Weather resistant ramp surface needed

[endo_aftermath]

I have a ramp made of painted, treated wood at our front door. It gets afternoon sun and a little windblown rain. We repaint every 4 months or so, but for best appearance and moisture protection, it could use a fresh coat every month. The plywood rolling surface is full of small surface cracks.

Can anyone suggest a decent looking, non-skid, low maintenance covering for this?

Thanks

[DaleB]

I used composite lumber for the decking on each of my ramps. (I needed 3, one from the driveway to the back deck, one from the deck to the backyard and one from the front door to the driveway.) It's non-skid and zero maintenance (beyond cleaning). Highly recommended and easy to upgrade from regular boards, a bit at a time, if cost is a deterrent.

[airart1]

u might try the roll on rhino liner stuff in a can.....eaastwood might have it...there are alot of different types now adays, line-x grizzly, might need to research it some to see if it's suitable for wood, might have to do some prep work first.......just a thought...

[gjnl]

Look into GacoDeck at this website. I haven't used it, but it sounds promising.

http://www.gacoretail.com/gacodeck.html

All the best,
GJ

[gpbullock]

IPE wood is an approved ADA natural wood product used for deck surfacing. Beautiful finish. You still have to seal it but it will last a hundred years. Important to note, you have to wax the cut ends of the deck pieces to resist cracking.

[LizZenU]

...consider boat/marine paint. I used to live by a beach, the cottage-like home had woodsiding. Previous owners had the whole exterior painted with marine-boat paint. Its weathered well throughout the years and easy to care for, just by using a regular hose.

...since I've used marine/boat paint for outdoor decks and ramps, color choice s limited to one, white.

best of times...LizZenU

[Them Bones]

Mix some coarse sand in with your paint, then use a roller to paint it on. It's like coating your ramp with sandpaper.

[endo_aftermath]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll probably go with some roof deck coating like the Gacodeck but a brand I can buy in smaller quantities. I'll defer a major rebuild for now, since I have the longer term option of a friend with a big shop making a new ramp out of SS or aluminum diamondtread.

[titanium4motion]

Instead of treated plywood there other products for flooring and tiling at are water proof, water resistance, mold and mildew resistance such as HardieBacker board.

There is also Glasrock and DensGuard which are lightweight durable product which you can put a Thinset coating for grip and texture or even some sort of stone such as granite, marble, travertine or even slate for a natural texture. You can also get 1/4" brick facing that look like paver bricks!

There products are used for exterior walls that get coated with Dryvit, tile or stones.

There are a lot of new products out there today. Inquire.

Ti

[Sue Pendleton]

LizZenU, could the white only color choice be a California ecology code thing? We've been to a few Chriscraft/wood boat shows because a friend shows his. I know I've seen both a red and light blue used outside along the waterline of the boats. These are judged on closeness to the original boat as delivered so the colors have been around awhile. This only matters though if endo wants to paint. Or I get a small beach bum place someplace warm for 3 months a year down the road a bit... :-)

[Bob Sullivan]

Pressure treated wood is sometimes very hard to paint, the treatment prevents paint penetration. I had never considered using boat paint, but that used on good grade exterior plywood or marine plywood (no knots in the plys) would make a good combination but slippery, so deck sand would be wise.

[Joe-MN]

I am not sure if this will work, or the cost relative to other alternatives.

http://www.pontoonstuff.com/vinyl-flooring-for-pontoon-boats.aspx

[endo_aftermath]

I ended up using a deck coating from Home Depot. About $50 for coverage of 50 sq ft. It's available in a few dozen colors. It looks good, has a nice non-skid texture and seems durable after a few months. Product brand name is "Restore".

Copied from their product description:
For use on wood and composite decking, stairs, docks and more
Latex base is tintable
Mildew- and UV resistant
Fills small cracks and locks down splinters
Apply with a roller, clean up with soap and water
Dries to touch in 6 hours
Includes two 1-gallon cans of stain and one 9 in. roller
2 coats required
Covers 50 square feet with 2 coats