How to Build a Wooden Wheelchair Ramp

Having a wheelchair ramp not only provide accessibility for people with disabilities, but they can also add to the resale value of your home. These ramps aren't just for wheelchairs, but can be used for strollers or any other type of accessory with wheels that needs to be carried into your home.There is some work that goes into building your own ramp. Before starting make sure you check with any regulations and codes in town. A building permit may be required before starting this project.

Things You'll Need

• Powdered Chalk
• Plumb bob
• Treated plywood
• Wooden pads
• Tools
• Pre-mixed concrete
• Landscape fabric
• Posthole digger
• Nuts and bolts

Instructions

Planning

1. Determine the location for the ramp. Decide if it is going to attach to a deck or porch.

2. Measure the height of the deck or porch that the ramp is going to attach to. For every inch high that the deck is, the ramp must match that in feet. For instance, if your deck is 15 inches high, then the ramp must be 15 feet long.

3. Research guidelines for materials and planning. The guidelines can be found in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

4. Research local laws about ramps with the building inspection department.

5. Draw out an outline of the ramp. Make certain you have enough room for the lenght of the ramp. Take pictures of area for better planning.

6. Contact utilities companies if diffing is necessary. You want to make sure you won't dig into underground pipes and wiring.

7. Obtain any required license and permissions. You may be required to take in plans to the building inspectors for permits to build the ram.

8. Contract a licensed and qualified builder to build the ramp or do it yourself.

Constructing the Ramp Yourself

1. Lay out the landing to the house. To ensure proper turning, make sure that it is a 5 foot square. It will need a post for each corner of the square. Use batterboards and mason's lines to lay out the landing. Use the 3-4-5 triangle to level the sides.

2. Lay the outside edges. Use the same triangle technique from above to level the sides.

3. Remove the sod.

4. Excavate soil. It is needs to be 2 to 3 inches for most of the site and 4 to 5 inches at the bottm.

5. Take masking tape to lay out posts. They need to be at the landing and every five feet thereafter.

6. Dig holes for the posts with a posthole digger. Measure the holes to be below the frost line by 6 inches. Taper the hoes from 12 inches at the top to the bottom being 18 inches.

7. Cut fiber tube forms. Make sure that the depths of the holes is 6 inches taller than the fiber tube forms.

8. Take wood (2 inches by 4 inches) and nail them to the opposite sides of the forms. Place the forms 8 inches from the bottom of the holes.

9. Add posts to the holes. Take a level to plumb them in. Brace them in place.

10. Prepare the concrete and fill the forms. Level the concrete with a trowel. Make sure that the concrete has set for over 48 hours before removing the forms.

11. Lay the landscape fabric and cover it with gravel.

12. Install crossbeams. Then need to be 2 inches by 6 inches. Make holes in them for the bolts. Bolt them in place with bolts with washers and nuts.

13. Install landing with wood from before.

14. Lay out joists for the railing. They can be 2 inches by 6 inches. Attach them to the posts.

Tips & Warnings

• Find posts that are rated for the ground. Not all are.

• Use treated plywood so that it won't rot over time.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Information on wood ramps.
• Guidelines on ADA Compliance