Wooden Tracks, Ramps, And Roads: DIY Guide

Wooden tracks, ramps, and roads are becoming more popular, considering how they allow kids to explore their imaginations and bring them lots of joy and fun While playing with their toys. As a parent, you are always happy seeing your kid happy and having fun. 

These tracks, ramps, and roads often come in various sizes, designs, and colors. However, it could be more exciting to know that you can build these tracks yourself. Thankfully, this article will provide you with the knowledge and expertise you need to produce a quality wooden track, ramp, and road yourself. Read on to discover more. 

The Tools Used

These tools can help to reduce the risks of inflicting injury when building wooden tracks, ramps, or roads, and they are:

• Sturdy surface: This can be a workbench where you place all your working equipment and materials. The surface you choose must be smooth and firm.

• Bench vice: It holds the wood in place when cutting a specific length.

• Measuring tape or rule: This is used to measure the dimensions of the wooden roads, tracks, and ramps.

• Marker: to mark out measured points.

• Handsaw: this is used to produce a neat cut of the wood used in the building process.

• Tri-square: This is used to get perfect angles at a particular joint. It exists in two types adjustable and firm; the adjustable can be adjusted to any angle size, while the firm comes in fixed angle sizes.

• Plan: They are blueprints to guide you when building the roads, tracks, and ramps. Like real blueprints, they come in various designs and styles

Materials Needed 

The materials listed here will be necessary for building your wooden tracks, roads, and ramps.  

1. Two poplar boards with dimensions 4”x ¼” x 4”: They are preferred because of their light and inexpensive nature. The boards are used for the tracks and roads.
2. Six square dowels with dimensions ¼” x 36”. The dowel serves as jointers for getting a curve or an angle in a track or road. They are used for ramps and to prevent the cars from falling off.
3. Black and white acrylic paint
4. Wood glue (weld bond glue is preferable)

DIY Guide For Building Wooden Tracks, Roads, and Ramps

1. Cut out road tracks: Using the handsaw and the dimensions provided on the stencils, cut out the size of the road track from the poplar board. 
2. Cut corner pieces: From the dimensions provided on the stencils, cut out the desired number of corners needed for the roads from another poplar board.
3. Cut out corner squares: These parts do not consume much board so that you can cut from leftover poplar boards based on the dimensions of the stencils.
4. The number of dowels you cut is dependent on the design of the road or track because some sizes can be used for ramps as support and barricades to prevent the cars from falling off.
5. Mix the black and white acrylic paint on a plate or paper for an asphalt color. Then paint the roads using a brush or roller.
6. Allow the paint job time to dry and glue the road or track, ramps, and barricade together.
7. Allow to dry, and then paint the road based on your design.

Conclusion

So, if you are looking to build top-quality wooden roads, tracks, and ramps, this article highlights the key steps to doing it yourself. Indeed, you do not have to worry about spending exorbitant prices on already-made options anymore. You can just DIY now with the information from this piece.