A guy in our community got hurt pretty bad and will need a ramp built at his house. I was honored to get a call to build it. I’ve got the specs from the ADA and will jump on the project next week so it’s done when he gets back from the hospital. I plan on making the whole thing out of pressure treated wood, but I know that this can get pretty slick in wet and winter weather. Does anyone have a good long term solution, aside from a roof, that will give the ramp a bit more traction?
Thanks
Jim
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Replies
All I can think of are those stair step self adhesive strips with like really large grit sandpaper on them, but if ice or snow gets on them, I don't think they'd help much.
The ramp at my house is 5/4 PT with a standard 1/12 pitch and we really haven't had any traction problems even with snow.It'w been up for 6 years. The old ramp was at least 17 years old and made of 1x pt and didn't present a traction problem. PT or cedar both work well.
I've got a state contract to build ramps for disabled and I cover all of them with roll roofing. I didn't do it at first, but started factoring it into all ramps after requests from the ramp users for additional traction. I know it will hasten rotting the ramp surface, but that is not even considered when thinking safety.
I have built lots of ramps over the years and I am not sure of cost in your area but I have built several with 1x4 mahogany wears well looks great and the smaller boards help with traction I try to make them look attractive and not instutional more like it belongs and not screaming handicapped Good luck
I've done a lot of work on a nearby lake with a bunch of vacation homes; boat access only.
The lake fluxuates about 12' at surface level over the course of a year.
Ramps from boathouses and docks to shoreline become quite steep after a dry summer.
We've always used 3/4" PT plywood for the ramp deck with roll roofing for the surface. Main thing is to maintain a nailing pattern of about 6" along the edges and in the field. The roll roofing typically lasts 10 years or more.
I've done a couple wheelchair ramps the same way and they hold up well.
Jimkidd,
Simpson makes a special overlayed plywood specifically for this application called Tuff-Tred Skidguard.
I was introduced to it at a local university I used to work at in the 80's. They used it for decks and ramps in front of modular buildings. It has a tannish colored coarse surface on the top, and an HDO back side. Very tough and durable stuff. 3/4" thick.
Here's a link if you are interested:
http://www.greatnorthernlumber.com/simptuft.html
Thanks guys. I appreciate your help.I'll let you know how it turns out.Best,Jim
Here is an off the wall idea.
Once the ramp is built apply a heavy penetrating type finish - some are almost the consistancy of thin honey. Either mix sand with the finish, or sprinkle sand on just after the finish is applied. Probably washed playsand.
I've done this before on painted steps that had a tendency to be slick. Also, on stamped concrete, there is a traction additive that is added to the sealer that is somewhat similar to fine sand.
My mind might be making this up, but I swear I've seen composite decking with a series of kerfs cut into it for traction.
Even though 1:12 is code, try to make it a little flatter.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Me and some guys from our church did one for an elderly woman who had to come home from a hospital stay in a wheelchair (she was not happy about that!). It ended up about 1:14 or so (shallower than required) and is just 5/4 treated decking. As far as I've heard, neither she or her husband (both about 86 years young) haven't had any trouble with the traction. It's been up about one full year now.
The idea was for this to be a 'long-term temporary' ramp so we just set PT 4x4's 36" into the soil to support each landing and mid-span of the ramp sections. Everything worked out great and she was thrilled.
Tried to attach a photo to the last post but must've missed something - here goes again...
What works for me, is the galvanized hardware cloth with lots of staples holding it in place. I use the 1/4" grid stuff. If you have to shovel snow or ice off very often, it probably won't work. But, for just for a little frost or water, it provides good traction and has held up quite well.
Our State standards call for 2x decking w/ 16" centers. If an electric wheelchair is involved it can be alot of weight concentrated on 4 points. I have indoor/ outdoor carpet on my composite ramp. But on another ramp the carpet was too slick, plus it steeper than 1/12 (long story).
When I went to collage I was friends with a couple of guys who were in wheelchairs. And this what I gathered from them. "Ask someone who is in a chair with the same needs". Needs vary, a couple of guys were paralyzed from the waist down and could do just about everything & another friend only had use of his shoulders, upper arms and a couple of muscles in each hand. One of the guys spent a bunch of time with me in tow telling me why he wanted to switch apartments because the apartment that he was currently in was built by somebody with good intentions but poor information. A couple of us ended up making the modifications for him. I just remembered him saying that unless your living out of a wheelchair your going to miss the little things that really make a difference. So take your plans and run them past those in the know, they may already be perfect but asking cant hurt.
As far as dealing with ice and snow all I can remember was at collage all of our sidewalks were heated except for the one leading to the dorms. A couple of times I ended up being recruited to lend a hand when things got a little out of control. Chairs sliding sideways on ice is not a good thing! I didn't see on your profile where your from, but if seeing snow on a regular basis make plans for snow removal. Shovels tend to catch and tear up decks when shoveling.
By the way some of the guys had multiple sets of wheels and tires. Everything from mountain bike tires to tires that didn't leave those black marks when playing basketball. During basketball games snapped axles were common, they played for keeps.
Don't forget him once he gets home, There is going to be a lot of things that are going to help. I remember switching the door locks in the engineering wing to paddle styles and removing the threshold to one of the professors door.
thanks again one and all. I will ask plenty of questions before I build. You've all given me a sense of perspective that I didn't have before. I am meeting with the family tomorrow afternoon and will listen closely to what they'll need.As for my local. I live in Upstate NY, just southeast of Albany in Columbia County. This winter was extremely mild, but we've had recent winters with over a hundred inches of snow and long stretches of below zero (20 below isn't uncommon).
Someone has already suggested an aluminum ramp, and I would add that you should look on FaceBook Marketplace or Craigslist for a used aluminum ramp. Friends of mine needed a ramp, and the quote for an aluminum ramp was about $6,000. My wife found the ramp and platform setup that was needed for $1,500. Through the winter months the ramp tended to melt the snow very quickly, because it was on the south side of the home. Other times I shoveled with a plastic shovel without a metal edge to keep the ramp clear of any snow...