Anyone have experience building ramps?

[autodidact]

I am planning on building a ramp for Joey so she can go up and down our stairs. I work from my home office, which is located in the 2nd floor of the house. She prefers to play, sleep, and eat on the first floor for the most part. I would like her to be able to go up and down as she pleases. There are only 6 stairs between the two floors.

The ramp would have to be 76 inches long to go from the floor to the top of the stairs. I'm not sure how wide to make it yet.

Basically, I'm planning on getting two 1/4" piece of plywood pieces cut to half the length and full width I decide on so I can put hinges in the middle so it can be folded and stored if necessary. I will be screwing two 2x4s running the length of the board for support. I will staple heavy carpet to it for traction.

Does anyone have any input or suggestions? Do you think this will work for her?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Alice Kable]

Joey is darling!!!
I've had 6 Bulldogs over a 30 yr. span and all 6 of them could climb stairs both up and down so I'm wondering why you feel the need for a ramp. True, sometimes they would come down too fast, but none of them ever got hurt.

 

[Davidh]

She will learn to manage the stairs just takes practice. Mine did. It was funny when Snowflake was about 4 months old she would run up them and then just sit there and wait till we brought her down because she was too afraid to come down but she soon learned it and she was up and down like no bodies business.

 

[VuBulldogs]

So cute

 

[Angievelvet]

Violets mom was a great climber but so funny watching her walk down kinda sideways and backwards lol so funny.

Sent from my HUAWEI-M860 using Tapatalk

 

[lexterwayne]

when lex was little he would hop down to each step... he looked like a little bunny with the ears flopping

 

[BruceP]

Would love to see a video of her working the stairs


Probably about 18 " wide with some sort of 'tread' to keep her from slipping would work.

 

[autodidact]

I will gladly deliver a video when she is ready to navigate the stairs. At this point, she puts her front paws on the bottom step, then just looks at me as if to say "You can pick me up any time now..."

In her defense she is only 12 weeks old as of yesterday. Maybe we will work on that today.

 

[autodidact]

Joey is darling!!!
I've had 6 Bulldogs over a 30 yr. span and all 6 of them could climb stairs both up and down so I'm wondering why you feel the need for a ramp. True, sometimes they would come down too fast, but none of them ever got hurt.

I'm not concerned about her never being able to go up and down the stairs. I'm thinking this would be beneficial in the short term. She can wander around during the day without me having to help her.

Maybe I will work on getting her to use the stairs earlier rather than building her a ramp.

 

[GatorRay]

Actually, I am glad you posted this. My hubby and I have been talking about making a ramp for our senior dog and haven't quite figured out how to do it. Maybe [MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION] can give us some suggestions? I need it to go up four stairs. My concern is that it not slip down the stairs. I can do a simple ramp but how would I be able to keep it from falling down the stairs??

 

[BruceP]

Probably put cross 2x4s on the underside so they contact each stair. It would probably just sit there but if it did still slide you could toe nail the 2x4s to the step if they are wood. Concrete may take a bit more work.. lol

 

[GatorRay]

Thanks [MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION]! The steps in question are concrete...is there some kind of "stop" that can be put at the bottom maybe? Hmm...this is a tough one!

 

[BruceP]

I think that cross 2x4s resting on each step will keep it in place. Cut the 2x4 so they are barely narrower than the ramp; put the ramp in place and then place each 2x4 under it at the step location. Screw it in from the top and repeat for each step... I'm quite sure it will stay in place. OR,,, drill into the concrete...... not. lol

 

[GatorRay]

[MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION] I see what you are saying....kind of like building the step up using the 2X4 with the top being an angle to match the ramp?

 

[BruceP]

[MENTION=1906]GatorRay[/MENTION] Like this: