Wheel chair ramp slope?

[Curt Harms]

Hi All

I need to construct a temporary wheel chair ramp. Does anyone know the correct rise/run? I've done some googling but come up with mostly commercial products. Thanks in advance.

[Ted Jay]

Hi All

I need to construct a temporary wheel chair ramp. Does anyone know the correct rise/run? I've done some googling but come up with mostly commercial products. Thanks in advance.

It should be 1:12 slope (ie: 1 inch rise for every 12 inch run).

[tod evans]

curt, if you can, try and keep it 3/12 or less. no idea of code in your area but i have built a few and the easier the grade the better for those wheel chair bound...02 tod

[Steve Ash]

If I'm not mistaken there is also a requirement (according to local code) that after a certain amount of distance a "resting" area is provided which I believe is a flat surface. I've only built a couple and they were not of a long enough distance to require the resting area. Check your local "codes" for your area if in doubt.

[Matt Day]

http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.8

[Phil Maddox]

The link by Matt spells it out pretty well.

In general 1 in 12 is the code but less than that is desirable, with 1 in 20 being the target. This can make a ramp VERY long (to rise 36" will require a 36' ramp minimum, ideally 60')

Good luck.

[tod evans]

thanks matt! i stand corrected...02 tod

[Ted Jay]

Hi All

I need to construct a temporary wheel chair ramp. Does anyone know the correct rise/run? I've done some googling but come up with mostly commercial products. Thanks in advance.

Here is a link that will give you additional info:
http://www.wheelchairramp.org/rampman/manual/rampindx.htm
Good luck with the project.

[Dick Bringhurst]

I believe the regulations apply to "public access" only. I put one in, at a private residence, where length was severely restricted. It ended up at 14:1. The handicapped transport company had no complaints. Dick B.

[Don Bergren]

You said this was temporary. So I would say that you can cheat a bit on the recommended 1 inch rise per foot of run. Things to keep in mind are not making it so steep that the person can't push or power themsleves up the ramp. And make sure it's not so steep that there is a risk of tipping over backwards.

Another thing to think of is how will the steepness work when the chair comes back down. You don't want them pitching forward or going out of control. If coming down backwards, someone should guide them, and if coming down frontwards make sure their wheelchair foot plates won't catch (due to steepness) on the transition from ramp to ground level.

At my brother's house there is a 20" or 22" (I've forgotten) rise to get in his door. I have three portable ramps that I made that make up a total of about 13' to go from the garage floor up to that doorway. It works for me but I had to account for my footplates when coming down the ramp, plus I use a power wheelchair so going up is easy for me. The ramps are designed so they can easily be setup when I visit and easily removed and stored away when I leave.

So I say that you can cheat a bit, but don't get too carried away and end up with something unsafe or difficult to use. Just try to remember that the further away from the 1" rise per running foot, the more difficult it is to make it work. And if you make a sort of custom slope for one specific user, it may not work universally for all users.

[Ed Breen]

The 1" in 12" is correct. The resting place is often used when you've got a short distance from the front door to the curb and you need a switchback or resting place in the middle so that two six foot drops will give you the required twelve feet in a short distance.
I run an agency for the disabled and handle these problems frequently. good luck
Ed

[Jeffrey Makiel]

The American Disabilities Act is a good guideline which says that 1:12 is max, but 1:20 is preferred. However, keep in mind that ADA rules only apply to public/commercial facilities, and not to residential dwellings. However, local (municipal) building codes often have adopted guidelines and may require a building permit even though the ramp is 'temporary'. That is, being temporary may only mean that the ramp is exempt from zoning requirements (that is, set back from property lines). However, your town's building department may still want physical details on how the ramp is made.

Also, 1:12 slope is predicated on a person in the wheelchair to be able to move him/herself up the ramp without assistance. The ADA also requires that for every 30" of rise, there should be a resting platform. However, assisted ramps (as with transporting the elderly to and from private residences by an assistant) may go as steep as 1:8 with no resting platform and is not a problem if the person is wheeled by you or a hospice worker. Even the ADA (which does not apply to residential use) acknowledges that an increased slope is sometimes necessary given the conditions. It often comes down to whatever will fit.

Here are the basic guidelines, followed by the relevant section of the ADA for ramps...

