Vertical Lift – There is a difference between a vertical lift and a regular platform lift. The vertical lift moves, you guessed it, vertically. Instead of the platform moving its way up the staircase, this model moves vertically from one floor to the next. Since the lift does not need to be near, or even touching, the stairs, you’ll have to make sure that there is an open landing that the lift can access. If there is not an open landing, one will need to be created. Vertical lifts offer the quietest and smoothest rides. If the building is a busy one, then you don’t have to worry about a wheelchair lift clogging up the stairways.

Stairway Lifts – The other option you have is the regular stairway lift platform. Unlike the vertical lift, this option is connected to the stairs and follows the stairways natural bend, or curve, all the way to the next level. If you’re having a hard time wrapping your mind around this, picture a chair lift and then replace the chair with a wheelchair platform. It’s practically the same thing. The great thing about the stairway lift is that you don’t have to prepare the infrastructure of the building; the lift simply follows the same path as the existing stairs.

Separate Lifts – Once you start shopping for wheelchair lifts, you’ll quickly find that it is difficult, if not impossible, to find a wheelchair lift that services more than two floors. If you’re looking to make your five-story building wheelchair accessible and you don’t want to install an elevator, how do you do it? Install a lift on each floor so that the wheelchair user can access all stories. The lifts don’t have to be in localized section; you can have one lift on one side of the building and the next on the other. In fact, we recommend doing so, as staggering lifts is better for the structural integrity of the building, especially if you’re installing vertical lifts and having to cut holes in the floor.