Does anyone know the best way to make this ramp nonslip? We get a fair amount of ice and snow and there are a couple elderly folks using the ramp.
We tried a basic nonslip rubber mat, but the grooves just hold ice and snow so don’t really help.
Our current ideas are maybe adding rubber stair treads every board or two, or maybe tacking little strips of wood to every board.
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If you’re worried about people slipping you really gotta reinforce that handrail first my friend. That’s nowhere near strong enough to hold up when someone is putting all their weight on it
I’m really curious what it looks like underneath as well. From everything in view it’s not built for much strength.
Agreed, need a rail on the otherside and/or lips added to the edges so wheelchairs don’t launch off the side at speed of things get slippy.
If slipping is a concern, you should also put up a better railing.
The building codes in most places would require balusters or otherwise closed in sides on a ramp like this. If someone does slip, they can go under the rail and off of the porch/ramp.
Also, the vertical supports for the hand railing seem insufficient. Supports for railing are generally 4x4, connected with bolts, and there would be a couple of more of them on the long run. A 200lb+ person falling has more than enough force to snap some screws through a 2x4.
Grip tape? There’s a ton online you could order, or hit up your local hardware store. May kinds are designed for outdoor ramp/stair use.
So many crazy ideas in this thread. This is the obvious solution.
That and reinforcing the railing, thing looks flimsy af.
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This is what I was about to suggest. Grip tape the crap out of it.
Heated de-icing system would be ideal. Can’t be slippery if it’s warm.
Ben Shapiro agrees.
Yes, this is safest for the elderly, but also still adding rubber or like metal ledges is still worth it I think (wet wood like in the pic can become slippery over time).
Since it’s a small area you can set the heating coils (or hot water of you go that way) on a timer (like they press a button/flip a switch a few minutes before going out) … or maybe even rig the whole thing directly w/o a battery to a solar panel & let it run all the time (solar panel doesn’t need to be placed ideally, vertically under the roof is probably fine so you don’t have to clean it).
Also if it works out for you, you can then extend the same system beyond the ramp (like a trail to the garage or whatever).
Second this idea.
I’ve seen quite a few people use roof shingles nailed down to the ramp with a good amount of success.
Unlike the mats, wood strips, and a few other solutions they aren’t difficult to get a wheel chair up and don’t catch on peoples shoes. As long as they’re flush with the ramp of course.
No clue how expensive that’d be, but it might be a good idea to ask a roofer if they’d be willing to sell some scrap if available.
We did this in the summer for using a picnic table as a diving board so we wouldn’t slip, although given the number of times I’ve fallen off of a roof while shoveling, I’m not sure how well it would stand up to ice and snow
Maybe if salted properly though, thanks for reminding me of a nice childhood memory lol
You can get asphalt roofing rolls. Just cut to size and nail down.
Had one like this and way longer so it was hard to find a solution. We ended up using sand and clear UV resistant polyurethane as a grip surface. You can either mix them together and apply with a roller, or brush on poly and sprinkle on sand like you’re salting a roast. We did the later and it’s lasted for years
Prime it and then you can purchase “outdoor porch floor paint” that has a bunch of grit in it. I did this for outdoor steps also made of wood and I’m living where we get a lot of snow and ice. It’s not perfect, because the grit isn’t raised too high, but it’s a heck of a lot better than it is without it.
What I see church and other institutions do around here (Montreal) is put some temp roof things above it for winter. Here’s the typical car version https://www.rona.ca/fr/produit/shelterlogic-abri-autoshelter-a-toit-arrondi-10-x-20-pi-62684-330736923
But they have some for side walks. It might be expensive but it can be reused every years and you never need to shovel snow or ice.
If it’s typically clear, grip tape would be best. If you expect snow to hang around, you might want to add furring straps. You’d want them to be fairly short, though, to make sure they aren’t a tripping hazard
There is a special powder (look up slip resistant additives) that you can mix with paint to create a surface with a lot of traction.
ITT: people trying to help, without reading the post
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Mix grit into deck paint and lay it on thick.
The best technique is not to modify the ramp but get people to use spikes on their shoes. The ramp will almost always be icy/snowy during winter and it will be difficult to stop this or remove ice without damaging the wood.
I have something like this. I got mine at Costco (check now, it’s seasonal): https://www.amazon.com/Yaktrax-Spikes-Walking-Large-X-Large/dp/B01IB76JTY/ref=sr_1_23?keywords=shoe%2Bspikes%2Bfor%2Bwinter&qid=1699053381&sr=8-23&th=1
And if people use this you probably want something on that wood to protect it from the spikes. I suggest this or similar: https://www.amazon.com/ZGR-Outdoor-Profile-Entryway-Non-Slip/dp/B08N5WFJ1Z/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=outdoor+runners&qid=1699053563&sr=8-6
A runner like this also allows whoever maintains the ramp to “shake off” snow and thin ice.No perfect solution, IMHO. But I think this would work best. This will also help those people wherever they walk.
That’s a good idea regardless of what we do on the ramp. Thanks!
I’m going to echo the heating idea.
We get a fair amount of ice here, and I used to be in home health, so I’ve dealt with ramps.
Overall, the only thing that really works is preventing the ice to begin with. De-icing always comes with issues. You get re-freezes, wood warping, there’s the mess from salt and/or sand. Traction additions only work after the ice is gone, and makes getting rid of it harder (same with snow in that regard).
There’s multiple types of heating gear that I’ve seen done up for this. The neatest was done up with the stuff that’s used on pipes, attached to a canvas roll. Roll it out before an expected ice/snow, and it prevents build-up, then you roll it up after and the ramp is perfect. But there’s heating coils and such that can be placed permanently.
It really is the safest and most effective option. Iirc, about ten years ago it only cost about a hundred and some sweat to get done. Not sure of pricing nowadays, but it’s an afternoon job.
Could you not just make a roof? Wouldn’t have to be anything crazy, just a tarp over a simple frame, otherwise if you don’t mind spending a bit of cash, there’s these heated ramp mats
