Anyone have any thoughts on the effect of the width of split cedar rungs? NOT the thickness. Looking at replacing the legacy dimensional lumber structure below with a similar (but slightly longer ramp) topped with split cedar.
Photos from 2007 shortly after original construction:
Photos from today:
Yes, it's an old janky structure, but it's one of 3 structures in this riding area and it's so beloved that people have removed large blockading piles of cedar from the entrance three times so they can ride it. (At least until someone went through a couple of the rungs towards the bottom)
The ramp is on an intermediate trail and drops about 6' over its 21' length. The dimensional lumber was slick as snot if the air is a little humid (never mind actual rain) so skidding down the ramp was a factor.
Less experienced riders would start down the ramp, grab a little brake to control speed (no effect), grab a little more brake to control speed (no effect), DYNAMITE THE BRAKES BECAUSE THAT BERM AT THE BOTTOM IS COMING AT ME WAY TOO FAST AND I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE! (no effect) …then slide off the bottom of the ramp and skid through the dirt towards the berm. The masonry blocks below the ramp were an attempt to control skid erosion. The new ramp will be extended to cover that area.
I expect that split cedar will be much grippier and will allow a little speed control even when wet, but there will probably still be a some skidding. As a result, the rungs are going to be 3.5" thick to allow the possibility of one re-surfacing if a groove gets worn into them.
The current slabs available for rungs range from 8-16" wide (30x16x3.5", for example) You can just make out some of them piled on the take-off ramp in the recent picture. The question is: should they be split further?
Here's how I see things:
- More narrow rungs give more biting edges for braking, but they also give more opportunity for wear
- Wider rungs are stronger/more durable
- Wider rungs are more likely to have grain twist and not sit flat against the stringers leading to rung rocking and nail pull-out
- Narrower rungs require less total rungs to cover the area because you have more spaces
- More spaces give better cleaning/drainage, but that's more of a factor on the flat take-off ramp, not the downhill portion
Anything critical I've left out?
I think the way to go may be to keep the big slabs relatively large, but alternate, so there'll be a 10" rung, then a 6", 10"…
Whatever Turns Your Crank…