Hello all - second to my last thread about getting wood into a basement, I also have to get wood up 5 stairs into my ground level living room. Generally I have 2 wheel barrows, one up the stairs and one down, and I throw the wood up and then wheel it into to house in that one. I need around 2-3 cords a winter in the living room, so its quite a few loads.
The ramps I've seen in Norther Tool are around $1000, so they can toss off. Hence I'm looking for ideas. I can put a ramp up the stairs but it has to be light enough to move out of the way easily.
I bought two black rubbermaid 45 gallon trash containers with wheels (#1345). I fill one with small pieces of wood and the other with large pieces of wood. Then it is easy for me to drag them up my 3 steps into my house similar to the way you would drag a hand truck up steps.
And they don't seem to be too heavy to me when loaded with wood, but after installing my 450 pound wood stove, anything would seem quite light!
The added advantage of these containers is that they have lids, so they keep hitch-hiking bugs inside the container.
They don't look very attractive sitting in my living room, but they are quite functional.
No, not exactly....make a 16' plywood ramp with two short (3'? 4'?) lengths of 2x4 bolted underneath - one at each side - to hold the two pieces of ply together. By bolting, you can easily separate the 2 ply pieces for storage. Use 3/4" ply - it will bounce a bit but will hold you and your wheelbarow load of wood easily. If you want less bounce, use longer 2x4s.
-- dadiOH ____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at
This is fun, if living room is at ground level, you shouldn't have 5 steps up to it. You planning on stacking it in the living room? How about the upstairs is that your next question, do you need
George go take a hike will ya and stop posting in my threads. I am genuinely asking these questions. My GROUND floor is up a few steps at the front entrance, but its still what I call the ground floor. Don't be so dopey.
How thick is this piece of plywood? I suppose you mean I use a couple of 4x8' x 3/4" ply? I would think that would bound and break with all that weight. But it could work with some supports midway I guess.
Re: The trash can idea... I can't reach the bottom 6 inches or so, but can tip it over and use a stick to get the rest out. But when it gets that low, it is time to refill it anyway...
Now you're getting it. Except I personally wouldn't make it 48" wide. No need...all you need is wide enough for your feet and the barrow tire. Maybe 16"-24"...that way it is lighter, smaller and you only need one sheet of 4'x8'. _________________
You ever try to break a piece of 3/4" ply? Ever watch workmen barrowing loads of concrete up a flimsy little ramp? ___________________
No need, especially if you keep the ply in the 16"-24" width suggested above. If you are really worried, attach a full length 2x4 underneath at each side of each piece of plywood. A girder IOW. Do that and you don't need 3/4" ply...1/4" would work and 1/2" would be plenty.
Attach the two ramp pieces together by another short length of 2x4 bolted through the sides of the underneath 2x4s at the join. Or use 2x4 cross pieces at each end of the ply and bolt those together. Patent pending :)
-- dadiOH ____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at
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