Apartment Building ADA Ramp Railing

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was created to help provide equal access for everyone.

So, when this apartment complex was renovating its front garden and walkway, they knew they needed to create a ramp with ADA railing that would provide safe access to all tenants and adhere to all requirements.

In this article, we’ll discuss how our customer went about their renovation project and how we were able to work with them to develop the best handrail solution for their ramp.

Renovating Wheelchair Ramps

At this apartment complex they wanted to renovate their front garden and redo their concrete ramp leading up to their units.

This type of project was both for improving the overall look of the area but also the safety and access of the slope.

Long story short, this apartment building hired a contractor to put in new landscaping and a new concrete walkway and were now looking to install handrails leading up the path to the building because they knew they needed to meet ADA requirements. 

They didn’t want to put in any old handrail though. They wanted one that could be customized to their layout, be durable to last for years, and look aesthetically pleasing. 

This led them to begin searching for ADA ramp handrails where they eventually found us here at Simplified Building.

Designing ADA Ramp Handrails

After reading through our website and seeing our product, the contractor reached out and connected with our salesman, Nate.

They described their project and their customers’ needs to Nate. They wanted a custom, durable, and beautiful-looking handrail. This was right up Nate’s alley as he and our other project specialists helped hundreds of customers design and implement ADA handrails.

They began designing a handrail for the “zigzag” walkway. This type of handrail would be tricky for a welded handrail as it would require a lot of bending of the railing. However, with our pipe and fittings handrail system, Nate and the contractor were able to create a layout that used angled fittings to create a smooth bend to the handrails.

One thing we’ll discuss in a little bit is making the railing “smooth and continuous”. This is important when designing because you must decide between a top-mounted system or an offset system.

One system isn’t “better” than the other per se, however, if you don’t have the necessary room between handrails, the offset system will likely not work for your application.

While the space they had points for the ramp allowed for them to use an offset handrail, the turns in the ramp made for a tighter space between handrails. So, they decided that a top-mounted handrail would work the best. 

Nate and the contractor continued discussing ADA ramp handrail requirements to ensure they designed and built the best possible railing.

ADA Ramp Railing Requirements

In their discussion, Nate covered a few basic ADA railing guidelines such as: 

• The railing must have a smooth, continuous surface throughout the entirety of the railing. 
• A railing must be present on both sides of a staircase or ramp. 
• The railing height must be between 34" to 38". 
• The railing ends need to be rounded or return smoothly into the ground, wall or a railing post. 
• A ramp must have a minimum clearance width of 36” between the railings.

One thing to note with this design that Nate could do with the bottom rail of the ramp is that he incorporated it on one side.

Essentially, there needs to be a barrier that prevents a 4-inch sphere from passing through the bottom of the handrail. Typically, this is a bottom rail, a curb, or some other form of barrier.

Because of the way they constructed the landscape, it acted as the perfect barrier so that a bottom rail wasn’t necessary. This saves time and money on the project as a whole.

All these requirements are designed to make the wheelchair ramp safe and accessible for all those with disabilities. Railings need to be easily reached, continuously gripped, and at a safe height so that anyone and everyone is safe while using them.

How to Construct ADA Ramp Handrails

Taking all of this into consideration, Nate began designing and 3-D modeling the plans for this ramp railing.

So, how does one design this type of system? That’s where our Kee Klamp fittings and Gator Tubing comes into play.

Using a pipe and fittings system allows for the entire handrail to be modular and customizable. You can angle the handrail however it is needed and make turns with ease without having to worry about welding or bending pipe. 

All our pipes and fittings are also made from hot dipped galvanized steel. This makes them extremely durable and able to maintain their strength through years and years of use and all-weather elements.

With the handrail designed and the layout approved. It was time to order and install! 

Installing ADA Ramp Railings 

Upon receiving all the pipe and fittings, the contractor was able to get to work straight away. Installing this handrail is easy for anyone, it only requires a hex key to assemble the pipe and fittings and then a hammer drill for mounting to the concrete, and a standard drill to mount the handrails onto the posts.

The installation went great, the apartment complex and contractor were thrilled with how easy and quick it was to install. 

Now, they have a beautiful ADA compliant ramp railing for their tenants and guests to use!

In Review

Having to meet ADA requirements doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right system you can have a brand-new ADA compliant handrail designed and installed in no time!

Contact our project specialists to begin working on your next handrail project!