Portable wheelchair ramps
Which kind of portable ramp suits your step, and how long it needs to be, depending on whether the rider goes up alone or with help.
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A portable ramp is the quick answer to a step or two: no installer, no permit, and it folds away when it is not needed. The choice comes down to two things, how high the rise is and whether the rider will go up alone, and both decide the length.
Which ramp for which rise
| Rise | Usually the right tool |
|---|---|
| Under ½ inch | Nothing, or a bevelled edge |
| ½ to about 6 inches | A threshold ramp |
| One step to a few steps | A folding portable ramp |
| A porch or deck | A roll up or modular portable ramp, or a rented or permanent ramp |
How long the ramp needs to be
Ramp makers publish their own slope guidance, and it depends on who is on the ramp. Prairie View Industries, a US ramp manufacturer, recommends:
- 1:12, one foot of ramp for every inch of rise, for a manual wheelchair user going up on their own. This is also the ADA slope.
- 2:12, one foot for every two inches, as the steepest for anyone sitting in a wheelchair or on a scooter, with someone assisting.
- 3:12, one foot for every three inches, only for loading an empty chair or scooter, such as into a van.
| Rise | Rider alone, 1:12 | With a helper, 2:12 | Empty chair only, 3:12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 inches | 6 ft | 3 ft | 2 ft |
| 12 inches | 12 ft | 6 ft | 4 ft |
| 18 inches | 18 ft | 9 ft | 6 ft |
| 24 inches | 24 ft | 12 ft | 8 ft |
Buy for the way the ramp will actually be used most days. A ramp sized at 2:12 because a helper will usually be there is too steep on the day they are not. The ramp calculator works out the length for your exact rise.
The main types
Single fold, often called suitcase ramps. One piece hinged down the middle, with a carry handle, so it folds in half and carries like a case. Good for a single step or a car, usually up to about 8 feet.
Multi fold. Folds lengthwise as well as across, so a wider ramp packs down smaller for the car.
Roll up. Hinged slats that roll into a bundle. Easy to store, and often among the more expensive options for its length.
Modular portable. Sections that fit together without tools, for rises too high for a folding ramp. Handi-Ramp, for example, sells portable sections in lengths of 12 to 20 feet with optional handrails. At this length, compare against renting a ramp, which often includes installation.
Width, capacity and handrails
- Width. Many folding ramps are about 30 inches wide, and wider models about 36. The ADA asks for 36 inches between handrails on a permanent ramp. For a portable ramp, measure the wheelchair, then allow room for hands on the wheels.
- Capacity. Folding ramps are commonly rated at 600 to 800 pounds, which covers most people in most chairs. Power chairs and scooters are heavy, so add the chair's weight to the rider's.
- Handrails. Most portable ramps have raised edges but no handrails. The ADA requires handrails on permanent ramps rising more than 6 inches, and the same logic applies at home: past one step, someone walking on the ramp with a cane or a walker needs something to hold. Some makers offer folding ramps with handrails.
Setting it up safely
- Put the bottom on firm, level ground, not grass that will sink or gravel that will shift.
- Make sure the top lip sits flat on the step or threshold, with no gap.
- Check the slope against the table above before anyone rides it.
- In rain or frost, check the surface. Aluminum ramps usually have a gritted or ridged deck, but wet leaves and ice still make any ramp slippery.
What portable ramps cost
Prices start low and climb with length. As published examples, Discount Ramps lists a Silver Spring single fold ramp from $84.99, and MobilityWorks lists temporary aluminum ramps from $235. Longer folding and roll up ramps run to several hundred dollars, and modular portable systems more. Medicare does not cover ramps; see who pays for a ramp for the programs that might.
Slope guidance is Prairie View Industries' published recommendation as reproduced by Allegro Medical (opens in a new tab), and the ADA slope is from the 2010 ADA Standards (opens in a new tab). Ramp types follow EZ-ACCESS's product definitions (opens in a new tab). Modular portable lengths are from Handi-Ramp (opens in a new tab), and prices from Discount Ramps (opens in a new tab) and MobilityWorks (opens in a new tab). Prices change; check current listings.