Best way to remove a 1" stumbling block for the mobility impaired
November 12, 2022 2:47 PM   Subscribe

I've got a 1" rise between the porch and house that is just made to trip over/annoy people in wheelchairs. Obviously I can build a small ramp but before I do I thought I'd see if people who are currently dealing with mobility issues had any thoughts on best practices.
posted by Tell Me No Lies to Home & Garden (8 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
You could rip up the tile by the door, but unless you rip the whole room up, you’re just moving the problem elsewhere. And considering you’d probably need more directional mobility in the room than just going through the door, I think a ramp is probably the best option.
posted by kevinbelt at 3:18 PM on November 12, 2022


You might already be aware, but you can purchase adjustable threshold ramps for this kind of situation.
posted by the primroses were over at 3:27 PM on November 12, 2022 [9 favorites]


Came here to suggest the temporary threshold ramps, if you want a fast solution while you're thinking about what to do about it more permanently.

When I had ankle surgery a couple years ago I lived in an apartment with an absolutely unreasonable number of small level changes, and the temporary ramps worked great to allow me to get around with rolling mobility devices.

When I didn't need them anymore, I donated them to someone else in my community who needed them for when their wheelchair-using family member came to visit.
posted by rhiannonstone at 3:53 PM on November 12, 2022


Try a threshold ramp such as
https://www.amazon.com/MAGIC-UNION-Wheelchair-Threshold-Doorway/dp/B0794XX68B/
posted by dorab at 4:34 PM on November 12, 2022


Best answer: Here is black one that might look nicer given the black railing and house numbers. I prefer it because it is very sturdy, the taper edges make it inviting even if approached at an angle and the visual impact seems more like part of the doorway and less like a disability ramp. Anyway, you can find a variety of threshold ramps at discountramps.com if you don't want to shop at amazon.
posted by metahawk at 4:44 PM on November 12, 2022 [1 favorite]


Best answer: A nice concrete slope would be a good long term solution. Do have it poured by someone who knows what they’re doing so you don’t have long term issues, but it’s such a small rise that you won’t need a huge ramp. The doorway ramps linked above are all fine temporary solutions, but they create tripping hazards of their own if not managed constantly. It’s nice to have something you won’t have to mess with.
posted by Bottlecap at 7:28 PM on November 12, 2022 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Yeah, a concrete slope outside the door would be the best long-term - there would need to be some cutting into the porch surface so that the minimum thickness of concrete can be achieved (concrete can't be tapered to nothing), but that could also allow for tiles to be added to integrate the slope visually. My understanding is that 'best practice' in this area is building-in design for disability, not just adding ramps. The closest you can come to that in an existing building is modifying the existing design to build-in accessibility.

Sloping from the door to the interior could also work, but it would compromise the weatherproofing at the bottom of the door.
posted by dg at 3:05 PM on November 13, 2022 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks everyone. It sounds like a ramp is the best way to do it, although maybe shallower than the temporary ramps people have pointed to. They still seem like a good way to stub your toe.

I particularly like the taper edges on the ramp metahawk pointed out.

I'll hand that design over to a local mason and let them surprise me from there.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:49 AM on November 14, 2022 [1 favorite]


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