Wheelchair Ramp Design Plans - Measuring the Height of the Steps - Selecting the Best Entryway into the Home

Oct 23, 2026

Uploaded by jay

Wheelchair ramp design guidance covers how to measure step heights, calculate total ramp length, and apply slope limits for safe wheelchair use. It explains recommended maximum step height (around 30 inches), translating height into slope guidance, and gives example ramp lengths for a 24-inch rise. The document then compares garage and front-door entry options, including required door clear widths and landing space for 90-degree turns, and advises when to consider professional help or alternative entry layouts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Measuring the Height of the Steps

Selecting the Best Entryway into the Home

Garage Entryway

Front Door Entryway

Next Steps: Construction Plans

[www.wheelchairrampkits.com](www.wheelchairrampkits.com) (913) 553-1488 Wheelchair Ramp Design Plans Measuring the Height of the Steps 1. Using a ruler or yardstick, starting at the bottom, measure the vertical distance from the floor to the top of the first step. Then measure the vertical distance from the top of the step to the top of the next step. Add all the dimensions together to get the total height. 2. The maximum height that a wheelchair ramp can be used is about 30”, between the floor and the top of the steps (or about four steps) . ADA Guidelines (these are recommendations not laws or regulations) recommend 1 foot of horizontal length per 1 inch of height, which translates to a five-degree slope. The maximum practical slope would be .5 foot of length per 1 inch of height or 10-degree slope. Greater than 10 degrees is not recommended due to the steepness and the difficulty of pushing a wheelchair up this incline. Powered wheelchairs and scooter can navigate a 10-degree slope. However, slopes steeper than 10 degrees have the potential for the chair to tip over backwards without a caregiver pushing from behind. 3. For example, a 24 inch height (typically three steps) would require a ramp length somewhere between 24 feet (1 foot per 1 inch height) and 12 feet (.5 feet per 1 inch height) long. This is the length of the ramp you will need to keep the slope between 5 degrees and 10 degrees. In this case, using a 12-foot long ramp will be a 10 degree slope. Lumber comes in standard lengths of 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet and 16 feet. 4. In addition to the length of the ramp, a minimum of 4 feet (ideally 5 feet) of additional distance in front of the ramp is required to provide room for the caregiver and the wheelchair or scooter to make turns to get onto the ramp. So, you can see a ramp requires a lot of space, which makes a garage entry using a straight ramp the most desirable choice if possible. Our next element to analyze is selecting the optimum location to put the ramp. Selecting the Best Entryway into the Home The vast majority of homes only have two practical entryways; the front door and the garage. The width of the door from edge to edge should be 32 inch wide for wheelchair entry. (A 30-inch wide door maybe suitable but you must carefully measure the actual open clear width of the doorway and compare to the outside width of the wheelchair to be sure.) Most front doors are 36 inches wide. The garage entry is the best choice where possible. Garage Entryway 1. Typically has the most space directly in front of the entryway to create the gentlest slope possible. 2. Generally allows a straight ramp design into the home, which is easiest to build and lowest cost. 3. It is protected from the elements allowing use even in inclement weather. 4. Allows you to purchase untreated wood, which is much lighter in wieght. Front Door Entryway If the garage entry is not feasible due to excessive height, position of the doorway to the garage or the doorway is too narrow, the front door entry is the next obvious choice. Typically most front entry designs do not have a long straight sidewalk in front of the steps or have excessive height requirements. This requires the addition of a ‘landing’ to be incorporated into the design to allow a 90 degree turn to use the sidewalk going to the driveway. Or, when the height to be overcome is more than 30 inches, a landing can be used in a straight design or a 90-degree design to allow two ramps to be used to reach the top of the steps. A landing can be used in a garage design as well. A landing must be 5 feet x 5 feet when used in a 90 degree design to provide the room for a caregiver to position the wheelchair onto the next leg ofthe ramp. A landing used in a straight design can be 5 feet long by 34.5 feet wide. Remember the top step of a front door entryway is actually the front stoop. Another ramp called a doorway transition ramp is required to get thru the f

FAQs

How do you measure the height of the steps for a wheelchair ramp?

Measure vertically from the floor to the top of the first step, then measure from the top of each step to the top of the next. Add the vertical dimensions to get the total rise the ramp must overcome.

What slope guidance is recommended for wheelchair ramps?

ADA guidelines recommend about 1 foot of horizontal length per 1 inch of height (about a five-degree slope). A maximum practical approach is about 0.5 foot per 1 inch of height (about a 10-degree slope), and slopes steeper than 10 degrees are generally not recommended due to pushing difficulty and tipping risk.

How do you choose between a garage entry and a front-door entry ramp design?

Choose the garage entry when possible because it typically offers more space for a gentler slope, supports straight ramp designs, and is protected from weather. If a straight garage approach is not feasible due to height, layout, or narrow doorways, use the front door option with appropriate landings for turns, especially when the height exceeds about 30 inches or requires a 90-degree design.

Oct 23, 2026

Uploaded by jay