Best Hardwood Floors For Wheelchairs

The american with disabilities act makes three recommendations for the type of flooring you should use to make a room wheelchair accessible.

Best hardwood floors for wheelchairs.

It was unanimous that carpet was the most difficult to get around on and maintain and hardwood was the most recommended. Magee rehabilitation a rehabilitation hospital part of jefferson health located in philadelphia talked to their peer mentor group to get advice on the best types of flooring for wheelchair users. Carpeting isn t always the best option for wheelchair users because it can take more effort to move across a carpeted floor than a smoother surface. To get the best floor for a wheelchair find a responsible installer and get a warranty on an appropriate product when you buy flooring.

Hardwood floors can be slippery when wet and can swell and buckle which are safety risks. Go with hardwood instead of softwood like pine for flooring. The higher the janka hardness rating the more durable your hardwood floors will be against wear damage caused by wheelchairs walkers and heavy foot traffic. Carpets which bunch or tear are barriers.

Best types of flooring for wheelchairs. Highly polished hardwood floors can be slippery and create the risk of falling. Flooring that work best for wheelchairs are hardwood certain laminate finishes and ceramic tile. If you decide to install hardwood floors choose a matt finish.