Handicap Ramp

Design and Construction

Guidelines
June 2006
Rev 10/30/2007

Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers

RCRV

and

Wheelchair Ramp Assistance Program

WRAP
. 6/1/2006

Handicap Ramp Design and Construction Guidelines

Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers (RCRV) builds handicap ramps for various service agencies in the
Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. The service agency identifies the need and pays for the materials. RCRV
provides the free labor. Each ramp design must be completed on an individual basis to accommodate
home owner, site and individual needs. As a result, a generic process can be defined which is then applied
on an individual basis. This process flow includes the following steps:

• Handicap ramp need identified to RCRV

• Identify ramp designer
• Survey site
• Design ramp including material list and cost
• Funding request
• Funding available
• Obtain building permit (if required)
• Ramp build scheduled
• Materials ordered and Delivered
• Construction crew arranged
• Construction of ramp
• Notify building department of ramp completion

The project requires a considerable amount of coordination and communication. The steps which usually
take the longest calendar time to complete are: Site survey, ramp design, funding arrangement, and
scheduling the materials and construction crews. Completion of a ramp project will typically be 4-6 weeks
long even though the actual construction is only 1-2 days.

The requirements that must be accommodated in the design of a handicapped-access ramp include:

Consideration Explanation
Home entry The choice of door to which to run a ramp is influenced by the ease of access
within the home to the various doorways, the widths of the doorways, and
whether any platforms, stairs or porches already exist to which a ramp could be
connected.
Space limitations Many aspects of the design of a ramp are limited by the space available and
and obstacles obstacles (such as trees, buildings, and walkways) that affect where it can be run.
Also, where is the lower end of the ramp to be terminated?
Building codes Explicit and implicit code requirements imposed by the city or county.
Standard practices Design standards that are commonly applied in the area. Also, although they are
not legal requirements for homeowners, the ADA Standards for Accessible
Design [http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adastd94.pdf] establish practices for
commercial ramps that may be applicable or expected in home construction. We
also follow the guidelines established by the Cedar Rapids Building Department
(attached).

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Specifics of the Although “standard” designs work well for many people, the specifics of how the
disability and means ramp will be used MAY affect the design. Examples include:
of movement • If the disabled person can only be move with his/her legs extended, wider
turning platforms are needed than can be accommodated by someone who
can move in a wheel chair with the feet lowered.
• If the disabled person uses a walker but is unstable on slopes, shallow steps
are probably preferable to a ramp.
• If the caretaker for the disabled person is weak, the ramp will need to be less
steep than normal. Conversely, a powered chair or scooter can make a
steeper-than-standard ramp quite acceptable.
• A design standard slope is 1:12; however several ramps have been built with
1:10 slope due to space limitations. 1:8 slope is an absolute maximum.
Expected useful life A ramp with a longer expected useful life (more than 5 years?) or a tall structure
of the ramp may need to be solidly attached to the home and built on frost footings. Ramps
expected to be used for five years or less will be built without frost footings.
Some jurisdictions may not allow frost free footings. The justification for frost free
footings is that they are temporary structures.
Neighborhood Restrictions, especially affecting the aesthetic qualities of a ramp, may be
covenants imposed by non-governmental agencies. For example, many mobile-home parks
require that skirting be installed to hide the space underneath a ramp.
Aesthetic The appearance of the ramp, especially the type of railing treatment (balusters,
compatibility with the rails, etc.), should be chosen to ensure that a functional ramp is not viewed as an
neighborhood eyesore by neighbors.
Homeowner If a ramp is needed in a home owned by someone other than the family of the
preferences disabled person, the requirements of the owner may trump all other
considerations. Also, the home owner may desire to match some existing decking
or railing design.
Client preferences When designing a ramp that is not financed by the client or homeowner, trade-
offs must be made between functionality and cost. Some client preferences can
be accommodated with little impact on cost; others cannot. The ramp designer
must deal with these tradeoffs to meet the client’s real needs while ensuring that
an agency intending to provide home access does not end up footing the bill for a
great party deck.
Access limitations It may be appropriate, particularly when designing a long ramp, to include steps
or other means for non-disabled people (such as mail carriers and delivery
people) to reach the doorway without navigating the ramp.

