In this article we are returning to the decision of FIVERAMPS skateparks to build outdoor skateparks just from concrete. We try to present and defend the use of concrete as the most shapeable and durable material for outside skateparks constructing. Starting in 2001 we in FIVERAMPS constructed several wooden skateparks.

In the beginning we used birch plywood for all obstacle surfaces in our skateparks. During the time the quality of materials - plywoods - we were receiving from distributors declined, so we decided to build wooden skateparks just indoors. We were playing with an idea to save the technology of wooden constructions and to use new materials like SKATELITE or SKATESMART for the surface productions. Thanks to its price and characteristics we focused our outdoor activities on concrete program.

Why to defend concrete? In times we’ve started to product skateparks, we were thinking, what kind of constructions, materials and total technology we can use. In that time there were old metal skateparks in many cities, and because we new them altogether too well, we abandoned the idea of building them quickly. First argument for no choosing metal, is the noise coming out when using. Second is the quality of skating, and third is really high surface temperature during summer time. Plus, its practically impossible to make the metal surface noiseless to fulfill hygienic sound limits set up and valid in the EU.

Based on this knowledge and information we decided to produce wooden skateparks using metal frames first, later we did all-wooden obstacles, even outdoors. After skating wooden outdoor skateparks for few months, we found out that nobody from local riders is taking care of damaged places (e.g. loosed screws) and the quality of surfaces declined rapidly. Then, the municipality used to call us to service the parks. We realized that these small reparations consume lots of our time and money. When also the plywood went bad in its quality and we were not able to extend the warranty of our new products, we quit this technology as well. In any event, we keep to offer the wooden indoor skatepark constructions. 

Concrete connects all the good characteristics needed for a quality new skatepark. It is sound proof, durable, shapeable, not hot in summer and we can make all new different skate lines and shapes in the parks used by the leading companies in the world.

To understand how to work with concrete, what machines to use, the timing, and to make the correct preparations – all these questions we had to answer in past years. While building our experimental bowl in our hometown, we used to contact Czech companies using concrete everyday, asking them to cooperate with us we learned all their hidden secrets.

We bought Torkrat machine and took up the entire process by ourselves. We do not depend on other companies. We do all concrete skatepark construction phases ourselves: from using excavator to finishing the surface with hand trowel. Using concrete technology, we were able to rise up the warranty period for our new parks from two up to four years.