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untill 5 years ago you had 2 options. Wood or metal. But since BMX and skateboarding are not big buisness some people started to experiment with ramps, and this has resulted in some good top layers. Wood is still the cheapest and most used, but i will tell you some more here about the others
As first layer you should allways use a good cheap 10mm (3/8") plywood. since the ramp exists out of modules from 244cm (or 8 feet) you should layer them so you have modules with one layer. if you ever need to move the ramp, this will make it verry easy. layer lengtwise, and start at the bottom and work your way up. Also use the same patern to drill the screws, so you never drill on a screw when you add a next layer.
WOOD:
- This is the cheapest way to make a ramp, and if you are on a budget and make the ramp yourself, do it this way.
- First add another 10mm cheap plywood layer for strength. start with a 2 feet wide plate so you will cover 2 modules with the next plate.
- As a final layer you should use a good quatilty plywood layer from about 6mm. you can again start with a 4 feet wide plate.
- To Make the life time off the plate longer, paint the ramp
- inside tip: if the wood is to splippery, add some salt into the paint!
SKATELITE:
- this is the best option there is when it comes to surfacing a ramp
- unfortinaly this is also the most expencive. skatelite plates are about $100 a plate in the usa, and about $150 for skatelite pro
- Skatelite plates are so strong and hard that you can cut yourself real bad if you hold one on the side, so watch out.
- Place them direct to the first layer of wood, but allow a little room (the side of a coin) between 2 plates since skatelite will go smaller and bigger with every temparature change.
- Use lots of screws when installing skatelite plates and sink them so the surfase is smooth.
- for more info: skatelite
RAMPARMOR:
- this is one of the latest ways to surfacing a ramp
- This is about the same as skatelite
- a ramparmor deluxe plate costs about $120
- for more info: ramparmor
RAMPSKIN:
- Rampskin is a surfacing material that in the first place looks like plastic.
- But don't let the looks fool you, it's super strong
- It also is verry good for places where it rains a lot.
- And you can get the plates pre drilled and counter sunk
- a rampskin plate costs about $135
- for more info: rampskin
POLYBOARD:
- Polyboard is about the same as rampskin.
- it's based on plastic composite materials.
- This is the cheapest non-wood layer, at $40 for a 9mm plate.
- but just as all the other non wood layers, this one also deforms with the change of the temprature.
- for more info: polyboard
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