Given Up on Your Outdoor Space? A Stairlift Can Help

Reduced mobility shouldn’t mean giving up on your own outdoor space. A stairlift means you don’t have to give up on your outdoor space when it becomes hard.

Just as a stairlift gives easy access to all your indoor living space, it also means you don’t have to give up on your outdoor space when it’s become difficult to use. 

Outdoor stairlifts have been produced for many years by some of the leading manufacturers. They work on the same tried and tested principles as indoor stairlifts, but are fully weatherproofed to withstand the conditions outdoors. There are various situations for which an outdoor stairlift is ideal, including: 

• If your home is accessed by stairs or a steep incline 

• If you have a split level garden or yard around your home and can only access part of it 

• If you have any kind of outbuilding –  a garage, workshop, or store – which is tough to access. 

Most outdoor stairlifts run on a straight rail, which is the most cost-effective option. It’s possible to buy an outdoor stairlift running on a bespoke curved rail, but they are more expensive and difficult to install. With an indoor stairlift, the choice of straight or curved is determined by the constraints of the staircase and the walls around it. A typical outdoor stairlift doesn’t have those constraints, so it’s usually possible to fit a straight stairlift or easier and cheaper to remodel the setting to accommodate a straight rail. The only other extra preparation work you might need to do is to get an outdoor power socket installed, but this is a quick and easy job for a qualified electrician.  

Let’s look in more detail at the three main uses outlined above. First, if your home is accessed by stairs or a steep slope and you can’t manage them safely or comfortably, then you risk becoming a prisoner in your own home. Investing in an outdoor stairlift could set you free. Second, why should you give up on your outdoor space? If there are steps or a steep incline in your garden or yard or leading to a patio or raised decking, you might be denied part of your valuable outdoor space. Remember too that outdoor steps can be more dangerous when they become wet and slippery. An outdoor stairlift could help you regain full use of all your outdoor space. 

Lastly, you might have an ancillary building separate from your main house which has access difficulties. Maybe there’s a sloping driveway to your garage, or outdoor stairs leading to the workshop or annexe above the garage? If you need to install a stairlift inside a garage, workshop, store, or barn – on stairs leading to a second story or mezzanine – you could use a standard indoor stairlift. However, for the modest extra cost, you’d be well advised to invest in an outdoor model, which offers extra protection against windblown dust and debris and extremes of temperature. 

When your outdoor stairlift is not in use, it can be disabled (usually by locking and removing a key) so that it can’t be used by anyone else without permission. Most models also come with a fully fitted waterproof cover for the stairlift carriage, to offer extra protection. For many people, being outdoors and enjoying nature is essential to maintaining a sense of inner peace and wellbeing. Reduced mobility shouldn’t mean giving up on your own outdoor space when an outdoor stairlift can let you enjoy it to the full.