Frank is a licensed Physical Therapist and has a company for independent living, if you need him call him. (631) 872 9363

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July 6, 2007

In this month’s article I’d like to address another very common request that we receive here at Frangeli Consulting & Remodeling and that is for the installation of a ramp. Like most projects that are designed around someone that is dealing with the effects of a stroke or some other type of special need, there is a bit more planning and extras that go into designing and building a ramp for it to be safe for the person in the wheelchair and the caregiver. It has been our experience that almost 100% of the time our client’s severely underestimate the size, shape and scope work associated with the proper installation of a ramp. This month we’ll deal with the preliminary planning phase of designing a safe and effective ramp that will ensure a well functioning ramp. The average contractor and almost all healthcare professionals, such as your P.T., O.T. or R.N., will tell you that a 1:12 ratio is the proper length for any ramp. In simple terms this means that for every 1” of rise you will need approximately 12” of ramp length, i.e. a 28” rise; that is the distance from the ground to the entrance of the home, would equate to a 28’ ramp. However, this is not always practical nor is it always necessary and sometimes this 1:12 ratio is too short for a person to self propel a wheelchair. This 1:12 ratio comes from the national ADA guidelines and is used as the rule of thumb. However the ADA guidelines are only used in commercial settings and it tries to create a one size fits all solution to any person in a wheelchair, which doesn’t really fly with the individual in a residential setting. Never the less, it states that the 1:12 ratio is the maximum pitch that a ramp should be for a person in a wheelchair. This is geared for either a person being pushed or the very strong self propelling manual wheelchair user and that is for a distance under 30’. The proper pitch for a self propelling manual wheelchair user is closer to a 1:20 ratio, or almost twice the ramp distance to the overall height of the rise and that makes for a monster of a ramp. Therefore the design of the ramp is as unique as the person with the special need. When it comes down to the brass tax of designing the size and shape of a ramp there are 6 considerations that must be taken into account in order to tailor fit the ramp to the person and the home:
Is the person in the wheelchair self propelling it or does the person have a care giver to assist? Is the wheelchair a manual chair or a power chair? How heavy is the person in the wheelchair (if a caregiver is pushing)? How often will the person in the wheelchair be leaving the home? How much space does the property have to place the ramp? How high is the vertical rise from the ground to the entrance of the home?
Once these questions are answered you can begin to map out the length, pitch, and shape of the ramp. It will also give you a starting point in choosing the type of material that you will want to use when building your ramp. In next month’s issue we’ll start to address all of these points.

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