Wheel chair ramps can give physically challenged people a great degree of independence and freedom if they are properly constructed. All too frequently, wheelchair ramps are built without enough regard to how they will be used and the people who will use them, and they’re poorly constructed, difficult to use and possibly dangerous. When considering building wheelchair ramps yourself, it is really important to get familiar with wheelchair ramp plans and also local building codes before getting started.

The wheelchair ramp comes in many different shapes and sizes and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that all buildings and permanent structures be accessible to wheelchair users. The wheelchair ramp gives wheelchairs more accessibility where a vertical distance has to be traversed.

The Different Wheel Chair Ramps

There are quite a few different types of wheelchair ramps and they will all be discussed individually in this article:

• Semi-permanent

•  Permanent

• Portable

•  Vehicle ramps

• Suitcase portable wheelchair ramps

Semi-permanent

The semi-permanent ramp is exactly what it says as it usually comes with a padding that is put on the ground and they are commonly used for short term solutions for a few weeks but it is not a permanent fixture of the building and can be easily removed.

Portable Wheel Chair Ramps

Portable wheelchair ramps are usually made out of lightweight materials and can fold for ease of transport. These are usually sold items but they can also be made at home and have a skid resistant surface and come in various metals as well as aluminum which are easy to clean and maintain.

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by George H.W. Bush in 1992, most “public accommodations” nowadays are significantly more barrier free than in the past, but those who use a wheelchair can always be prepared by having their own portable wheelchair ramps. Available products include sliding, adjustable length ramps and those that fold into almost a suitcase size for easy portability. With a wide variety of portable wheelchair ramps available, there is no reason to ever be left out in the cold again.

Using Portable Wheelchair Ramps

Portable wheelchair ramps can be used to load heavy electric wheelchairs into a van, or can also be used as building wheelchair ramps for ease of entry into a public place that doesn’t have the best handicapped accessibility. Though the law passed in 1992 calls for building owners to make their properties barrier free, buildings erected before 1992 have much more lax requirements since it isn’t always possible to install the optimal wheelchair ramps based on previous construction methods. (Of course, many lawsuits have been filed against owners of buildings that have not retrofitted their property to comply with the letter of the law – most notably Clint Eastwood, for a historic hotel he owns in Carmel, California.)

Portable ramps come in two distinct styles: platform ramps and track ramps. Platform ramps are generally flat and large so that the wheelchair can roll over the surface area. These often come in folding styles to make them as portable as possible. Track ramps are just like they sound, long, narrow tracks that come in pairs and telescope out or roll up for portability.

There are a few things to consider with portable ramps:

• weight capacity
• incline
• material used

Be sure that the design of the ramp is such that it will capably hold the weight of the wheelchair plus the occupant, and that the incline is not so steep as to be impossible to handle for occupant and care giver. Most portable ramps are made of aluminum, which is lightweight and corrosion resistant. If looking at ramps made of other materials, be certain that they as well are corrosion resistant and lightweight for durability and ease of use.

Caregivers sometimes prefer track ramps over platform ramps because they are easier to use and carry in the vehicle. However, electric wheelchair users typically feel more comfortable with platform ramps. In the end, it may come down to a decision of how much space you can give up in the vehicle for the ramp’s storage.

Vehicle Ramps

Vehicle wheelchair ramps are usually used with vans that transport people with disabilities to and from public events. Track wheelchair ramps are designed to line up the wheels of the wheelchair and some of them use the telescoping design that extends to be used on steps, vans and curbs.

Suitcase Portable Wheelchair Ramps

Suitcase portable wheelchair ramps are single-folding units that fold in half and they have handles on them as well which enables one to carry it like a suitcase.

A type of ramp that does not take up much room but is strong and flexible is Handi-Ramp’s Rollup Ramp. This is an extremely strong ramp, but it’s designed for easy portability for local or travel use. These rollup ramps have patented hinges that allow it to rollup completely, just like a sleeping bag. Usage is simple; you just unroll the ramp tread and then attach the rails that go on the sides for safety. The small storage size of rollup ramps allow them to be easily taken anywhere you go. So small that it can fit in a car trunk or under a van seat, it can also be easily checked as baggage when going on an airplane, making it simple to take on vacation with you as well.

GRP Ramps

Another interesting option in portable wheelchair ramps is the GRP (glass reinforced plastic) products being built for lightweight and portable access to both vehicles and buildings. There are a number of varieties, but some of the smallest and most easily transported are folding channel ramps to be used side by side. They have no sharp edges and won’t damage vehicles or building and house thresholds, and they are also extremely strong, typically able to support up to 550 pounds total capacity (wheelchair plus occupant).

When considering purchasing portable wheelchair ramps, keep in mind that you’ll need ramps which are strong and durable enough to handle both your wheelchair and you. You’ll also want a ramp that can quickly and easily be set up by one person for you to use. If you buy a ramp that is a big hassle to use every single time you need it, chances are it will end up in the garage and unused.

Permanent Wheelchair Ramps

The permanent wheelchair ramps are the long term solution to create a permanent fixture of the building and are usually designed originally to have a permanent ramp. Most new buildings include these as a requirement of the disability act and are usually bolted or cemented in place as a permanent fixture of the building or hall.

For permanent wheel chair ramps, many people think they know all about how to build one. If there are a set of steps, people who’ve never used a wheel chair often think they can just build the ramp to the same incline as those steps and move on. These builders would be wise to consult the wheel chair users themselves, however, before building something so steep that not even a power wheel chair can successfully negotiate.  Most people underestimate the length that wheel chair ramps need to be.

In general, the maximum incline should be at 1:12, which means for each one foot of rise, the ramp should be twelve feet long. They should also have adequate landings at top and bottom, as well as edge protection to keep the wheel chair from rolling off. In most jurisdictions, handrails will be required as part of the building code. Keep in mind also that if the handrails are made of wood, they need to be prepared well to avoid splinters. People in wheelchairs use the handrails to pull themselves up, and a splinter of wood can cause a severe injury.

Looking At The Slope Of Your Wheelchair Ramp

• The slope of your ramp is critical as it will allow the wheelchair to climb up the slope without slipping and if the slope is slightly steeper than the recommended 3-12 which the ADA says is the minimum then it could possibly cause many problems.

• The 3-12 that the ADA recommends means for every three inches of vertical rise you are required to have at least a one foot ramp.

• The ADA also has a recommendation for business use which it says should be 1-12 which means that every inch of rise demands an inch of ramp.

• For example 24 inches of rise demands a 24 foot ramp minimum.

In a recent study on the various ramps available the product appraisals and trails showed that no single ramp design was able to meet all the needs of the users even though there were many different designs and configurations.

All wheelchair ramps should have a flat surface on the top and the bottom of the ramp, this landing is vitally important and should be part of any wheelchair ramp design. Because if the person in the wheelchair gets to the top of the ramp and there is no level landing it will be impossible for them to open the door. A landing at the bottom is equally important so that the user can stop and make a left or right turn. If the length of the ramp is very long you should include level resting platforms in the middle so that users can take a break if they get tired.

Suitcase portable wheelchair ramps are single-folding units that fold in half and they have handles on them as well which enables one to carry it like a suitcase.