Portable Ramps

Measure the step from the ground to the top edge where the ramp will rest. The higher the step, the longer the ramp needs to be.

• About 1.4m of ramp for every 100mm of step (1 in 14) is gentle: easy to go up on your own.

• About 1m for every 100mm (1 in 10) is comfortable with someone pushing.

• About 800mm for every 100mm (1 in 8) suits a short step with a helper or a powered chair.

Type your step height and a length into the ramp calculator to see the slope. Public buildings use a gentler slope again; at home you pick what suits the person using it. For a few steps or a porch, see ramps 2m to 3m long and ramps 3m to 4m long.

Measure the chair, walker or scooter across the outside of the wheels, then pick a ramp whose usable width is wider, with room either side. Every listing shows the width.

• Most wheelchairs and walkers fit ramps 500mm to 800mm wide.

• Wide chairs and scooters need ramps 800mm to 1000mm wide.

Side rails along the edges help keep the wheels on the ramp.

Add the chair or scooter, the person in it, and anyone walking up the ramp to push, then pick a ramp rated over that. The limit is on every listing.

• Most manual wheelchairs suit ramps rated 300kg to 500kg.

• A heavy power chair or scooter with its rider may need ramps rated 500kg to 800kg.

Long ramps with support legs carry more and flex less in the middle.

Single-fold ramps fold in half and carry by a handle, like a suitcase. They suit a step or two at home.

Multi-fold ramps fold in half along their length and across their width, so a long ramp packs down small. They suit a porch, a few steps or a car.

Telescopic channel ramps come as a pair and slide out to length. Set them the same distance apart as the wheels. They suit loading a chair or scooter into a car, not walking on.

Roll-up ramps roll up for storage, and self-supporting ramps stand on their own legs over a sill or step. More in our guide how to choose the best wheelchair ramp for your home.

Put the bottom of the ramp on firm, level ground and the top lip flat on the step, not on a mat or the edge of a carpet. Check the ramp sits steady before anyone uses it.

• Look for an anti-slip surface, and take care when it's wet.

• Use the support legs on a long ramp if it has them.

• When pushing a wheelchair, go up facing forward and come down backwards, with the helper below the chair.

More in how to use ramps safely in all weather.

Check the ramp's weight and folded size on the listing against who will carry it and where it will live: the car boot, the hallway or the garage.

Carry handles, a carry bag and locking pins that hold it folded all make a ramp easier to move. If it's staying at one door, a threshold ramp may suit better.