Choosing a wheelchair ramp can be confusing. There are various factors to take into consideration. If you are unsure what ramp would be suitable for you please contact our team who will be happy to provide advice over the phone, via email or via our chat function on our website.
Key Questions & Why They are important
1. Is the ramp for a manual wheelchair, scooter, electric wheelchair, walkers or all of the mentioned?
For manual wheelchairs a minimum of a 1:6 is recommended. For electric wheelchairs, scooters and walkers a 1:8 is the minimum gradient. Some electric wheelchairs and scooters have low ground clearance which is why a smoother gradient. For example, if you are in an electric wheelchair and the height is 1ft, an 8ft ramp is required. Unsure of the maths? No problem, simply use our
Wheelchair Ramp Calculator.
2. What is the total vertical height of the steps?
The height you are going up identifies the length of ramp you require. It is important to know the height otherwise you may purchase a ramp which is too short and therefore will be too steep for your requirements. You also of course need to check you have space for the length of ramp you require, along with turning space for when the user reaches the end of the ramp. If you do not have space for the required length, you may need to purchase 2 ramps and a
portable platform to create an 'L' shape.
3. Is there a height on the inside of the doorway?
Often people forget to consider the drop on the inside of a doorway which is often 4 inches or less. We have
rubber threshold ramps which are an ideal situation for the internal height in most instances. As they are rubber you can cut them to your required width. We also have folding
telescopic channel ramps which allows manual wheelchair users to go up and over the threshold due to the clever hinge design.
4. What is the weight of the ramp you are purchasing and who will be carrying it?
As the length of wheelchair ramp increases, the weight does to. All of our ramps weights and sizes are noted in the product description to ensure you have the full ramp specification prior to purchase. It is important to consider the user of the ramp to ensure they are able to safely lift the ramp and put this in place. For some longer ramps, two people may be needed to put the ramp in place. If you feel the weight is too much for you please contact us for alternative solutions. For example, if you require a 12ft ramp but would be unable to carry this you may wish to look into buying 2
6ft folding ramps and a
joining support to connect these.
5. What is the weight of the wheelchair plus the wheelchair user?
Most of our wheelchair ramps have a capacity of 275kg +, in most instances this is suitable however please do of course check the weight you are loading onto the ramp (wheelchair + user + person pushing the ramp if relevant).
Roll-a-ramp is one of our most heavy duty portable wheelchair ramp with a 453kg capacity. Our rubber threshold ramps have a 500kg+ capacity.
All of our wheelchair ramps have different benefits and purposes. If you are unsure please contact our team of experts who will be happy to assist. Delivery to Ireland takes 3-5 working days. The price on the website includes delivery to you. View our full range of wheelchair ramps
here.
