep seeing horror stories of it being too slick or not bonding properly. Someone recommended a marine polymer but I’m worried that will be too slick as well. Do you think the Thompson’s will suffice? Thanks man!
Hey you definitely don't want to use Thompsons on your final surface as it is paraffin based and would be unbelievably slick. Luan is definitely going to splinter up really bad. I'd go with masonite over luan although neither one of those are ideal as a surface.
How much do you charge to build a ramp?
Gator Skins actually doesn't build ramps - they just make the surface panels. However, I build locally here in Phoenix, AZ.
Just sprayed flex seal.
what surface did you use?
only the best my man: Gator Skins!
What did you use for the top layer?
Luke Erickson probably Skatelite, or Masonite but more likely Skatelite
Gatorskins panels on the surface.
Thanks
welcome!
or just use a caulkgun and save a bunch of time
guwop yeah and have globs of it everywhere, no thanks
Hey buddy. I'm gonna build a ramp but I'm in Russia and it's gonna be a bitch finding skate tech composite sheets for final surface. What would recommend I do to the reg ply wood that will go on as my last coat