1. Optimum ramp width is 48”, but the minimum is 36” clear width (between railings);
2. Structurally designed for a minimum of 100#/sq ft live load
3. Surface of ramp has to be slip resistant.
4. Ramp has to have a 5' level platform at the bottom
5. Top platform has to be a minimum of 5'x5'
6. Intermediate platform for 90 degree turn needs to be a minimum of 4'x4'
7. If you have a switchback platform it has to have a minimum of 5'x8'
8. If the rise is more than 30", an intermediate landing is recommended.
9. Landing "lip" should not be greater than 1/2" below the door threshold.
10. Recommend "bump boards" or "crutch stops" or "curbs" on sides of ramp, 1/2" above ramp for drainage. Usually made from 1x2 lumber.
11. Rail height is recommended between 31" to 34" high.
12. Recommend intermediate "guard rail" railing at knee height (18" to 20" high)
13. 48" wide ramp is appropriate for a wheelchair
14. Ramps should not have a sideways slope like typical cement sidewalks have.
15. Use anti-slip materials on ramp like grit-tape or sanded polyurethane.
16. 2x6 lumber, perpendicular to ramp provides a good surface material. End grain should face downward like a rainbow.
17. Modular ramps are made in section about 4' to 5'long and require no frost foundations. The National Center for Independent Living indorses modular systems.


From the American Disabilities Act:
4.8 Ramps.

4.8.1* General. Any part of an accessible route with a slope greater than 1:20 shall be considered a ramp and shall comply with 4.8. Appendix Note

4.8.2* Slope and Rise. The least possible slope shall be used for any ramp. The maximum slope of a ramp in new construction shall be 1:12. The maximum rise for any run shall be 30 in (760 mm) (see Fig. 16). Curb ramps and ramps to be constructed on existing sites or in existing buildings or facilities may have slopes and rises as allowed in 4.1.6(3)(a) if space limitations prohibit the use of a 1:12 slope or less. Appendix Note

4.8.3 Clear Width. The minimum clear width of a ramp shall be 36 in (915 mm).

4.8.4* Landings. Ramps shall have level landings at bottom and top of each ramp and each ramp run. Landings shall have the following features:

(1) The landing shall be at least as wide as the ramp run leading to it.

(2) The landing length shall be a minimum of 60 in (1525 mm) clear.

(3) If ramps change direction at landings, the minimum landing size shall be 60 in by 60 in (1525 mm by 1525 mm).

(4) If a doorway is located at a landing, then the area in front of the doorway shall comply with 4.13.6. Appendix Note

4.8.5* Handrails. If a ramp run has a rise greater than 6 in (150 mm) or a horizontal projection greater than 72 in (1830 mm), then it shall have handrails on both sides. Handrails are not required on curb ramps or adjacent to seating in assembly areas. Handrails shall comply with 4.26 and shall have the following features:

(1) Handrails shall be provided along both sides of ramp segments. The inside handrail on switchback or dogleg ramps shall always be continuous.

(2) If handrails are not continuous, they shall extend at least 12 in (305 mm) beyond the top and bottom of the ramp segment and shall be parallel with the floor or ground surface (see Fig. 17).

(3) The clear space between the handrail and the wall shall be 1 - 1/2 in (38 mm).

(4) Gripping surfaces shall be continuous.

(5) Top of handrail gripping surfaces shall be mounted between 34 in and 38 in (865 mm and 965 mm) above ramp surfaces.

(6) Ends of handrails shall be either rounded or returned smoothly to floor, wall, or post.

(7) Handrails shall not rotate within their fittings. Appendix Note

4.8.6 Cross Slope and Surfaces. The cross slope of ramp surfaces shall be no greater than 1:50. Ramp surfaces shall comply with 4.5.

4.8.7 Edge Protection. Ramps and landings with drop-offs shall have curbs, walls, railings, or projecting surfaces that prevent people from slipping off the ramp. Curbs shall be a minimum of 2 in (50 mm) high (see Fig. 17).

4.8.8 Outdoor Conditions. Outdoor ramps and their approaches shall be designed so that water will not accumulate on walking surfaces.
Another source would be to google: National Center for Independent Living for some generic plans of 'modular ramp' systems that require no foundation, and use standard materials.

good luck, Jeff :)

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Here's an example. The ramp is to be fabricated from 2x6 ACQ lumber including the deckboards. The joist use joist hangers, and the modular sections are thru bolted together. The ramp is supported by 4x4 posts using a square 3/4" plywood pad that is ground contact rated. The second picture is shown without the decking or railing. The third picture shows the completed deck. It uses a modular design, supports a 100lb/ft loading, and requires no frost foundation.

cheers, Jeff

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/Pic7.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/ramp820x473.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/ramp2820x473.jpg

[Curt Harms]

Turned into quite an informative thread. SWMBO is using a "companion" wheel chair. It's a light-weight(18 lbs.) chair with wheels about 8-10" wheels. She cannot wheel it herself but that's OK. We hope this is a temporary condition. She had surgery for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus but her balance is still whacky so if we have any distance to go we use the companion wheel chair. Currently we roll to the threshold, she climbs up (she can walk short distances) then gets back into the chair. I am hoping to build something in the garage so we wouldn't have to do that step.

Curt