Accessibility, Style and Safety: Ramp Design, Building and Maintenance Tips

If you have mobility issues, you may need to use a ramp to enter your home instead of your stairs. Ideally, you should work with a deck builder who can help to ensure that your ramp looks great and that it offers the safety you need. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Style your ramp to match your deck

Unfortunately, many accessibility ramps are not attractive, and they look untidy and industrial on the front of a home. However, it certainly doesn't have to be that way. Instead, work with a deck builder, and create a ramp that mirrors the style of your deck and your home.

Consider surrounding it with bushes, flowers or other plants to make it look even more attractive.

2. Avoid continuous runs

In order to be traversable by wheelchairs, ramps need to have relatively subtle inclines, and because of that, they typically end up being very long. If possible, avoid long, continuous ramp runs. They look unattractive on the front of most homes, and they can be exhausting for the person in the wheelchair.

Instead, create a number of slopes with landings between them. The slopes can be arranged in almost any order -- they can create an L-shape, they can feature switch backs, or they can take a u-shape.

3. Integrate your deck with your ramp

Instead of putting small landings between the short runs of your ramp, use large swathes of decking in these areas. Create a space that seamlessly blends a relaxing outdoor deck and an accessibility ramp. For example, you could have a short ramp, a large deck and another short ramp into the house.

4. Avoid slippery surfaces

Whether you are walking or using a wheelchair, you don't want a slippery deck or ramp. Avoid that by choosing materials that are not that slippery. Composite deck boards can be relatively slippery, while wood offers more traction.

However, in order to keep the traction in tact on your wood deck, you need to take care of it. Unfortunately, mould, rot or mildew can make your deck more slippery.

5. Arrange maintenance

Keep in mind that both your ramp and your deck (especially if it is integrated with the ramp) need to be maintained. During the fall and winter, you will need someone to remove leaves and snow from your ramp so that you can use it. Have a plan in place for this before you build your ramp so that you can be assured that it will always be clean and ready to use before you need it.

Talk with a contractor from a company like Lifestyle Patios for more information on building custom decks.