Router Forums banner

A Simple Ramp

8.9K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  old55  
#1 ·
I needed to make a ramp for mom's house so it would be easier to transition a step up from the sunken den into the main part of the house.

As it turned out, it was an afternoon project. I used a couple of 2x6 cutoffs I already had and a piece of 1/2 inch plywood. It is sturdy and assembled with glue and screws and a few 16 ga nails.

If I measured correctly, it should fit. I will find out in the morning when I take it to her house.

Negotiating the step up/down with a wheel chair should be a lot easier now.
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Looks good. I had to make a couple for my wife's mother. One is a small one like yours to be able to get her wheel chair down a short step. The other is 12 feet long that we use to push her wheel chair into our house which has a couple of steps and a 24 inch rise. I used 3/4" plywood and ripped a 2 X 4 with a matching angle at the bottom edge so that it 'dies' into the floor and there is no hump. I didn't have Sketch-Up at the time. I bought a book but have not taken the time to learn enough to be proficient.
 
#8 ·
Yay! It fits.

It is a temporary solution. My sister says it can be moved out of the way when it isn't needed so no permanent installation. I have walked on it several times and it appears to be sturdy enough.

I cut the angles using the band saw. They turned out nice. I didn't know I had it in me!:surprise:

I didn't paint it because there was an immediate need for it so I worked on it yesterday afternoon/night. Didn't stop until it was sitting in the back of my truck ready for delivery this morning.

Twenty one dollars later, it is in place. I'm happy...brother and sis are happy too. We will be able to move mom around a lot better now.
 

Attachments

#13 · (Edited)
The construction looks superb and the ramp appears to be sturdy.
One important question is how mobile is your mother? Does she use a manual or motorized wheelchair? If manual, does she propel herself or does someone push her? I ask because I know about wheelchair use. 4 1/2 inches is a nearly impassable barrier for a manual wheelchair and for a motorized wheelchair it is impassable. The ADA standard for wheelchair ramp slope is 1 inch per foot. However, with a motorized wheelchair steeper grades can be easily navigated over short distances. With a self-propelled manual wheelchair considerable upper body strength may be required.
One suggestion: some kind of side rails, perhaps an inch or two along the sides could be very helpful. It only takes one time for the wheelchair wheels to get off the side to have a nasty fall.
I should add that the amount you sent on this ramp i roughly 5 to 10% of a purchased ramp and is much easier to move. So well done!
 
  • Like
Reactions: MT Stringer
#17 ·
WElcome to the forum, @julian.jamescerda22 .....

Would you like to introduce yourself in the "Introductions" section, so we can understand a bit more about your router uses?