A funbox is a standard element of a

skatepark A skatepark, or skate park, is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, scootering, wheelchairs, and aggressive inline skating. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, stairsets, q ...

. It generally consists of a box shape with a flat top and a

ramp An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle from the vertical direction, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six clas ...

on two or more sides. A funbox may also include other elements that allow for more complicated

skateboarding trick A skateboarding trick, or simply a trick, is a maneuver performed by manipulating a skateboard, usually with one's feet, in a specific way to achieve the desired outcome – the trick. History Though skateboards emerged in the 1900s, skateboard ...

s.''Skateboarding Skills: The Rider's Guide''
by Ben Powell (Firefly Books, 2008) Like other skatepark features, funboxes are used by

skateboarders Skateboarding is an action sport originating in the United States that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. ...

roller skaters Roller skating is the act of traveling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on streets, si ...

using inline skates or quad skates, and BMX-riders.

Features

Table-top - The main characteristic of a funbox is the standard table-top; the flat top of the main structural ''box'' component. The table-top can vary in height and surface area. Ramps - To allow access to the table-top, a funbox will generally be surrounded (on two or more sides) by ramps or

stairs Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...

to allow tricks or transitions on, off or over the table-top. Other elements - A funbox may also include a number of other elements including ledges,

rails Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ( ...

, spines, copings, angled ramps, wall sections to allow "wallrides" and improvised

street furniture Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed along streets and roads for various purposes. It includes benches, traffic barriers, bollards, post boxes, phone boxes, streetlamps, traffic lights, traffic ...

pieces. A funbox with ramps on opposite sides may allow for the conduct of aerial tricks. As such, funboxes are commonly placed in line with the "outlet" of a larger ramp to allow for a build-up of speed. Typically, a funbox with ramps or transitions on all sides of the table will be placed in the middle of a park.

Construction

Funboxes are generally constructed of

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...

(as a permanent element in a skatepark) or wood (as a moveable or customizable element for

street skateboarding Street skateboarding is a skateboarding discipline which focuses on flat-ground tricks, grinds, slides and aerials within urban environments, and public spaces. Street skateboarders meet, skate, and hang out in and around urban areas refer ...

). Some variations include

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

frames and both concrete and wood constructions will often include steel copings or rails. Some funboxes will be constructed in sections to allow for further customization.''Ramp Plans: Learn How to Build Vert Street Mini Launch and Bowls (2000 Edition)''
(High Speed Productions, 1999) ''Thrasher''_magazine.html" ;"title="Thrasher (magazine)">''Thrasher'' magazine">Thrasher (magazine)">''Thrasher'' magazine/ref> The construction must resist dynamic

structural load A structural load or structural action is a force, deformation, or acceleration applied to structural elements. A load causes stress, deformation, and displacement in a structure. Structural analysis, a discipline in engineering, analyzes the ef ...

resulting from aerial tricks or jumps onto the funbox.

References

{{Skateboarding Skateboarding Skateboarding equipment