Even when our pets get older, we still want them to join in family activities, but as mobility becomes more difficult jumping in and out of the car can tax their joints - especially if it's a taller car such as a 4WD. You need a ramp like this one, designed to hook over the back lip of the station wagon or 4WD so your pet can walk up or down the ramp in small non-jarring steps rather than jumping.

The surface of the ramp has a non-slip covering of outdoor carpet, which provides traction, can be cleaned when necessary, and is durable. The unit folds in half so it can be kept in the back of the car. When open the ramp is a little more than 1500mm long, and when folded up it needs 900 x 620 x 140mm of space. The whole ramp costs less than $160 to make.

Gather your supplies

• A Platforms (2) 750 x 580 x 15mm plywood
• B End battens/hinge plates (4) 42 x 19 x 580mm pine
• C Top side frames (2) 70 x 19 x 900mm pine
• D Lower side frames (2) 70 x 19 x 800mm pine
• E Hinge rails (2) 70 x 19 x 616mm pine

You'll also need
Outdoor carpet 2m x 670mm; contact adhesive; 10 of 600 x 8mm dowels (temporary); 4 x 85mm stainless steel hinges; 24 of 50mm stainless steel countersunk machine screws with washers, spring washers and nuts; case clip

Here's how

STEP 1 Have the platforms (A) cut to size by the supplier or cut the plywood yourself. Drill 4 holes 9mm in from the edge of 1 narrow end of each platform and countersink them for screw heads. Using PVA adhesive, glue and screw 2 of the edge battens (B) to the plywood, holding the timber in place with a clamp to ensure it doesn't slip.

STEP 2 For a non-slip surface cut 2 pieces of outdoor carpet to a length of 900mm using a straight edge and a sharp utility knife. Apply a piece of masking tape on the underside of the platform alongside the batten, then paint a coating of contact adhesive onto the inside and underside faces of the batten. Also apply adhesive to a 60mm-wide edge of the carpet along the narrow edge.

STEP 3 Wait until the adhesive no longer sticks to the back of your hand, then align the carpet with the batten and press in place. Use a staple gun to staple the carpet in place to hold while you are working on covering the rest of the platform. If you do not have a staple gun use carpet tacks instead. Then press the carpet to the under section of the batten.

STEP 4 Apply more contact adhesive to the remainder of the platform and the batten, then onto the back of the carpet itself. Make sure both surfaces are completely covered with a thin layer of adhesive. Once they're tack free, place a series of small dowels across the work so the carpet can be aligned without grabbing somewhere unintentionally.

STEP 5 Fold the carpet around the batten and press in place then gradually remove the dowels one by one from the batten end, align and press the carpet in place. The dowels give you great control of what sticks when. Once stuck in place trim around the platforms with a utility knife to clean up the edges.

STEP 6 Use the measurements on the diagram to mark and cut out a 30mm radius hook centred 80mm from the end of each top side frame (C). Use a jigsaw or, if you don't have one, a coping saw which will cost about $20. Also cut 20 x 20mm triangles off the sharp corners at this end of the frame.

STEP 7 On the inside face of the top side frames measure 42mm up from the underside near the 2 ends, then screw to the edge of the carpeted platform so the underside of the platform is on the marks you made. This leaves small lips which a dog can see and feel. The square ends are flush with the end of the platform. Repeat for lower side frame (D). Screw hinge rails (E) across the ends of the platform and side frames.

STEP 8 Glue and screw the 2 hinge plates to the inside of the hinge rails. It'll help keep this part of the structure strong - there's a fair amount of strain on the hinges and hinge rails.

STEP 9 Mark out for the 4 stainless steel hinges on the hinge rails, located 40mm in from the ends. You can use the tried and tested chisel to house the hinges or set a router to half the depth of the knuckle of the hinge to quickly remove the material. The reason the hinge is set this deep is so that when open, the hinge rails will fit hard against each other so the ramp will not open past 180 degrees. Test the depth on a piece of scrap wood first. Square the routed corners with a chisel.

STEP 10 Test fit the hinges and predrill for the screws. These are not normal wood screws but stainless steel countersunk machine screws, which penetrate all the way through the timber and are held with a washer, spring washer and nut on the inside. Push the machine screws through the hinge and timber. Fit a washer, spring washer and nut to each screw, then tighten the nut with a spanner while holding the other side with a screwdriver.

STEP 11 To fit the screws through to the other half of the ramp, place it on top and push the screws through the hinges and timber. Hold the screws in place with masking tape so they don't fall out as the ramp is opened. When opened the screw threads will be visible on the inside. Wind on the washers and nuts, then tighten with a spanner as before.

STEP 12 To make it easier to transport the platform when folded up, fit a case clip to 1 side near the opening end. When fitting ensure the 2 halves of the ramp are pressed together, using a clamp if necessary.

STEP 13 Mark in a 15mm deep by 135mm long slot 280mm in from the hinge end on both frames on the same side as the case clip. Cut out the slot with a jigsaw to form a handle. Round off all the edges of the timber and test fit to the car.

STEP 14 Now you have to train your dog to use the ramp. Try a tasty morsel dangled in front of its nose!

Source:Better Homes and Gardens magazine, July 2006