Ramps & Entry
Aluminum vs Wood Wheelchair Ramps
Wood is cheaper today. Aluminum is usually cheaper over ten years.
- Aluminum: $100–$250 per installed foot, no maintenance, resells later.
- Wood: $100–$200 per installed foot, needs sealing and gets slippery when wet.
- Aluminum installs in a day; wood takes several.
- Wood can be built to match a porch, which matters for some homes.
Traction and weather
Aluminum ramps use a perforated or extruded surface that sheds water and stays grippy. Wood needs non-slip strips or grit paint, and it needs them again every few years. In freeze-thaw climates that maintenance is not optional.
Resale and removal
A modular aluminum ramp can be dismantled and sold for a meaningful share of its cost. A wood ramp is demolition. If the need may be temporary, that difference often outweighs the upfront price gap.
Keep reading
David Chen
Editor, Ramps & Entryways
David covers ramps, entry modifications, and the geometry that decides whether a project costs $1,500 or $9,000. He builds the calculators on this site and checks every dimension against published accessibility guidance before publishing.
Covers: Ramp design · Entryway access · Slope and rise calculations · Porch lifts
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