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Straight or Curved?
The decision on selecting a straight or
curved stairlift comes down to the design of the
staircase.
A straight stairlift is just that – the chair
component runs along a straight rail. The rail
can have no bends or curves, no changes in
direction. Straight stairlifts are suited to
straight staircases, with no bends, curves or
landings.
A curved stairlift is designed to manage
curves, bends and landings. It offers the best
possible solution for all stairs other than
straight stairs. Of course, a curved stairlift
does just as well on the straight! Because of
the flexibility of the start and end of the rail
(for example, curving around the end of the
banister or wall for parking), a curved
stairlift can also be the best solution for a
straight staircase.
However, a straight stairlift costs less to
purchase than a curved stairlift, because it
does not have the features and facilities needed
to address curves, bends and landings. We are
regularly asked if a straight stairlift might
do. There are some situations in which, if your
budget is tight, a compromise might be possible
using a straight stairlift. For example:
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If there is
only a small number steps before or beyond
the bend, it might be possible to start or
stop the stairlift at the bend, and climb
the small number of steps without the aid of
the stairlift.
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If there is a
large enough landing at the bend, it might
be possible to install two straight
stairlifts – one from the bottom of the
stairs to the landing and the other from the
landing to the top of the stairs. This will
require the user to change stairlifts on the
landing.
Both the above are compromises to the solution
offered by a curved stairlift, but might be
viable for specific situations if the cost of
the curved stairlift is beyond your budget and
you would still like the benefits of a
stairlift.We will work with you to understand
your requirements and constraints and to
recommend the most appropriate solution.
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