How to Make a Dog Ramp

Tape measure

By Gary Boutin
Assembled by Bret

Supplies and Tools:  
Claw hammer
Carpeting outdoor tan
Cordless drill or electric Drill
Drill bit 1/16 (.0625) drill bit 
Leather work gloves
Level 4-ft
Plywood 3/8 inch interior
Measurement tape
Utility razor knife
Stapler-hand
Arrow fastener T50 crown galvanized steel staples 
Wood: 2x2s, 2x3s, 1x2s
Wood glue
Wood screws

Bret and his mother came to The Home Depot for a special dog ramp project. He came to the Anaheim Super Store - Lumber/Building Materials area for information and exact cuts for his project. For more information about the Anaheim Super Store please read this article brought to you by the Orange County Register. This article was written by Lisa Liddane of the Orange County Register and Published on April 4, 2012 Updated: Aug. 21, 201. If you enjoyed her article on The Home Depot Superstore please click on her name for more articles written by Lisa Liddane.

This post shows the ten steps to assembling a special dog ramp.

Step 1: Arrive at your nearest Home Depot and talk to an associate.  If your project involves working with wood, ask for the location of Lumber/Building Materials.
Step 2: Explain the lumber associate about your project. For this post Bret had a written plan of the dog ramp and he had already measure the available space between his closet and his bed.
Step 3: He looked at several plywood pieces and wanted to know what the advantage of each. Bret was concerned that his 20 lb. dog might be uneasy if the plywood ramp moved or bounced at all. 
Step 4: We decided on interior 3/8 plywood, cut at two length. Fig.1 shows the first of Bret's pictures of the parts purchased at The Home Depot.

Fig.1 The parts

Step 5: Each piece was cut per Bret's plan: To include two pieces of 3/8 inch plywood, four 2x3x30" legs located on the right of this picture. The middle ramp would need additional supports and was supported using Douglas Fir 1x2x8 also cut in 30" lengths.
Step 6: Interior carpeting was purchase to finish the project.
Step 7: Purchase and bring the supplies home. 

Step 8: Assembly; written directions of the project.

1. Pre-drill using a drill with a 1/16 (.0625) drill bit in each leg in the center and in the plywood pieces. Please review the size chart.
2. Assemble each leg with wood glue and use a Cordless Screwdriver to drive the wood screws for each corner area. This process must be done for the top only. When all four legs are placed on the top level use the level to make sure the surface is level with the floor. 
3. Carpeting: Now use a utility razor knife to measure and cut the carpeting for each area of the dog ramp. This will take some time to cut the carpeting in a rectangular form. Be careful not to cut any fingers.
4. Stapling: Now use an Staple Gun with T50 steel staples and start stapling the carpeting into the plywood. Staple all three sections.
5. Middle frame support: Between the middle section and the start section add the 1x2x30" wood supports to add support to the plywood. Attach these the same way as the legs were attached. Pre-drill the holes in the 1x2s and use a cordless screwdriver to insert the wood screws through the 2x2s and into the plywood. This needs to be done on both sides. Share the ramp support between the middle section and the last section. Use the final 1x2s to support the beginning entrance. Job finished. 

Step 9: Final views: Fig.2 and fig.4 shows the side view of Roxy's ramp. Fig.5 shows frontal view that will allow Roxy climb to the bed.

Fig.2 Side view

Fig.3 Partial side and front view

Fig.4 Front view

Step 10: Fig.5 shows the final placement of the dog ramp. In Bret's own words "I am happy to say that it turned out great and it works just as well. My dog, Roxy, loves it and uses it all the time."

Fig.5  Roxy's safely on Bret's bed

Note: All picture were taken by Bret for this post.

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Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-

How to Make Decorative Gold Plant Spike For The Front Patio

Fig.1 Spikes and vase

By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
Decorative gold plant spikes
Marble pot
Razor knife
Styrofoam™

Mrs. Black wanted to decorate her front door patio. She had purchase the marble pot, the decorative plant life and pieces of Styrofoam™ from an earlier shipment.  Being busy she called me to place this arrangement together.  

This post shows the six steps to place an decorative dried plant arrangement together.

Step 1: Gather together all your items. Above right fig.1 shows the marble pot, and the dried gold plant spikes.   
Step 2: Fig.2 shows the a razor knife that will be used to cut up the Styrofoam™. 

Fig.2 Standard razor knife

Step 3: It takes a small pieces of Styrofoam™ into the stone pot.
Step 4: Fig.3 shows the cut up the branches and place a few into a bunch.

Fig.3 Stone vase with 
Styrofoam (TM)

Step 5: Fig.4 shows that by Pushing the branches into the Styrofoam®. The Styrofoam® will hold the gold spikes straight and into the pot. Fig.5 shows the gold spikes ends placed into the
Styrofoam®

Fig.4 End of gold spikes

Fig.5 Ends in foam

Step 6: Fig.6 shows the decorative spikes into the stone pot placed into the patio area.

