Straight or Curved Stairlift
Which is the right type of stairlift for you?
It may not be as obvious as it sounds, so read our handy guide to find out. At Stannah we make both straight and curved stairlifts, tailored to suit you and your home. The big difference between the two is the rail.
A straight staircase will need a straight rail, and a staircase with bends, curves or a landing will need a curved rail. Each staircase is different, so each stairlift needs to be adapted to fit your personal needs.
When you have your home visit, our consultant will measure your staircase precisely and talk you through your options. It may not be as straightforward as you think, as we have to look at doorways, radiators, windowsills and where the chair will sit when it’s not in use.
Don’t worry about that though. The chairs of all our models fold away neatly so they barely take up any space.
The big difference between our straight and curved stairlift models is the rail.
To go around a corner, you need a special rail that bends at exactly the same angle as your staircase, so that it is the perfect fit (and takes up less of your stair space). Whether your stairs are curved, spiral or have a landing half way up, you’ll need a curved stairlift to whisk you all the way up.
The only things you need for a straight lift are a staircase with no bends or turns and a landing at the top and bottom of your staircase that will mean you can get in and out of your chair safely.
For both straight and curved rails, the rail attaches to your stairs, not the wall. It doesn’t matter what your stairs are made of: metal, concrete, plaster or tile, we will be able to attach your stairlift for maximum safety. And the best bit is there’s no building work. A few little holes are drilled to attach the feet to your stairs and you’re all set.
Straight stairlifts
Your steep stairs might seem like an unbeatable problem. The good news is that our straight stairlifts can make your staircase usable again.
Straight stairs are stairs that don’t turn, bend or have a landing in them. If you only have one set of stairs in your house, a straight lift is exactly what you need to make them accessible again. We just need to make sure you have enough landing space at the top and bottom of your stairs to allow you to get in and out of the chair safely, and you’re good to go. Our sales advisers walk you through the whole process during your free home visit, so by the time they leave you have no doubts about which stairlift is right for you.
Our straight rails are discreet and compact. That means other people still have room to use your stairs comfortably, and with your new stairlift, you do too.
What are the rails made of?
Our straight rails are made of aluminium and come in a variety of finishes, to suit your tastes.
Curved stairlifts
As all houses are different, and each staircase is different, if your staircase has a bend in it, we need to measure it precisely. Whether your stairs:
- have a half landing (with the two sets of stairs running parallel to each other)
- are ‘fanned’ (where the two sets of stairs are at an angle less than 90°)
- have a quarter landing (with the two sets of stairs at 90° to each other)
- are a spiral staircase
as long as we can measure the angle of the curve, we can fit your stairlift.
As each stairlift is custom made to fit your stairs perfectly, the rail needs to be made to measure. This means that you might have to wait that little bit longer for your lift to be made and installed, but that’s the only way we can make sure you have the perfect stairlift to suit your needs. And you know it was made with you in mind.
Where are the rails made?
From the moment you order your curved stairlift, a drawing of your stairs is sent to our own rail factory where Stannah’s engineers start making your rail. They can see your name on the sheet, and the country you come from, so they know exactly where their handiwork is going. They know their work is improving people’s lives all around the world, so they make each rail their best work, making sure it is as safe as can be.
Our stairlifts are made with you in mind. We know that by splitting our rails into as few sections as possible, you will have a smoother ride. Less connections, less bumps, more safety.
How can I be sure that my stairlift is going to fit my staircase?
Before it leaves the rail factory, each stairlift is tested to make sure it will run smoothly from the top right to the bottom of the stairs and back up again. Each bit of the stairlift is monitored closely, so if the slightest thing is wrong it gets sent back to the engineers so they can fix it. A model of your stairs with the exact same measurements is put up and your stairlift set up on it, so before our installers get to your house we know your stairlift will be the perfect fit.
What if my stairs are too long for a curved stairlift?
Our curved rails can be made to be much longer than our straight ones. The longest rail we’ve made so far is 72 metres long, but that doesn’t mean it’s the longest we can do.
Even if you lived in a lighthouse or a castle, we could make a stairlift to fit your home.
Your path to getting your whole house back starts with you picking up the phone. As you get in touch with us and our trusted dealer in Finland – Algol Trehab -, picture the freedom that awaits you just around the corner. You’re just three quick steps away. Give us a call now to take the first step.