How to Build a Handicapped Ramp for a Motorhome

A wheelchair ramp for a motor home has specific considerations that must be addressed.

One of the biggest issues when building a wheelchair ramp for a motor home is the lack of space between units within the RV park. Usually there is enough room for a concrete slab carport between each motor home, and little else. A ramp builder in this situation must be able to improvise so that the ramp meets regulatory standards set forth by the 1990 American Disabilities Act (ADA) while at the same time fitting within the space constraints of an RV park.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Circular saw
• Pressure treated lumber, 2-by-4 planks
• Pressure treated plywood sheeting, 3/4 inch
• Concrete
• Hammer
• Nails
• Safety handrail kit
• Adhesive non-slip strips

Instructions

1. Plan the ramp in a switchback, an L-shape or a U-shape design. Each of these configurations helps ensure the ramp length will be long enough to meet the 1:12 ratio, meaning that for every 1 inch of rise there must be 12 inches of length to prevent the slope of the ramp from being too strenuous for the user, according to the ADA. So a motor home entryway that is three feet off the ground would require a 36-foot ramp. Wrapping the ramp around the carport in an L- or U-shape is advantageous for meeting any length requirement determined by the ramp height. Draw a diagram of the ramp configuration before building to determine how much lumber is needed, and check with any local building code authorities about obtaining the proper permits before starting construction.

2. Measure the vertical height of the entryway to the ground and then determine the slope and length requirements using the 1:12 ratio. Limit the length of any horizontal distance to 30 feet, as directed by the ADA. Any 30-foot run requires a flat landing no less than 60 inches in length, on either side of the 30-foot run. The ramp can either turn on the flat landing or continue to the ground. Build a 90-degree turn before reaching the 30-foot limitation, if that fits better in the space you have to work with, but do not exceed the 30-foot limitation without a flat landing.

3. Build the entryway-landing ramp level with the entrance to the motor home with no gap between the ramp and the entrance. Dig four support posts into the ground and reinforce them with concrete, mixing the concrete according to manufacturer's instructions. The width of the landing must be 36 inches for ADA compliance. Nail two 2-by-4 crossbeams to the posts at the required height, along with a support beam between them. Then nail a 3/4-inch plywood sheet over the crossbeams for the ramp flooring. Next, build the first flat landing at the required distance from the entryway, and at the height specified by your plans.

4. Lay out two 2-by-4 planks between the entryway landing and the first flat landing with a support beam in the middle. Just like building a deck, all support beams are to be stood up along the 4-inch vertical plane. The ADA specifies that the width of each run, like each landing, is 36 inches. Lay 3/4-inch plywood flooring across the supports and nail them down. Continue building the ramp from the first landing to the second flat landing, or to the ground, as specified by your plans.

5. Build the safety handrails into the ramp according to the directions supplied with the kit. Handrails must extend at least 12 inches beyond the ramp at the top and bottom, ending with a post or joined to a wall, and must span the length of the ramp, according to the ADA. Apply non-slip strips to the flooring. Since the ramp is built with pressure treated lumber, no special weatherizing is required.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to visit the Wheelchair User website listed in the resources section below for more details on ADA wheelchair ramp requirements.

References

• Accessible Construction: Wheelchair Compatible Motor Home Modifications
• Access Board: American Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines
• Mobility Advisor: Build A Wheelchair Ramp

Resources

• Wheelchair User: Ramp