# Wooden berms



## mtbAndy (Jun 7, 2004)

I'm building some stuff in my back yard and want some smallish wooden berms. These are at my girlfriends request. Anybody got some tips or pictures how to get the round shape in them? Maybe I'll just have to dig.


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## droptopchevy (Sep 3, 2008)

I have been using wooden skids/pallets. Bury them halfway in the ground at an angle and fill with dirt. Make the rounded edge with dirt.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Why not give some old used truck tires a go?

You can fill them with dirt and just let them be bumps in the road or...

you could bury two of them halfway into the ground, upright as if on a car, about two feet apart, lay two boards (approach and depart) on each, screw them to the tire and screw some planking onto these makeshift ramps and you are ready to ride. 

Burying the tires halfway into the ground should easily keep them stable. High load rating tires may work best: strong sidewalls and stiff tread.

oops...I was thinking water bar/rollers, however you could still use old tires, buried next to each other in a half circle for your foundation and dirt up against them on the inside of the arc.


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## atkinson (Sep 1, 2003)

You mean like this?









Sugarbush, VT.

This one starts with a continuous wood roll-down section into the berm. It took several days to build, but it's impressive and fun!

John


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## paintballpunk687 (May 28, 2008)

Agreed i have ridden that berm at sugarbush and it works perfectly


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## mtbAndy (Jun 7, 2004)

Something like that is what I was thinking but on a much smaller scale. Thanks for the picture, it's giving me some ideas how to pull this off.


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## FM (Apr 30, 2003)

Here's the big sucker we built at colonnade in Seattle. More info here.

The one suggestion I have is to model your berm out of string!
Just pound some tall stakes in where your footings might go, then run string between them to model the upper/outside and lower/inside edges. This way you can check the shape & angles, (use an angle finder!) and troubleshoot before you commit to anything with wood and nails. I think some of my buddies thought I was wasting time by doing this, but it really helped check the shape and the final product rides really really nice....

Here are a few progress photos so you can see how the supporting structure was built.
If you are making much smaller berms you may not need the bi-level structure (you could use dirt instead of wood for the easier grade).


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## Red PeeKay (Oct 3, 2008)

edited - note from moderator. Please don't quote spam, just report the post thanks....


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## Red PeeKay (Oct 3, 2008)

FM said:


> Here's the big sucker we built at colonnade in Seattle. More info here.


That's really impressive FM, looks like an indoor track??


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## FLMike (Sep 28, 2008)

Red PeeKay said:


> That's really impressive FM, looks like an indoor track??


looks like its under an overpass of an interstate/highway


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## FM (Apr 30, 2003)

*Colonnade- Seattle, Wa.*



FLMike said:


> looks like its under an overpass of an interstate/highway


More info here

Yeah, it was a huge project overall with hundreds involved, Organized by EvergreenMTB . It's been written up in Dirtrag, Bike and other mags. Aside from a great place to ride, it's also been a huge improvement to that area which previously was inhabited by junkies and homeless (not the ones working towards something better, either)


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

*Banked and Ribboned Wooden Berms*:




























*Skateboard Ramp Bowl Corner Style can be used to build an awesome transitioned berm....*

https://rampplans.org/forums/?board=news;action=display;num=1116270222


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