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Dr. Rick Blackhart
ASK THE DOCTOR
EVERLASTING RAMP QUESTION
Dr. Rick:
You are a funny guy who seems to know
a lot about a lot of things. I wonder if you
could write something in your column about
protecting sealants for plywood on
halfpipes. Me and my friends are building a
halfpipe this spring when the weather
warms and we want to protect our invest-
ment (it's not easy getting wood from
someone's garage) I have heard about all
kinds of sealants that work best but I trust
your insight for the true answer. Skaters.
rule and so does THRASHER Mag.
Scott Moser
St. Cloud, Minn
It's good to see that more and more
skaters are turning to ramps. Not that a
perfect pool wouldn't be better, but you
can't have everything all the time, right?
However, this doesn't mean that you
can't build a ramp with just as good of a
skating surface as any pool you'll ever
skate. The key factor to acquiring the
perfect ramp is, of course, how you
build it. Sound construction methods
will ultimately determine the life expec-
tancy of your ramp. The better you ham-
mer, the longer you'll slam 'er.
Start with the best materials you can
possibly get. (Although, I've seen killer
ramps built for $100.00, and bunk ramps
built for $1000.00). Your first step is
going to be very important and this is
something a lot of people don't do. Your
foundation is of extreme importance, if
it's not solid then your ramp's not solid.
I'm talking about sinking 4"x4" posts in
cement and that baby's going nowhere.
Tie in all the posts with clean, knotless,
2x4's, and work your frame from the
ground up.
Another critical step in ramp con-
struction is the skating surface itself.
There are several different materials
suitable for this job. Some like to use
strictly plywood but it has been proven
that a combination of plywood finished
with a layer of 4" masonite will result in
a very solid, and, when covered with
either paint or some kind of sealant, a
very durable surface for skating.
As for sealants, the list goes on and
on. To name a few: Flecto Varathane
works real well and with a few thick
coats can provide ultimate protection
from the elements. Unfortunately, it is
also very expensive and tends to make
the surface semi-slick, but then again,
some people like that. Then, you have
Thomson's Water Seal. Thomson's
soaks into the wood, and leaves more of
a wood textured finish, while at the
same time guarding against moisture.
Another possibility is a thick coat of ex-
terior grade latex house paint. Here you
get all the protective advantages plus a
wide selection of color choices (like
pool blue, maybe?)
I would suggest that the best thing to
do is ask around and experiment with
different combinations, using your own
judgment as to which surface is best for
you. Getting back to the actual con-
struction of the ramp; this is an area that
can be delved into at great lengths.
Be looking for an update of our "How
To" ramp construction article coming
soon in THRASHER.
Thank you and good night, DRB
DONEL
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