Some standards design practices have been developed which provide simplified, low cost construction to
take place. These standards are the starting point of each design, and although variations can and
sometimes must be made to these standards, adherence to them is desired. These Standards of Ramp
Design include:

• Construction with treated lumber

• Assemble with screws (no bolts or nails)
• Standard width 42” clearance between posts (allows 39” clearance between railings)
• Use three 2x6” stringers (see 90° and 180° Landing Detail drawings for ramp framing)
• Posts 4x4” and spacing not more than 8 feet (6’nominal)
• Posts to be attached to 12”X12” piece of treated ¾” plywood for ground support
• Assure lateral stability of posts (cross bracing at least one place in each direction as needed)
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• Stringers are attached to the posts with 3.5” screws where possible. Otherwise 2x6 metal hangers
are used to attach the stringer to a header 2x6.
• Use 5/4 x 6” decking boards on ramp surface and attach with 2” screws
• Hand rail (see Figure 1, 180° Landing Detail drawing)
o Use 2x4 on edge and 5/4x6” on top for hand rail (preferred)
o Use 5/4x6 on edge with a 1x2 horizontally on top (use only where clearance is limited)
• Railing height 36” above decking
• Railing should extend 12” beyond end of ramp
• Enclosed sides: Open (std), 1x6” boards (2nd choice) or balusters (request only)
o If ramp over 30” high, use two 1x6” boards or balusters (must be enclosed with 4” max
openings)
• Toe Board – use 2x4 mounted 3 ½” above decking
• Use 5x8’ platform for 180 degree turnaround (see Figure 1, 180° Landing Detail drawing)
• Use 5x5’ platform(inside offset) for 90 degree turn (see Figure 2, 90° Landing Detail drawing)
• A landing is required after each 30’ of ramp length. Landing should be 5’ long.
• Vary joint locations of stringers, railing members and toe boards for improved stability
• Termination of the ground end of the ramp will use a design which does not require digging or post
burial (see Figures 3 and 4, Handicap Ramp Termination drawings)
o An End Post Bracket is used to support the two end posts. This is fabricated from steel
angle iron and plates as shown in the drawing.
o A Ramp End Assembly is constructed from wood as shown in the drawings. This may either
be fabricated in advance or on site. The structure is screwed together from the bottom and
attached to the end posts with screws through the 2x4 toe board. A ¾” plywood base may
be required under the End Post Bracket and Ramp End Assembly to stabilize it on the
ground.
• The building codes of the City of CR are followed (see Figure 5, Cedar Rapids building code
handout)
• Each installation requires site assessment and a design developed
• A great deal of time may be saved on the construction site by developing a very accurate bill of
materials in advance. The bill of materials should identify where each item is to be used.

Figures 6 through 13 are photos of a typical ramp constructed using the design standards described above.
The ramp is 33 feet long with a 180° landing.
.

3
 Ramp framing
Completed ramp
5/4x6 rail
2x4 rail
1x6 sides (optional)
required on ramps
over 30 inches 60
36
2x4 toe board
5/4x6 flooring

3.5 2x6 stringer

4x4 post 42
12x12x3/4
plywood base
87.5
1:12 typical slope
Post detail
60 6 to 8 ft typical
1x2 rail
5/4x6 rail Ramp side view

4x4 post
RCRV
Frame top view Figure 1. Handicap Ramp
Alternate railing 180° Landing Detail rev 10/30/07
 Ramp Framing Completed Ramp

60

60

cross brace 2x6

Ramp top view

6 to 8 ft
typical
Ramp side view

RCRV
Figure 2. Handicap Ramp
42 90° Landing Detail rev 10/30/07
 Attach stringer to post with screws

End Ramp Assembly

bottom view

Attach End Ramp

Assembly to
post with screws Stringer and post layout

End Post Bracket

RCRV
Attach post to
End Post Bracket
Completed ramp
with screws Figure 3. Handicap Ramp
Ramp Bottom Termination
 0.125

3.5 x 9 x 0.125 steel plate

weld all edges 9

1.5
1.5 x 1.5 x 0.125 angle iron

1.5
42 0.125
1.5

49

End post bracket

2

0.75

7/32
6 holes 3.25

9
3
21.16
2

2x4 toe board

3.5

1.5
3.5 x 9 x 0.125 steel plate (2)
5/4x6x42
floor boards tapered 2x6 stringer
17.25 end post bracket

End Ramp Assembly RCRV

Figure 4. Handicap Ramp
Ramp Bottom Termination
 Figure 6. End post bracket Figure 7. Ramp end assembly, bottom
view

Figure 8. Ramp end assembly inserted Figure 9. Ramp frame with 180° landing.
into end post bracket Notice cross bracing

Figure 10. Ramp frame Figure 11. Stringers into Ramp end post
assembly. Notice cross braces.
Figure 12. Ramp frame. Notice cross Figure 13. Completed ramp
braces.