The Ramp People Wheelchair Ramp Buyers Guide
The Ramp People’s Wheelchair Ramps are amongst the UK’s best-selling wheelchair ramps and are used extensively in the NHS, the healthcare and nursing home industries, as well as by private individuals. We understand that specifying a ramp to suit your needs perfectly can be overwhelming, so we have written this guide to help you ensure that you get the best ramp for your purposes.
Please note that this guide is for portable ramps only, if you need help specifying a permanent or semi-permanent wheelchair ramp, do give us a call.
The Ramp People are proud members of the BHTA and full subscribe to the BHTA Code of practice.
THE BIG QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK.
What will I be using the ramp for? Will you be using it to get a mobility scooter into a vehicle, or to get a wheelchair over a door threshold?Common areas that our customers tend to purchase ramps for include:
- Steps leading to and from household doors
- Doors with raised thresholds or lips (such as exterior doors)
- Vehicle access
- Interior access, such as steps from your garage to your back door
It’s also worth considering things like where you’ll be storing the ramp. If, for example, you’re using a ramp to access a vehicle and you need to transport it with you, you’ll want a ramp that can fold down to fit in the car. Alternatively you might want a ramp that you can fit in a cupboard or store behind a door. You’ll also want to think about the weight of the ramp if you’ll be moving it around a lot – our ramps range anywhere from 1.5kgs to 21kgs in weight, depending on the length and material of the ramp.
How long does my ramp need to be? This is possibly the most important question you need to answer. In order to determine the length of the ramp that you need, you need to measure your “load height” – this is the total height you will be ascending from the ground. It may also be useful to measure the total depth of the stairs, to ensure that your ramp is long enough to clear them.
We would recommend the ramp length be at least 6 times this total rise, as a miniumum. Thus, for example, for a 1 foot rise (your load height) you’ll need a 6 foot long ramp (a 1:6 gradient).
How wide does your ramp need to be? It’s worth remembering that your ramp needs to be wide enough to accommodate your wheelchair/mobility scooter, yet narrow enough to fit into the threshold you are bridging.
CHOOSING YOUR WHEELCHAIR RAMP.
Now that you’ve assessed both what you need the ramp for, and how long/wide your ramp needs to be, you can choose which ramp best suits your needs.
Threshold Ramps
The Ramp People threshold ramps designed to bridge single steps and thresholds, and are available in a number of different shapes and materials. Our aluminium ramps are extremely lightweight and easy to move and the anodised aluminium surface offers an excellent stainless, corrosion-free grip surface. Our fibreglass ramps are even lighter, feature an outstanding anti-slip grip surface, and are incredibly easy to install.
Channel Ramps
Our channel ramps are extremely versatile, and can be used to access vehicles and bridge steps kerbs and thresholds with differing heights. They are our most flexible ramp range in terms of compactness, portability, weight, length and use. Our aluminium ramps are incredibly strong and lightweight and come in four varieties: Standard, Folding, Telescopic and Combination. The Ramp People also offer a folding fibre glass channel ramp.
Premium Ramps
The Ramp People’s range of premium ramps feature aerospace technology and are incredibly strong and light. They are all made of anodised aluminium with full width anti-slip surfaces, and have ergonomic fold away handles. They are available in for different designs. The Broadfold ramp folds width-ways for compact storage and easy movability, and is available in lengths up to 7ft. The Classic ramp is a single-piece, non-folding ramp which is quick and easy to set up. The Lifestyle ramp consists of 2 ramps which lock together and fold in half width-ways. Finally, there is the Xtra ramp which folds in half length-ways for easy storage and movability.
Economy Ramps
Our economy ramps are lightweight, strong, and durable, and are available at very competitive prices. Made of durable anodised aluminium, they are available in both folding and non-folding models, depending on your requirements.
Roll-a-Ramps
The Ramp People’s range of Roll-a-Ramps offers incredible flexibility, allowing you to have a ramp of ANY length. They are highly flexible and are made from high-tensile aluminium with an anti-slip surface. Roll-a-Ramps are available as a broad single piece ramp, or as pairs, which are roughly half the width of the single ramp.
If you have any queries after reading this guide, then please feel free to call our friendly and approachable team, or email info@theramppeople.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!
