Building a backyard skate ramp is an exciting project for skaters of all ages. With a clear plan, a level workspace, the right tools, and quality materials, many DIYers can successfully construct a ramp that will provide years of riding and practice.
This article focuses on the essential tools you’ll need to build a backyard skate ramp.
We previously wrote about whether to build or buy a skate ramp on Built by Kids. For our project we chose a hybrid approach: we ordered pre-cut lumber and plans from Keen Ramps and assembled the ramp ourselves.
Basic power tools are required for most ramp builds. If you purchase pre-cut lumber, you can avoid some complex cuts, but having a few extra tools on hand makes the job faster and cleaner.
Impact Driver
The single most important tool for building a skate ramp is an impact driver. While a drill driver can do the job, an impact driver performs far better thanks to greater torque and speed—especially when you’re driving the hundreds of screws a ramp requires.
For our ramp we used the Milwaukee M18 Surge Impact Driver. We bought the bare tool to take advantage of existing M18 batteries. The Surge stands out because it uses oil-pulse technology to generate torque rather than the traditional metal-on-metal mechanism, which results in significantly reduced noise and vibration.
Because the Surge is quieter and produces less vibration, it made long building sessions more comfortable for us and less disruptive to neighbors while our son helped with the project.
Miter Saw
A miter saw is useful for a wide range of home-improvement tasks and is particularly helpful when cutting the framing lumber for a ramp. For most ramp builds, a 10-inch miter saw is sufficient; it easily handles 2x4s and even 4x4s. Although ramp frames typically require straight cuts, a miter saw gives you the flexibility to make angled cuts if needed.
You’ll rely on the miter saw to cut the many 2x4s used for the ramp’s base and support structure, so accuracy and repeatable cuts are valuable.
Jigsaw
A jigsaw is the best choice for cutting curves, which is essential when shaping the ramp’s transitions. The transition is the curved portion of the ramp that determines how sharp or mellow the ride feels: tighter transitions are more challenging, while longer transitions provide a gentler, easier-to-ride surface.
The string-and-pencil method is a common and reliable way to lay out transition curves before cutting. If you want step-by-step guidance on drawing transitions for a mini ramp, resources like DIY Skate provide useful diagrams and instructions.
Additional Tools and Hardware
Besides the impact driver, countersink bits and impact-rated bits are essential to get screws flush and secure. A good level is also necessary to ensure the ramp sits plumb and true. For deck attachment, we recommend stainless steel Torx screws over traditional Phillips-head deck screws: Torx drivers reduce the risk of stripping, and stainless steel resists corrosion and prevents rust stains on the ramp surface.
We took advantage of free shipping on our impact driver order by adding an oversized, heavy-duty tarp to protect the ramp in bad weather and an oscillating multi-tool we’ve been wanting. A tarp is a simple but effective way to preserve plywood and other exposed materials during rain or snow.
Top Photos: Steve Makowski