Suitable Door Sizes for Wheelchair Access | Helpful Guide | 2023

Whenever you start using a wheelchair and having suitable door sizes for wheelchair access is one of the best feelings because getting in and out of that with or with a caregiver is the most comfortable thing ever.

Having suitable door sizes for wheelchair access is really amazing. If you don’t have a wheelchair that fits into your wheelchair then you will have to either change the wheelchair or change the door size which is harder than it sounds.

Before buying a wheelchair, you need to check the door size and match it to your wheelchair. The normal size of the door is 24 inches up to 25 inches which is also the ADA wheelchair door width. This site will only be suitable for narrow wheelchairs.

The door size is different in different countries but according to ADA, the doors must be 32 inches from the face of the door which will provide proper space for people using wheelchairs. The wide doors also help you take big stuff in and out of the house easily.

Getting a wheelchair that is according to your door size is not hard but difficult without proper help. Our team did a lot of research and find some of the best info and guides about getting a wheelchair according to your door size so let’s get to it.

What is the Minimum Door Width for Wheelchair Access?

The normal and standard size wheelchair width is around 22 to 28 inches which is smaller than the usual standard wheelchair. If you have narrow wheelchairs that fit through that doorway nicely but other than that you need to have doorways according to the American disability act which asl is known as ADA.

According to that act, you should have 32 inches of width of your doors which is also standard wheelchair width for doors. The wide size of doors is really important not only for wheelchairs but also for a lot of things like taking a big table in and out of the house.

Guide for Suitable Door Sizes for Wheelchair Access:

There are different types of wheelchairs in the market for different types of needs. Some the small and for toddlers so some of them are wide and for elders. You can buy a wheelchair according to your mobility issues.

If you have a small wheelchair then you don’t have to worry about the door size but if you have a wide big wheeled or electric wheelchair then you should need to change something to the size of your door.

Things to Know Before Buying a wheelchair:

There is a short buying guide that you know before purchasing a wheelchair. Whenever you make up your mind to buy a wheelchair then you must measure the doorways, exterior, and interior. After measuring that you should get a wheelchair according to that measurement.

If you want to have a perfect wheelchair according to your door size you should know how wide is average wheelchair is after that you can get a wheelchair suitable for your needs.

American Disabilities Act (ADA):

The American disabilities act which is also known as ADA has some following recommendations that you really need to know before making a purchase and will help you to choose suitable door sizes of wheelchairs.

• Normal doors need to be 32 inches up to 48 inches and that will accommodate most wheelchairs.
• The hallway must be 36 inches which helps them to propel or push by a caregiver properly.
• The height of your house doors must be 80 inches.
• The handle of the door should be at the height of 48 inches and not higher.

Making the Doorways Wheelchair Accessible:

If you are living in a house then you should know the size of its doorways which will help you with your wheelchair door size. If its doorways or door size are smaller than then your wheelchair size then either you should change the wheelchair or make the doorways accessible for your wheelchair.

Making the doorways accessible for wheelchairs can be done by some adjustments and some of those adjustments are given below.

Install Offset:

These offset also known as Z Hingers are a really important component to widen your door size. This Hinger enables your doors to swing which makes clear the doorways. The offset is a little bit expensive but really easy to install.

These offsets are best to clean enough space to let ordinary wheelchair pass easily. if you have a really wide wheelchair then this method is not for you.

Widen the Door Frames:

Widen the frame also help you to widen the doorways and help those who don’t have ample space. First, you have to widen the door frames and after that, it will help you provide space to widen the doors and doorways.

If you have a wide wheelchair then this will help you to resize your door size.

Replace the doors.

If you have a wide wheelchair or a big wheelchair then it removing doors can help you. Removing the door and making it wider according to the ADA recommendation.

Removing the door is the last option for most people because if you have a problem with wheelchair access it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion:

Having suitable door sizes for wheelchair access are the most important thing for wheelchair user because most of the time people get a wheelchair and they can’t get in through the house doors.

In the end, I just say that please protect nature because it’s the only hope for the future.