Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - OT: Any ex-skaters or woodworkers? (makes more sense inside..)

I figure a lot of you used to skate and probably still ride vert w/ fg, so here's a repost of a question i asked in BMX; woodworkers will probably also know (moreso, even):


my gf and i live in a 2,500 sq foot warehouse loft. we have the space, so we're building a mini ramp to ride. since it's going to be inside, i want to do something that doesn't look like junk.
my initial idea (which i still want to do) was to finish the project with ~6" wide diagonal stripes of alternating dark and light wood veneer, covered with a few coats of durable shellac. the look would be gorgeous.
however, one of the guys helping me build it is going to skate it; the shellack wil probably be a little too slippery.
does anyone know of something i can use to coat wood veneer that has more of a "matte" texture, similar to masonite? i'd need it to dry clear (or at least a very light translucent) so the wood veneer can be seen underneath...

i know this isn't necessarily a bike specific question, but i thought perhaps one of you has ridden or helped build something similar.

thanks.

I like the ramp art idea but wouldn't it be more logical to leave the artistry to the sides of the ramp and the decks/railings? and use "the right surface for the job," which is Skatelite.

edit: you can get Skatelite, Ramp Armor, and other surfaces in different colors and can still convey your alternating color idea, but with the right surface for skating and bikes.

1) never heard of the stuff... looking at skatelite and ramp armor now.
2) no. it's going in my house; the best part of this is i get to ride it every day whenever i want. that said, i really don't want it to be ugly. this isn't a dealbreaker, but i DEFINITELY want to work as hard as possible achieving a look i'll like. since it's indoors, i figured i had more flexibility, but i suppose this remains to be seen. i don't want to compromise the ride, though, so unless someone has a different idea i will certainly use whatever it is you mentioned above which i'm googling in 5... 4... 3... 2...

oh yeah, this looks perfect. the pro stuff comes in three shades, which will probably work nicely. thanks!

np dood, it's very expensive stuff but it will last forever inside and has colors!!

looking online... expensive is right. perhaps this is overkill for my project, i'm trying to do this with an $800 limit.

ed: i guess the "original" skatelite isn't bad, but only one color. this is a start, though-- i didn't know they made ramp surfaces in colors.

you better put pics up when this gets done. for serious.

lol... oh trust me, i will. one of my friends built a few mini ramps / halfpipes and loves to ride, so he's helping me $$ and build it... i'm really really really excited, pics will flow during and after the build. we're going to start buying lumber this weekend.

something like this

http://stupidhurts.org/gallery/albums/Batchfiles/People/IMGP3211.jpg

wat

http://rampplans.org/

http://rampplans.org/

blammo, we might have a winner...
http://rampplans.org/forums/?board=tips;action=display;num=1092503236

Just buy a few small cans of wood stain in various color. Its extreely easy to apply and you can put any finish over it. Practice masking it out before though as it likes to bleed through the wood grains.

another idea: get a reciprocating saw and take FDR's crappy miniramp at night? :D

I have to say this is the sickest idea I have heard in a bit. I have heard before of people doing stuff like this, but that doesnt lessen how cool it is at all every time I hear it.
PS: I'm also jealous your pad is that huge

I've only skated skatelite ramps a few times but it's like skating on ice if you're used to masonite and even worse if you skate concrete. Something to keep in mind.

1) you're a ****in rockstar
2) its going to suck when you move

sorta back to square one...
reading the "spar urethane" thread made me curious about how it would work with veneer over plywood or masonite. the skatelite looks to be too pricey at the moment, and even then will require tons of screws to get the stripes i'm looking for (which will probably ruin the ride quality).
i'm going to experiment and research with this a bit more, but i'll have updates soon; i'm planning to have this built by the end of october at the latest.

ed: the plot thickens...
http://www.skatepaint.com/

also look out for dealers of used skatelite. Those old skateparks and X Games ramps have to end up somewhere -- usually in surplus. Just sayin'.