Building a ramp???

   / Building a ramp??? #1  

JimR

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2004
Messages
3,588
Location
Central Ma.
Tractor
Kioti NX4510HST
Has anyone built a ramp before? This project, if I decide do it, is too open up the back end of my barn with a set of double doors like the front of my barn. It will make life easier for getting in and out of the barn with my boat, tractor and whatever else I need to attach to the tractor like attachments. The main problem is my barn is about 8 feet off the ground in the rear. I could legally, with permits, fill this whole area in so that the barn was at ground level in the back. That would however leave the back stone wall in a position for shifting due to the ground freezing every year. I know it would take many years for that to happen. But I have already taken down and rebuilt two stone walls under the barn already. My question is. If I were to leave the land level as is. How long would the ramp need to be to get into a barn 8 feet off the ground so that I could clear the edge of the barn safely when driving in or pulling in a trailer or what not? Here's a picture of the back end of the barn. I'll get an accurate measurement tomorrow on the height. If someone has knowledge of these things I could use a few different figures for 6' and 4' heights as if I were to fill it in partially instead of all the way up. TIA, Jim
 

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   / Building a ramp??? #2  
JimR said:
How long would the ramp need to be to get into a barn 8 feet off the ground so that I could clear the edge of the barn safely when driving in or pulling in a trailer or what not? TIA, Jim

Hmm, never done this before. 50-80 feet just a guess. Take a look at the incline on some ramps in your area. Also, factor in your weather. No snow, no rain and grippy concrete ramp can have a steeper slope than a dirt ramp in snow and rain.
Bob
 
   / Building a ramp???
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Doc Bob,

Thanks for the info. I was over at the barn this morning doing some measuring. I think your lengths are about right depending on how much clearance I need for the boat trailer. There's always something to be done to make life easier that's for sure. Backing my 22 footer into the barn is no picknic with the house so close to it. An easy drive through will be so much easier to do.
 
   / Building a ramp??? #4  
Jim- I understand your reluctance to do this completely with dirt- how about making the first part of the ramp from dirtm then having a "bridge" to the barn? Also, to shorten up the overall ramp, could you have a hump as you get close to the barn? does this make any sense to you?
 
   / Building a ramp??? #5  
we built ramps every year for a screener plant to do winter sand., 5 times the height, is the normal run, if using sand-dirt.,
 
   / Building a ramp??? #6  
Jim, No shortcuts to this one? lots of dirt and gentle grading
Jim
 
   / Building a ramp??? #7  
Another alternative:

Dig out the backside for a basement to the barn. I've seen it done on a newer shed, but not an old barn like you have there. Depends on what's under it I suppose. Just a thought that hit me looking at the picture.
 
   / Building a ramp??? #8  
Is the grade on the left side of the photo near the level you need? Can't really see it. If it is, and you have the dirt, you may be able to just extend the grade around from the left end to the ramp side of the barn? But you wouldn't need a ramp at that point. If that's even a possibility you could simply slope that fill away from the barn about 45' out and then let it drop off from there to maximum mowing slopes. That assumes you could swing the trailer around the left (photo) side? Just a thought.
 
   / Building a ramp???
  • Thread Starter
#9  
goaliedad said:
Jim- I understand your reluctance to do this completely with dirt- how about making the first part of the ramp from dirtm then having a "bridge" to the barn? Also, to shorten up the overall ramp, could you have a hump as you get close to the barn? does this make any sense to you?


Yup, that makes sense and LarryRB has hit the nail on the head with his figures. I just had 8 loads of fill dropped off today. Three on my access road, which is now finished except for the stone on top. The other 5 went behind the barn to with three loads from friday to replace fill I took out years ago for my house. That sure made a dent in the height of the barn. The driver told me that I can have all I want. I guess the fill is the way to go since it is free of charge. I'll post a picture when it is done.
 
   / Building a ramp???
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Thurd Ferguson said:
Another alternative:

Dig out the backside for a basement to the barn. I've seen it done on a newer shed, but not an old barn like you have there. Depends on what's under it I suppose. Just a thought that hit me looking at the picture.

The barn has a full basement. But it is to steep to drive out the south side unless you have a 4x4 or tractor. The floor height is also limited. to about 8 feet.
 

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