Contrary to what its name suggests, wheelchair ramps are not strictly for the handicapped. The ramp has quite a number of uses, which makes it a necessity for some places and industries. You can use the ramp to push a shopping cart filled with grocery items to a higher surface. If you have a leg injury, you can use the ramp to go down to a lower surface as opposed to stepping down and putting pressure on your injured leg.

Basically, wheelchair ramps can be permanent, semi-permanent and portable. Permanent wheelchair ramps are usually installed, cemented or bolted in place. Semi-permanent ramps are rested on surfaces, grounds, cement pads. They are obviously used for a short period or term. Portable wheelchair ramps, however, are practically mobile and lightweight. They are often made of aluminum and can be folded for no-hassle transport.

Wheelchair ramps are made from a various materials. Aluminum is the most widely-used material for ramps since it is durable and lightweight. Aluminum wheelchair ramps often come as portable and foldable ramps used for loading items onto vans, boats, and commercial airplanes. Galvanized steel wheelchair ramps are the obvious choice for transporting the large and heavy items produced by vehicle assembly lines. For sidewalk wheelchair ramps, cement is the material of choice due to its sturdy and non-slippery properties.

Since wheelchair ramps are widely used in a lot of endeavors, having a bad leg or a bag of heavy items to bring is not really a problem. Every surface is your pavement with wheelchair ramps.