Wheelchair Ramp Advice Please...

[Horse Fork Farm]

Hi all,

My father has a new wheelchair ramp in his house. All wood construction, plywood ramp surface. We are trying to decide what to put on the walking, wheeling surface to prevent slipping for everybody. We have dad in the electric chair, my brother walking with limited mobility and then also the rest of us with normal mobility. Carpet doesn't seem like a good idea because my brother might slip on it. We were thinking maybe some of those treads with texture, or even a paint with texture added. I was hoping someone who actually has a chair and uses a ramp might chime in here from their experience?? But anybodys ideas are more than welcome!! Folio Mark- I would love to hear from you if you are online since I know you designed a whole house with handicapped access. Thanks everyone for helping, Kathy

[james dilley]

What About the roll roofing that is Asphalt coated and has Very fine grit in it Just like Shingles but in A roll About 32" wide and up to 50' long. That was what was used down the street on a persons ramp!

[wy_white_wolf]

Astroturf

[DrippingSprings]

you can buy a spray on can of stuff thats a bedliner for trucks. its about five bucks a can.

we used it for my stepdads ramp and also a loading dock behind my store. it was rough like sandpaper and was more or less rubber so slips were non existant in rains etc

took me about five cans for a 4x15 ramp but i probably over coated lol

it also comes in a can and can be put on with a roller

[wolfwalkerpa]

My wife used a wheelchair for a short time and a ramp what i did was painted the plywood sprinkling a course play sand over the wet paint. did the same with the stairs going to rooms not on the ground floor. after 5 years the stairs are still slip free she no longer needs the ramp.

[Micahn]

I would say paint with sand mixed in is just what you need.
Go to a paint store and tell them you want some paint for out side (tell them what your painting) and they might have some of the right sand to mix in with it. If not just find yourself a sand box and get yourself a little lol.
This is what they do on a lot of boats as it makes a good none skid surface.

[thegriffiths]

Be sure to use enough sand to make it rough. Paint is very slippery when wet on a ramp.

My uncle has been in a wheel chair all my life (33 years) and we have made ramps on his house and our houses at almost every door so I am pretty much a pro at it.

We have never had to add any slip resistant coating to any of our ramps...the key is to make sure the ramp is not so steep and make the tread boards perpendicular to the ramp.

But the above info is great also about the sand, and I also agree with the bed liner paint (you would just need to paint a strip every so often with that).

[Iddee]

I tried many things on the plywood for years. All unsatisfactory.

I finally made the ramp with 1X6's laid cross ways with 1/2 inch spacing, and have never had another problem.

[Farmerwilly2]

On the construction sites I've worked we always tacked down expanded metal lath with galvanized roofing nails. You could spray paint it first if you liked, it won't loose its traction capability. Works good on floor treads also.

[js2743]

roofing shingles works really well

[oldgaredneck]

Paint with sand added sounds like a good idea. The Veteran's Administration installed an aluminum ramp with a textured surface for me , but the son of a gun reflects sunlight like a mirror.....

[Toads tool]

You can buy these black strips (1" x 30") that are like sticky-backed sand paper. Just peel and stick.
Look in industrial safety equipment. Direct Safety ,Northern Safety co.,etc.

I've also seen rolls of it at places like Lowe's and Home Depot.

[Horse Fork Farm]

thanks y'all- I'm sending a link to this post to the parents so they can read all the ideas! Kat

[saramark]

I would use roll roofing in your situation. Anything will get slippery when frozen, so I prefer to use deck boards, 1x6" and a rough paint or the other ideas here. What made you go with plywood, just wondering? You really need to keep water off it, the deck board spacing does this automatically and plywood, if not supported 12 or 16" on center will pool up water over time on a low degree slant(which would be needed in this circumstance) I would (you wont want to hear this) ditch the plywood and go with deck boards. That is what we use at the special needs camps we maintain. They have tried a few ways but come back to cedar or treated deck boards after seeing accidents and maintenance issues with plywood.

hope this helps.

mark

[Thrifty Sarrah]

We too did the boards with spaces instead of plywood surface. I believe DH built it with 2x 6's. Then the very best solution for keeping the ramp clear has been the roof DH just built. It goes out past the end of the ramp and for 10 feet each direction from the sides. Perfect. Never wet, no snow always clean and dry.
I highly recommend a roof.