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Concrete Ramp


nelmo

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Please be gentle, I work in IT so know nothing about what I'm about to ask (apart from the brick bbq I built a few years ago)...

 

My garage has a one inch lip down to a slightly sloping drive. When rolling my kit out of the garage for the first time at the weekend, I used a couple of wooden planks but when reversing back in (under power), the planks just shot out as the wheels turned on them. Reversing up without the ramps, I think my bash plate hit the lip.

 

So, I was thinking of building a simple concrete ramp using the ready-mixed stuff from Wickes (or similar). But looking online, a ramp may not be as simple as I thought.

 

Has anyone done this? Is it doable? Or is there something I can buy (plastic?) that won't shoot off when I reverse in? I want something I can leave in place.

 

Any suggestions?

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Maybe look on-line for some ali chequer plate - 2 pieces at track centre spacing should do - doesn't sound like you will need anything bigger than a foot square -- larger will make the gradient shallower & wider reduces the need for accuracy of driving.

 

Forgot to say screw it down to the existing drive & 6mm thick stuff.

Edited by florin metal works
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I made some chequer plate ramps as bob is saying to get caravan onto slabs app inch high not sure if still got them i can prob nip to my mums tomorow hopefully before meet if they still there they are urs nick if any good

Just not promising they are there though but worth a shot

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I made some chequer plate ramps as bob is saying to get caravan onto slabs app inch high not sure if still got them i can prob nip to my mums tomorow hopefully before meet if they still there they are urs nick if any good

Just not promising they are there though but worth a shot

 

Doh, ali, why didn't I think of that!

 

Thanks for the offer Jaimo - if you can find yours, let me know but don't knock yourself out, there are several companies on eBay who will make them to measure. I might try do it myself although I don't think I have the equipment to bend ali that thick...

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Thinking about it, my drive is not solid - gravel above very compacted earth/soil/rock and not perfectly level, so trying to drill anything down is going to be tricky to keep level - I might just go the concrete route.

 

My main concern with concrete is making the bottom of the ramp too thin, so it cracks. Will need to try dig down a little to get some depth at that end, although not sure how easy that will be.

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Guest mark little

I don't think this will work, pull some chippings in first to make a temporary ramp, it sounds like the same problem I have when putting the car on a trailer, it bottoms as you get so far onto the trailer because of the height in the middle, the problem may be solved by grinding the sharp edge off the front of your garage floor

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Your better off making a concrete ramp I wouldn't buy the ready mixed stuff in the bag as it's expensive and I think it sets too fast

 

I'd probably want it to set fast, otherwise it would flow down to the pointy end, no?

 

Grind away the lip. Nice and graduated. Unless this leaves a big gap on the bottom of the garage.

Otherwise dig down to get a substantial concrete ramp.

I think it's too high to grind down and get a decent slope on it. Digging down is going to be tricky - what do you reckon is the thinnest I can have the bottom of the ramp? Is 1 inch too little? Edited by nelmo
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uses a quite dryish mix

Steve had the answer.....a dry/damp mix will stay where its put. It will absorb moisture from the air to cure.

one inch thick will be fine just make it a strong mix, ie high proportion of cement.

Look on the bright side....if it crumbles, it will be easy to knock back out to start again!

Edited by Bob Tucker
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Guest 2b cruising

You will need much more than 1" of base.

Don't use a strong mix or as in metal, the harder it is, the more brittle it will be. This means it will crack the first time you drive over it. All the more so if you are laying it on compacted earth and clippings.

Don't use dry mix hoping it will set itself. This is ok if you are planting fence posts, or filling paving slab joints after the foundations have set. In your case it could take days to set and the gravel in the mix would probably all sink to the bottom of your mix. If it rains on it when still dry, it will be a right mess. Don't lay concrete when it is frosty.

For a lasting and successful job you will need around a 4" depth, especially at the thin end of the wedge. If possible bury some small plates across the slope so they will come up around half way up the depth of the concrete. This will help to stop the concret sliding before it sets. More importantly it will stop any movement in your ramp in the years to come. Keeping the ramp where it should be and meeting the garage joint. Steel mesh can be used but still make sure some of it is planted bellow the bottom level of the concrete by bending single ends of the mesh down. This will also stop any stress cracking.

When mixing the concrete use as little water as you can but mix it very well. This speeds drying time, and stops puddling on the top serfaces which will lead to the top breaking up. MIX VERY WELL AND EVENLY. Hire a mixer if you can as this is going to be a bigger job than you first thought. Tamper the concrete to get it to the level you want and leave a rough surface. Smooth concrete has very little grip when wet.

Same as any engineering job, preparation and planning is what will give you a good and lasting finish.

Appologise to Steve and Bob for seeming blunt. No insult intended to either and I hope I have not hurt your feelings at all.

Good luck with the ramp project, and sooner you than me. It hurts when done by hand. I mean really hurts. On the other hand Nelmo, you could end up like Charles Atlas.

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