Will a threshold ramp stop your door from closing?

The height of the lip is only part of the fit.

A product labelled for a particular rise does not tell you whether your door will pass over it. The door’s bottom edge, sweep and swing direction also affect clearance. A second storm or screen door can introduce another obstruction even when the main door opens freely.

EZ-ACCESS’s threshold-ramp buying guide specifically calls for checking that the ramp does not interfere with door swing or closure. For a quote, show the door fully open as well as closed. Include anything near its path, such as a mat, another door or a wall. If an existing ramp catches, stop forcing the door across it and have the fit checked.

Record the rise on both sides and the space in front.

The indoor floor and outdoor landing can sit at different levels. One photograph from inside can hide the larger rise outside. Record each side separately and include a view looking along the threshold so we can see its shape. A ruler beside the lip can help show scale; you do not need to balance on a step to obtain it.

These details support an initial discussion. Final suitability still depends on the actual doorway, the product instructions and how the person uses the entrance. A small rise with little approach space can be harder to resolve than its height suggests.

• The rise from each adjacent surface to the threshold top.
• The clear width through the open doorway and any narrow approach.
• The space available for the ramp’s length and for approaching it.
• The direction each door swings, including a storm or screen door.
• The floor or landing material, uneven spots and any existing ramp model.

Check whether a top flap crosses the door track.

Some threshold ramps have a top flap that rests on the raised edge. Others meet the edge without covering it. On a sliding door, a flap that crosses the track can interfere with operation. A hinged door may catch a raised part of the ramp as it moves.

For its TRANSITIONS Modular Entry Ramp, EZ-ACCESS describes configurations with and without the optional top flap. That is a feature of that product, not permission to remove parts from any ramp. Send the exact model and its instructions so the permitted configuration can be checked. Track access and the doorway’s existing drainage also need consideration before anything is covered or fastened.

Leave room to operate the door from the ramp approach.

Being able to close an empty doorway does not settle whether a person can use the entrance. Consider where the person and their walker, wheelchair or scooter will be while reaching for the handle, moving the door and approaching the ramp. A ramp that consumes the available landing may leave too little room for those movements.

The EZ-ACCESS modular-ramp instructions require sufficient manoeuvring room at both ends and direct users to their mobility equipment’s own incline limits. We do not choose a slope solely because a ramp fits the space. If the person’s ability to use the entrance is uncertain, an occupational therapist can help establish the access requirements before equipment is selected.

Garage entries and exterior doors need the whole route checked.

At a garage entry, show the floor, landing, steps and door together. A threshold fitting quote covers one suitable threshold ramp. An entrance with several steps, a small landing or a route that conflicts with parked vehicles needs a different scope. Do not buy a short doorway ramp expecting it to solve the full garage-to-house height change.

Keep the door’s intended closing, latching and weather-sealing functions in the plan. Cutting a door, removing closing hardware or changing a landing is separate work that needs assessment. For outdoor ramps, include where rain or snow accumulates. The modular-ramp manufacturer warns against use with snow, ice or debris on the surface; a textured surface still needs care.

If the ramp already catches, send the model and a side view.

Tell us where contact happens: the door bottom, the sweep, the ramp’s edge or the sliding track. A close photo of that point and a wider photo of the approach are more useful than the ramp’s advertised height alone. Take them without putting yourself in the door’s path or attempting a difficult crossing.

Do not cut, stack or alter a ramp to force a fit without the manufacturer’s approval. The EZ-ACCESS modular-ramp instructions prohibit modifying the ramp. Depending on the product and doorway, the answer may be a permitted configuration, a different suitable ramp or a separately assessed doorway change. We confirm the scope after reviewing the situation.

Threshold-ramp fitting starts from $149 in Calgary.

Stayscape’s starting price is $149 CAD to fit and check one suitable customer-supplied threshold ramp. Ramp supply, custom construction and doorway changes are extra. Equipment, extra materials, repairs, travel outside Calgary and GST may add to the price. The ramp’s suitability and the full quote are confirmed before work begins.

Call or text 587-804-9266 with your community, doorway photos, measurements you can obtain safely and the ramp model if you already have one. Tell us whether the goal is a smoother walker route, wheelchair access or reducing a difficult step. Stayscape provides aging-in-place installations across Calgary and surrounding communities.