Slippery/Steep Deck Stairs

[Mountaineer370]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer370

In a nutshell, the height of the deck above the ground level is 32 inches. There are three steps, each step is approx. 9 inches deep, meaning from front to back, and the riser height is 8 inches

^^^Here are all the deck measurements. When I say there are three steps, that is just on the stairway. There is, of course, another step up you have to make to get on the deck surface, so four steps up or down when using the deck. I cannot put a long ramp right over the existing stairs, or anywhere on that side of the deck, as the garage is just a few feet beyond the end of the steps. If I made the slope gradual enough, the end of the ramp would be basically at the wall of the garage.

[DirtyCoconuts]

how far do you have from the current steps to the garage or nearest obstacle?

[Ray]

With a 32" deck surface, the "pet friendly" slope would hit the ground about 8'-3" from the edge of the deck.

The ADA wheelchair requirement, being less of a slope, would hit the ground about 31'-9" away.

When I built our "Doxie ramp", it was over about 1/3 if the steps.

I built a platform that extended outward a few feet over the steps with legs that were screwed to the steps. The ramp then sloped down to the right to another flat platform that was halfway down, and then the ramp continued down to the left the rest of the distance. That way, I was able to get a gradual slope over a bit more than half the straight-slope distance.

I have attached a very crude sketch showing what I mean. All parts of the ramp had guard rails that matched those on the deck.

At first, we had to put a gate across the open part of the steps, but once the dogs got used to the ramp, that's all they used, and I took down the temporary gate.

[Mountaineer370]

The distance from the bottom of the steps to the garage is exactly nine feet. Ray, your drawing does give me some ideas about making a ramp that has a turn or two in it. The back side of the deck is twenty feet wide, and has no obstacles except for one tree that is about ten feet away. That was the side I was thinking about having someone put in a twenty-foot long ramp, but I think it would still be quite a slope. If, however, I put a turn-back in it, the slope could be shallower.

You've all given me a lot to think about. Thank you!!!

P.S. In our discussion yesterday, my husband indicated that, if we were to have someone build us a ramp, he would want to have the whole deck redone. It is over twenty years old and is showing its age. So this may turn into a much bigger and more expensive project than I was first imagining.

[estación seca]

Let us know what the new house looks like!

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Let us know what the new house looks like!

[Mountaineer370]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Let us know what the new house looks like!

Oh, I wish. Really, I wish!

[SouthPark]

If cost is not an issue ------ a mini cable-car hehe

Motorised system. Or conveyor system.

[AnonYMouse]

Check Nextdoor and Craigslist. They might have skilled help and free-to-cheap stuff you might be able to modify.

See if you have a salvage yard or a repurpose yard (I don't know what they are called).

Odds are slim with the above ideas but you might get lucky.

---------- Post added at 01:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 AM ----------

Originally Posted by SouthPark

If cost is not an issue ------ a mini cable-car hehe

Motorised system. Or conveyor system.

I did think about a chute of some sort. Then thought about a kiddie slide!