Fig.6 Finished

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Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-

How to Replace Brass Door Hinges

Fig.1 Damage hinge

Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
Brass hinges
Cordless drill with Phillips bit
Electrical cord 50 ft.
Hammer with rubber grip 
Level
Primer-white latex
Porter-Cable Router Hinge Template
Porter-Cable Router
Utility Knife - retractable with extra blades
Screwdriver-long  flat tip
Wood chips
Wood putty

Eric Montoya noticed my advertisement in the PennySaverUSA and called me to come to his home in Modesto California. He had a beautiful home and a guesthouses in the back yard. The last tenant had done some strange remodeling and the doors would not close.

This post shows the fifteen steps to repair door hinges and make the door functional again.

Step 1: Identify the problem, is the door listing? Are the door hinges placed correctly? Is the door placed on backwards? Look for problems, look at the door frame is it bowed or damaged? Why is the door not closing? Look at the door hardware, is it protruding or sticking out, instead of retracting. Basically you look at the overall door and determine what needs to be done. In this job the door hinges were not aligned and the top and bottom hinge were misaligned. So the door would not close. Because of this misalignment, the door hinges were damaged beyond repair. A metal door hinge is a type of  bearing that connects two solid objects, like a door and a wood frame. 

Step 2: Fig.1 shows the door hinge is not in the correct position making it impossible to close the door.
Step 3: Fig.2 shows the door pins are placed correctly, but the hinges are so misaligned that they do not line up. The solution is to replace both door hinges on the frame and the wood door.

Fig.2 Hinges

Step 4: Fig.3 shows a hammer pulling the door pin out of the door hinge. Fig.4 shows a flat tip screwdriver with the hammer will aid removing a damaged door hinge pin.

Fig.3 Pull out hinge pin

Fig.4 Screwdriver

Step 5: Fig.5 shows the removal of the hinges' screws. 

Fig.5 Painted 
screws

Step 6: Before the metal hinges can be removed from the door, fig.6 shows the use a utility knife to cut the paint away from the door hinge. All the door hinges need to be cut away because years of paint have held the metal hinge plate to the door.

Fig.6 Razor knife

Step 7: Fig.7 shows the hinge being removed, notice that the paint is not peeling off the door frame. Using a utility knife to cut the paint prevents it from being ripped off the door frame. Only the damaged door hinge is removed from the door frame.

Fig.7 Pulling off hinge

Step 8: Fig.8 shows the door must be removed from the door frame and placed the door on the floor. The next step is the same as on the door frame. Use the utility knife to cut away the door hinge, remove the wood screws and pull out the door pin form its resting place. Notice the brass hinges which comes with #9 brass screws. It is important to use these screws which can carry the torque of the door, and fits properly in the holes on the hinge plates.

Fig.8 Hinge on door

Fig.9 New hinges

Step 9: The door hinges need to be moved to another location on the door, because the door mortise was damaged and the wood was split. The solution is to move the door hinge mortise down the door to fresh wood. Fig.10 shows the Porter Cable Door mortise kit all ready for the Porter Cable Router to make a new mortise for the new door hinge.  This router needed an electrical cord to run it, make sure the power is available or use a cordless router.

Fig.10 Router template

Step 10: Fig.11 shows the Porter Cable Router in place within the door mortise kit, the router will cut through the wood and create a new place for the brass hinge. It would have been easier to just replace the door, but this door was mahogany fire rated 60 minute solid wood door that could easily cost over a thousand dollars. It was determined that the door could be saved by moving the door hinges on the door and the frame. 

Fig.11 Router and template

Fig.12 shows the new mortise has been drilled by the Now the door is ready to hang on the frame.

Fig.12 Old mortise

Step 12: Fig.13 shows a utility knife cutting thin wood chips for the door frame hinge mortise screw holes. The hinge screw holes have been compromised and the wood pieces will give the wood screw something to catch on thus making the hole work again.

Fig.13 Wood chips

Step 13: Fig.14 and fig.15 shows how the brass hinges are mounted on the door frame. Fig.14 shows a torpedo level was used to make sure the hinge is level with the door. Fig.15 shows the wood chips have been inserted into the holes ready to place the brass screws.

Fig.14 Level

Fig.15 Fill hole 
with wood chips

Fig.16 shows the wood screws are being screwed in the bottom door hinge by a cordless drill with Phillips bit. The cordless driver gives the brass screws a tighter fit, almost better then doing it with a hand-held screwdriver.

Fig.16 Placing new hinge

Fig.17 shows both sides of the door hinge have been screwed in, you can see the mortise has been changed to accommodate the new brass hinge. Before the job is done, those depressions need to be filled with Wood Putty and painted with white primer to match the door frame.

Fig.17 New hinge

Step 16: Now that the door hinges are on the door, it's time to see if the door closes. Fig.19 and fig.20 shows that the door is closed with the new hinges installed. Now Mr. Montoya can rent his guest bedroom and secure his belongings.

Fig.18 New pin

Fig.19 Job finished

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• Cookie Alert: European Union laws requires that you know that this blog uses cookies. If you are concerned about this please click here to see how Google uses this information.

Note: The DIY Advisor assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any jobs. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed contractor if in doubt about any steps on these posts. All names were changed to protect client's privacy. DIY Advisor. Reproduction of site content including photos without permission prohibited. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2011-