Handicapped Ramp

Nail banger

OK, I have a customer and her son crashed his dirtbike and broke his leg and a bunch of other stuff. The house has a set of precast stairs that come out flush with the door sill. It is 22" off the ground So the customer has asked to have the ramp come out 24'. We want to do this as inexpensivly as possible. My question is if I laminate 2-2x10 PT and use 3 of these as stringers will it be storng enough?

72chevy4x4

you didn't specify, but I'm hoping you will put piers in that 24' span. Assuming so,(3) 2x10's should be plenty and consider running 1x6 PT decking perpindicular to the joists-the cheap method your post indicated could cause issues with slipping (consider a little slush or rain-it will 'sheet' down the incline). I'm not 100% sure, but do not think a handrail is necessary all though a lip on it would be to keep the kid from driving off (which wouldn't be necessary if you had railing on both side).

Nail banger

Let me clarify alittle more. for the framing 2-2x10's laminated togeather staggered to make the 24' span. Ramp is 4' wide one side against the house one side will have railings. Decking I was thinking 3/4" PT plywood with some of that stick on grip tape. There would be a concrete landing at the bottom of the ramp. She said that it is temp until he recoveres. Just wondering if the framing will make that span.

BuiltByMAC

With a ramp at 1:12 pitch over 24', you only have to span the first twelve feet. Set a couple of piers at 12'. After that, you could rip a 2x12 at the angle of the ramp getting two angled pieces per 2x12x12. I built a ramp with a 2x12 on each side and 2x10 "joists" running between them 24" o.c. I put 2x12s as the decking w/ rolled roofing for grip (customer wanted cheapest way for grip tape, that was my best solution at the time). It was for an electric wheelchair (and a rather large person) so it needed to be very strong.

You could use 3/4" plywood though, maybe just put the joists at 16" o.c.
Since it's just a temp thing, you could probably get by with a chunk of 2x12 on the flat supporting the ends of your full size 2x12 stringers. Just lay it on the ground - that will support the ramp just fine for a few months and you're not digging up the ground to install pier blocks....

Mac

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concretemasonry

If you do not have a sooth transition from concrete to wood, everything else does not mean much. - If you ever had a foot/leg/hip problem or were in a wheelchair, you would understand the importance. A 1/2" bump is like a 2' barrier to a wheelchair.

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Dick

Engineer, designer and consultant recently active domestically and internationally on construction and design in about 35 countries.

Chris G

As an alternative to grip tape, you can buy non slip floor paint. It comes pre mixed with sand or something. My neighbour just used and it appears to work well.

BuiltByMAC

Good point - For one ramp, I molded up concrete for the transition area - this one, I dug out grade so the finished surface would meet up with the concrete driveway.

For a temp ramp, screwing a sturdy piece of sheet metal to the bottom edge of the ramp would ease that transition. Or vertically rip the 3/4" plywood edge (got a tall fence for your table saw?) and finish w/ belt sander.

Mac

wallmaxx

I built one for my mom-in-law. (A good excuse to not have to hang out inside with them - be outside building something) Okay, so I'm an in-law a$$

Anyway, she has a Jazzy Power chair, so I made it out of PT 2x12 16' beams (overlapped to 24') and PT 2x8 joists - 12"o.c. with PT 3/4" plywood on top. I had a bit of trouble tying into the existing deck. I sure wish I had seen some of Mac's stuff b4...I like the piers w/ saddles and carriage bolt ideas. I did the old...bury the posts in cement. Now I've leaned that tends to rot out the post.

That was 2002 (CCA)...now the trailer is gone...she has a new home 150' to the east...and my uncle came by last week to lay claim to the ramp for his place. He said it still looks great...bring back CCA!!!!!!!!

PS I hauled all the materials from Houston, up to her place - about 160 miles from BFE
It wore grooves in my fender walls from my tires...argh.