The first step through the door from the house into the garage is often the most disorienting and dangerous aspect of exiting a home. In homes with this type of design, the following 4 garage stairs ideas help solve the dramatic elevation change and can be adapted over time as change in circumstances occur for the homeowner.

GARAGE STAIRS IDEAS #1: Level ground

By making the first tread level with the floor in the house, homeowners don’t start their descent until they are already through the door and with both hands firmly on the handrails.

custom wooden garage stairs for home accessibility b |

Garage stairs ideas: Custom built out of wood

Here is a close up of the first tread from the home into the garage. By leveling that first step, it makes exiting the home much more comfortable and safer.

Garage steps ideas, a close up of the first tread from a home into the garage

Garage stairs ideas: That’s one level first step

GARAGE STAIRS IDEAS #2: Add a stairlift

The great thing about this approach to garage steps is that whenever a person’s mobility changes, a stairlift can always be added. You’ll notice that the rail on which the motorized chair glides on is attached to the actual steps, not a wall. This offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of installation options, in addition to one smooth ride.

How to make the garage in a home handicap accessible with a stair lift

Garage stairs ideas: A motorized stairlift

GARAGE STAIRS IDEAS #3: Add a vertical platform lift

If circumstances change again and when homeowners must rely on a wheelchair or scooter for mobility, the garage stairs can be rotated and re-used and a vertical platform lift (VPL), or more commonly known as a wheelchair lift, can be attached to an upper landing platform. The main advantage of a VPL is its space-saving characteristic.

How to make the garage in a home handicap accessible with a vertical platform lift (VPL)

Garage stairs ideas: A VPL helps anyone on wheels enter/exit a home

GARAGE STAIRS IDEAS #4: The EZ Steps Variation

Another variation of garage stairs are these EZ Steps. Their shorter rise and longer run is great for anyone that relies on a walker and makes entering/exiting a home easier. Each step fits both the walker and the person, which help maintain one’s independence.

Garage steps ideas like these Easy Steps are a great way to make a garage entrance accessible

EZ Steps are ideal for those that use a walker

GARAGE STAIRS IDEAS: Conclusion

This type of garage steps solution is simple, functional and inexpensive. It brings great comfort and greater safety, and can be adapted to make a home more accessible over time with the eventual addition of mobility equipment like a stairlift or a wheelchair/scooter lift. The adaptability of this approach makes planning ahead possible.