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Got a beloved pooch (or puss!) who needs a bit of support to ease their movement around the house? Workshop creator Alicia Clarke’s beautiful Hamptons-inspired design proves that a dog ramp doesn’t need to be boring. Instead, it can complement your décor and become a talking point in your home.
Project creator: Alicia Clarke
Location: Swan Valley, WA
The project: Hamptons-inspired dog ramp
The budget: $200–$230
Alicia’s top tip: “Ensure the frame is cut and connected with precision. This will make a huge difference to the ease of adding cladding materials and shelf lining. You know what they say, ‘measure twice, cut once!’”
None of us like seeing our pets in pain, whether their discomfort is caused by old age, health issues, surgery, or accidents. Alicia’s no different: when her beloved Golden Retriever, Charlie, was first diagnosed with hip dysplasia as a young pup (“She dislocated her hip within the first six months we had her!”, says Alicia), she went searching for a practical solution to help Charlie live her best life.
“I’m one of those people that allows the dogs on the bed, and that was the one thing Charlie kept struggling with, despite all the treatments she’d gone through. I was always lifting her on to the bed because she just didn’t have the strength in her back hips to be able to jump – and yeah, it got to the point where we went looking for a dog ramp!”
This proved trickier than expected: Alicia and her wife love the ocean and channel this vibe into their home, but none of the dog ramps they found online suited their style. Were they functional? Yeah. Pretty? Nope. In fact, Alicia laughs, “they’d look very odd in our room!”
It was time to pivot. “We tossed some ideas back and forth, and I came up with a couple of different designs, finally landing on the Hamptons-inspired dog ramp I created,” says Alicia.
The multifunctional ramp nestles up against the end of their bed and includes nifty cubby holes to store shoes or other odds and ends. The finishing blends seamlessly with the calming tones of the coastal-themed bedroom.
Did the effort pay off? Charlie’s now four and a half years old, and the bed’s her favourite spot, says Alicia. “The ramp allows Charlie to trot up to the bed whenever she likes, and now she spends more time up there than we do. So, it worked out well!”
Like to build your own dog bed? Here’s Alicia’s quick guide.
Do you want a simple, functional solution, or something with multiple uses, like shelves or drawers for storing shoes or books below the ramp?
While Alicia mentions that many of her projects involve “days of imagining” rather than painstaking planning, the dog ramp was different. “It needed to be a very specific size and shape to make sure it suited our bed, so I drew up sketches and made sure I carefully planned the dimensions. I worked hard to match the bed frame and décor in the room with bright whites and panelling to finish.”
Alicia used a power drill, drop (mitre) saw, and an orbital disc sander.
Alicia built the frame from 35 x 70mm untreated pine, securing it with 75mm 10G timber screws.
The pine cladding was carefully cut to size and secured with 30mm 8G timber screws.
The shelving lining was cut from 3mm coated MDF board and secured with indoor wood glue and 20mm 8G screws.
The top of the ramp was cut from 9mm MDF, and secured using countersunk 50mm 10G timber screws.
Alicia finished off the basic build using white gap filler to seal the edges of the shelves, sanding the ramp back until the surface was completely smooth, and then applied a coat of primer followed by one coat of white wall paint.
Alicia initially used carpet to cover the ramp top, but after observing Charlie using it, realised it was much too slippery. She replaced it with foam-based self-adhesive panels that offered heaps of grip, instead.
You can follow Alicia’s step-by-step dog ramp build on Workshop.
Since building the dog ramp, Alicia’s refreshed it as needed with a lick of paint, and replacing the ramp top material when wear and tear gets too much. Constant paw patrol can take its toll, after all!
To see more of Alicia’s projects, visit the Bunnings Workshop community. You’ll find projects including a beautiful whale shark wall art, a Hamptons-style dog feeding station as well as her fantastic Hamptons-inspired dog ramp.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
