Aggressive skating is for the bold, the brave, and the daring. Hitting some big air, turning some sick grinds, and pulling off some wicked tricks is what it’s all about. But how do you do it? Do you always have to go to a skatepark and use the ramps and rails there? If you want a grind rail or skate ramp of your own do you always have to buy one? The answers to each of these questions are no and no. Provided that you know how, you have the tools and materials, the space, and the permission, you can build any ramp or rail setup that you want.

When it comes to ramps and rails, there are an abundance of different styles to choose from. For the sake of this blog, we’re going to talk about something inexpensive (approximate cost: Less than $50) and easy to build, a Cinder Block Ledge.

To give you the lowdown on how to build a Cinder Block Ledge, we turned to our friends at DIYSkate.com for some guidance. Here is what they were able to tell us:

Where to get your Supplies

To construct your Cinder Block Ledge you will need to track down some materials and supplies. The wood, hardware, and other supplies and tools listed below can be found at most home improvement stores. You may also be able to find the steel necessary for this build there too, but if you cannot, check the phone book and look up, Steel Yards, Steel Fabricators, Scrap Steel, and anything else with Steel in the title.

If you plan on storing your ledge outside, it will need to be protected from the elements. A good place to start is with pressure treated lumber, paint, and a tarp. You can also invest in composite materials for the surface such as Skate Lite or Ramp Armor to protect it.

If you plan on using treated lumber, please be advised that the chemicals used to treat the wood contain a poisonous pesticide.

Gather Your Materials

As mentioned above, you should be able to easily find the materials for this build at local home improvement stores. You can also check local construction sites for scrap material, but if you have to buy it you won’t need to go far. Below you will find lists of materials and tools needed.

Once you have the materials and tools that you need to assemble your Cinder Ledge you are ready to begin.

Step 1: Assembling the Blocks

Begin by finding a good spot for your cinder block ledge, a spot where you will not need to move it again. As you can probably tell, moving an object with 4 cinder blocks is not an easy task, so it is best to choose an area where you won’t be required to move it frequently.

To start assembling the blocks apply a generous amount of Liquid Nails or similar construction adhesive to the end of each cinder block (perhaps more than is pictured below).

Once glued together the four cinder blocks should look similar to the illustration below. You’ll want to place the blocks with the holes facing up. They have been designed to be the strongest when used in this configuration.

Step 2: Placing the Plywood

Once the cinder blocks are in place, you will next apply a generous amount of adhesive to the top of the blocks as illustrated below.

After applying adhesive, place a 3/4″ thick, 5′5″ x 7 1/2″ piece of plywood on the top of the cinder blocks. The size of the plywood may vary depending on the size of your cinder blocks. You should use your tape measure and pencil to measure the appropriately sized plywood for your blocks.

The plywood will not only cover the holes in the cinder blocks, but it will also strengthen the cinder block ledge as a whole. You will want to put some weight on top of the plywood while the glue dries for a better bond.

Step 3: Attaching the Angle Iron

The final step in the process of building your Cinder Block Ledge is to attach the angle iron. Begin by cutting the angle iron to size. Apply a decent amount of construction adhesive to both legs of the angle iron and place each angle iron firmly onto the covered cinder block ledge, as illustrated below.

Again, you will want to place some weight on top of the angle iron while the glue dries, creating a stronger bond.

Depending on the construction adhesive you use, it should be strong enough to allow you to move the ledge. However, a ledge such as this will weight in at about 130 pounds, which is good for keeping in one place while skating, but not so great for moving around.

That’s it! The construction of your Cinder Block Ledge is complete and you’re ready to skate it…just make sure you allow the glue to dry completely before you give it a run.

Again, we would like to thank DIYSkate.com for their assistance and providing this information along with the illustrations. If you’re interested in other ramp and rail designs you can check out more at http://www.diyskate.com.

Tags: Aggressive Skates, Articles

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 1:02 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.