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Approximate Cost: $175 Easy | | | | | Difficult

Materials needed ♠   4 - 4×8, 3/4" plywood ♠   15 - 2×4's, 8' long ♠   1 - Box of 2 1/2" screws ♠   2 - 2×2, 1/4" x 11'-6 angle ♠   2 - 1/2" bolts, 5" in length ♠   2 - 1/2" nuts ♠   4 - 1/2" washers

Tools needed ♠   Tape Measure & Pencil ♠   Circular saw ♠   Drill w/ philips bit ♠   3/16" & 3/8" drill bits ♠   9/16" x 4" drill bit

How to make an Angled Ledge

An angled ledge is another easy to build, inexpensive variation of the standard ledge. This is also a personal favorite because of the unlimited grinds and manuals that are possible.

This angled ledge is 4'-0 wide × about 11'-0 long and 2'-5 tall at it's tallest.

How to make an Angled Ledge - Preparation

The plywood, lumber and screws can be found at most home improvement stores. However, the steel angle iron can be a little more tricky to obtain.

First try "Steel Yards", "Steel Fabricators" or "Structural Steel" in the phone book. If these aren't available, try a home improvement store, such as Menards, Home Depot or Lowes. Finally, if you're still having difficulty, try "Scrap Yards", "Junk Yards" or "Salvage Yards" in the phone book or online.

If you plan on leaving this structure outside, you will want to use pressure treated wood, water sealant or paint and a tarp.

Framing the bottom

Gather your materials. Cut all your 2×4's and set them aside. You will need twenty two at 3'-10 1/2 and four at 5'-3.

Start by framing the two bases, one for each of the angled ledges. Since each side of the angled ledge is the same, i'm only going to illustrate one side until they are joined towards the end.

Make each frame using two of the 5'-3 long 2×4's and two of the 3'-10 1/2 long 2×4's.

It's a good idea to pre-drill the screw locations near the ends with a 3/16" drill bit to keep the wood from splitting, keep that in mind throughout the build.

Cutting the sides

Cut the sides from a 4×8 sheet of plywood as shown below. They are all identical.

You will need four total, two for each ledge.

Attaching the sides

Take the newly cut sides and attach them to the base.

Framing the top

Now you can attach the 3'-10 1/2 long 2×4's to the sides as shown below.

Starting from the front, they are 8 3/16" on center except where noted.

Attach ledges together

Drill two 9/16" holes in the bottom 2×4's about 6" in from the sides. Bolt the ledges together using the 1/2" bolts, nuts and washers.

Since the top 2×4's are angled, you'll want to use 2 1/2" screws to attach them. You could use screws for the bottom as well but I am a fan of using bolts, easier and stronger in the long run.

Cutting the plywood

The plywood that covers the top and front of the ledge is pretty straight forward, cut it as shown below.

You will want to cut one end of the 5'-9 x 4'-0 piece at a 15 degree angle so each ledge will meet smoothly at the top instead of there being a gap.

Covering the ledge

With the plywood you just cut, cover the ledge.

Making sure you place the beveled or angled cut edge next to one another on the top.

Bending the coping

On this ledge you will want to bend the coping in the middle so it's one continuous piece, making grinds as smooth as possible. To do this, make two 15 degree cuts on one side of the angle iron as shown below.

Once cut, you can easily bend it together by hand. Optional: Weld the seam together (but not necessary).

Attaching the coping

Place the angle iron on the ledge. Drill a 3/16" hole on each end on both sides where shown. The top and bottom dimensions are offset so the screws won't hit each other. Drill a total of 24 holes for 12 screws per angle iron.

After the holes are drilled, countersink each by using the 3/8" drill bit to drill down just enough so the screw heads are flush with the coping. This will keep your trucks and board from hitting them when you grind or slide.

Do this for the coping on both sides of the ledge.

Skate it

There you have it, a finished angled ledge. I haven't made one of these in awhile now and after writing this set of plans, I want to make one as soon as possible. It brings back memories of how fun this ledge is. As with the stair ledge, the trick possibilities are endless and well worth the time and effort it took to build it. Good luck and have fun!

If you catch a mistake or feel something needs further explanation, please let me know.

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