Some fixes for a ramp

 A customer recently had a ramp built to help get in and out while they recuperate from a survey in which they had a leg amputated and are getting used to a prosthetic leg.  The ramp is for wheelchair access when not using the leg.

I did not build this ramp.  Did you know that ALL ramps intended for wheelchair access are supposed to conform to ADA standards?   Yep, they are.  Whoever built that ramp either didn't know or didn't care.

That's where I got called in.  

While the customer doesn't want the ramp rebuilt,  as it's temporary anyway and will be coming down sooner rather than later...  I was asked to help improve certain safety features. 

I put a rubber traction runner on top of the wood of the ramp.  It is basically made like a deck and gets very slippery when wet.  So, they wanted a traction surface put on it.



Also, the builder left a significant bump at the bottom of the ramp.  That made it difficult to get the wheels of the wheelchair over off of and onto the ramp.  So, I was asked to remedy the bump.


As a professional handyman,  it's my role to fix things.  I could have easily built a new ramp that actually meets ADA requirements.   The customer didn't have the money to build another ramp and deck over the front stairs to replace this one.  Also, it's a temporary situation and the ramp will be deconstructed in a couple of months.

The modifications I make were supposed also supposed to be temporary AND able to be relocated to a new home, if necessary.  To meet that request, a rubber traction runner was purchased to cover the ramp.  Approximately fifteen feet in length, three feet wide.

Because it's intended to be relocated AND the temperatures were well below the recommended adhesive requirements for a good bond, I opted to put metal grommets in the runner at it's ends and along the sides to fasten it using screws into the wood of the ramp.  That way it won't blow around and get kicked up while moving on it.  Also, just remove a few screws and roll it up and it's good to be used somewhere else.


The rubber is a good ⅛" thick but we don't want to put too much risk in tearing it where the screws make contact.  Thats why the metal grommets are installed, to prevent tearing of the material under tension.


Using some exterior grade low profile cap head screws, the runner can be fastened to the ramp without being in the way or a trip hazard themselves. 


For the "bump" problem, a simple aluminum ramp that attaches at the bottom of the ramp overcame the precarious difficulty with getting a wheelchair on and off safely. The ramp is built with a 1½" support underneath to make sure it is properly supported where it connects to the ramp.

That was it.  Just a couple of fixes as requested but it made the customer feel a lot better about using the ramp for the last few weeks during the winter that they will need it.

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