All You Need To Know About Wooden Wheelchair Ramps

A wheelchair ramp can make life for wheelchair users a lot simpler. In fact, even if you are not restricted to a wheelchair but find stairs difficult to navigate, a wheelchair ramp can be useful to you too. If you have decided to build your own wheelchair ramp instead of going out and buying one, it may be best to stick to wooden wheelchair ramps. Read on to know why.

Wooden wheelchair ramps are much easier to construct than concrete ramps and can be much cheaper than buying modular aluminum ramps. Along with ease of construction and affordability, a wood wheelchair ramp has more aesthetic appeal than other types of wheelchair ramps. Thus, if you want a wheelchair ramp that does not mar the beauty of your home, a wooden wheel chair ramp is definitely the way to go.

When choosing a wooden wheelchair ramp, you need to be careful about the type of wood that is used to make the ramp. Pressure treated wood is a very good choice and so is other good quality wood. Thus, you can ensure that you get a durable ramp that is also safe for use.

The one wooden wheelchair ramp that you should steer clear of is that which is made from plywood. Although plywood is a cost effective material, it just does not work for wheelchair ramps. For one, it is very difficult to maintain plywood. Such wood has a tendency to rot over time and with use, thus rendering your plywood wheelchair ramps absolutely useless.

Another major concern with this type of wooden wheel chair ramp is that of safety. When wet, plywood can become quite slick and slippery. It does not afford the traction and no-slip surface that is so important in a ramp. Thus, as plywood can be a dangerous material in this regard, you should not build a wheel chair ramp from plywood nor buy a plywood wheel chair ramp.

If building your own wood ramp, you need to ensure that it is constructed in a manner that allows water to drain from the surface of the ramp. If water gets collected on a wooden wheelchair ramp, it can spoil the ramp and damage it beyond repair. To make a wooden wheelchair ramp less slippery and give it better traction, you can add sand to the paint being used on the ramp. Pebble grained paper is also great for making wooden wheelchair ramps skid resistant.