The right ramp lets a wheelchair, scooter or walker get over a step, a doorway or into a vehicle without anyone lifting it. The wrong one is too short, too steep or too narrow, and it sits in the garage.
Choosing well comes down to four questions. Where does the ramp go? How high is the rise? What rolls up it, and is someone sitting in it? Does it need to fold and travel? The figures here are typical for each type. Each product page on our ramps page gives its own weight rating, lengths or sizes, and the product page is the one to trust for any particular ramp.
Start with where the ramp goes
| If the ramp goes | Look at |
|---|---|
| Over a door sill, a sliding door track or a small step | A threshold ramp. |
| Up a step or two at home, and sometimes into a vehicle | A single-fold ramp. |
| Up a higher rise, or for a wide scooter or power chair | A multi-fold ramp. |
| Over a fixed step, curb or porch edge where it will stay | A solid ramp. |
| Into a van or other vehicle | A van ramp. |
| Up a longer run that a person will walk | A ramp with handrails. |
Measure the rise first
The rise is the height from the ground to the top of the step, the door sill or the vehicle floor. Measure it straight up with a tape. Every other choice follows from this one number.
A longer ramp is a gentler ramp. The ADA standard for public ramps is a slope of 1:12, which means 1 foot of ramp length for every 1 inch of rise. A 6 inch step needs a 6 foot ramp, and a 24 inch rise needs a 24 foot ramp. That is the slope to plan on for a person who rolls up on their own.
At home, ramp makers note that a steeper slope such as 2:12 or 3:12 is sometimes used, for example when a caregiver pushes the chair or when an empty scooter is loaded into a vehicle. A 2:12 slope halves the length, so a 24 inch rise needs a 12 foot ramp. Every wheelchair and scooter has its own limit, so check the owner's manual for the slope it can safely climb and come down before you choose a shorter ramp.
When in doubt, go longer
A ramp that is too steep can tip a chair backward going up or let it run away coming down. If your rise falls between two lengths, choose the longer one.
Threshold ramps
A threshold ramp is short and low. It bridges a door sill, a sliding door track or a single small step, commonly a rise of about 1 to 6 inches.
- Aluminum. Light and rigid, often with a textured surface for grip. Some are adjustable to fit the exact height of the sill.
- Rubber. Heavy, solid and quiet. It stays in place under its own weight, can be cut to fit, and works indoors and out. Some rubber ramps build up in sections for a higher rise.
- Width. Check that the usable width is wider than the wheels of the chair or scooter, and that it fits the door opening.
Folding ramps
Folding ramps are often called suitcase ramps. They fold in half or in thirds and carry by a handle, so one ramp can serve the front step and the car.
- Single-fold. A single-fold ramp folds once down its length. Common lengths run from 2 to 8 feet. It suits a step or two and a lower vehicle floor.
- Multi-fold. A multi-fold ramp folds in three. It comes in longer lengths, commonly up to 10 feet, and is usually wider, which suits a scooter or power chair.
- Weight. A longer ramp is heavier to carry. Check the ramp's own weight on the product page if one person will set it up alone.
Solid ramps and van ramps
A solid ramp is one piece and does not fold. It goes over a fixed step or curb and stays there. A van ramp is made for loading into a vehicle. Measure the height of the vehicle floor or hatch opening, and the space behind the vehicle, since the ramp needs room to lie at its full length.
Handrails and longer runs
A person who walks up a ramp with a cane or walker needs something to hold. The ADA standard calls for handrails on both sides of a public ramp that rises more than 6 inches, and edge protection so a wheel cannot roll off the side. A ramp with handrails gives that support at home, and it helps a caregiver pushing a chair too.
The ADA standard also limits one run of ramp to a 30 inch rise. A higher rise needs a level landing at least 60 inches long between runs, and a landing at the top and bottom as well. The same standard asks for at least 36 inches of clear width between the handrails. That is a larger project, and it is worth having the site measured.
Check the weight rating
Every ramp has a weight capacity, and it must cover the chair or scooter, the person in it and anyone helping. Portable and threshold ramps are commonly rated about 600 to 850 lbs. Many power chairs weigh well over 100 lbs. before anyone sits in them, so add up the full load before you choose.
Medicare and ramps
Medicare Part B does not usually cover ramps, because it does not treat them as durable medical equipment. Some state programs, veterans benefits and home modification grants do help with ramps, so it is worth asking. Hieline sells direct and does not bill Medicare or any other insurance, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Buying from Hieline
Shipping follows our shipping policy. Financing is available through CareCredit on purchases of $200 or more. Low price guarantee: find it advertised for less and we will work with you.
Returns
Ramps cannot be returned under our returns policy. Measure the rise, work out the length you need, and check the usable width and the weight rating on the product page before you order.
How to decide
- Decide where the ramp goes: a doorway, a step, a vehicle or a longer run.
- Measure the rise from the ground to the top.
- Plan on 1 foot of ramp for every inch of rise, check the chair's manual before going steeper, and go longer if you are between sizes.
- Check that the usable width clears the wheels of the chair or scooter.
- Add up the chair, the person and any helper, and check the weight rating.
- Choose a folding ramp if it needs to travel, and handrails if a person will walk it.
Start on our ramps page, or use Help me choose there to narrow it down in a question or two.
