Metal Wheelchair ramps are often constructed to make the house more accessible for those who are unable to use stairs or who require an easier, less traumatic method of entering or leaving their home. A successful home accessibility plan requires careful planning to ensure that the ramp is suitable for the requirements of the home’s inhabitants, is compliant to local building regulations, is safe and durable, and can be used in any type of weather conditions.
Start the project
Before you begin planning residential wheelchair ramp installation, consider the following.
Build-a-wheelchair-ramp-overview questions like:
- Who is the main user?
- What type of method will the user use? (cane crutches, crutches, walker manual or electric wheelchair)
- What happens to the person’s abilities?
- What are the regulations for zoning in your particular area?
- These are only a few of the queries you have to be able to answer prior to starting your project. The tips provided here will help you with this process.
Planning for the Ramp
Before hammering the first nail, you must consider important factors like the exact place of entry to your residence, the area to develop ramps as well as how steep the ramp will be based on the the ground which the wheelchair has to reach and the local building codes should be taken into consideration.
Home Entrance
The door that will be used the ramp is to be installed will be affected by a variety of aspects, including the accessibility from inside of the house to entrance the doorway’s width, whether the ramp is able to be installed to existing doorway elements like platforms, stairs or porches.
Space Constrained Design of Ramps
A lot of the design aspects of ramps are limited by space and obstacles (such as trees, structures and walkways) which determine the location of the ramp. A greater distance of ramp can be accommodated in a smaller area by constructing the U-shaped ramp.
The ramp’s width
In order to accommodate a wheelchair for wheelchair access, the clear opening between the railings that are in opposition should be at minimum 36 inches.
This means that the ramp should be at minimum 42 inches wide in order in order to be able to fit the 12 inch space between the railing and the surface and the actual 12 inches of railing.
The Rise of the Ramp
A particular ramp’s maximum elevation shouldn’t over 30 inches. Prior to the ramp’s continuation with a level rest platform must be provided when it has reached 30 inches. Every ramp must have an even landing on their tops and at the bottoms and landings should be at least as wide as the ramp, and minimum 60 inches in length. Ramps used to change direction must be at a minimum of 60 inches wide by 60 inches.
The choice of which door to put the ramp will be determined by a variety of factors, such as the access from within the house to the entrance along with the width of the doorway and whether ramps can easily be installed.
Dimensions and Ramp Slope Dimensions
The slope of the ramp surfaces, along with the length of the ramp are crucial aspects to consider when planning the ramp. The slope of the ramp will affect the design requirements and the associated cost as well as the final accessibility that the road will offer. It is defined as the slope shaped by the vertical elevation (rise) in relation to the length horizontal or the projection (run). It is typically described as a ratio between the two measurements and the rise figure usually set at a single unit. An angle of 1:2 means that each dimensional unit (typically one inch) of height rises while the opposite side extends (or extends in length) (12 units (inches).
Standard Operating Procedures
Based on your area Based on your location, there are many variations of traditional design strategies which are typically employed on your project. In the end, ADA Standards for Accessible Design provides guidelines for ramps used in business which could be beneficial to look into and could be relevant or required for residential structures even though they’re not legally required for homeowners.
