Can a Stair Lift Be Installed Outside?

Posted on 5/18/2018 by John Burfield

Often when we think of a stair lift, we envision it inside someone’s home allowing them to access multiple stories of their house. But for many, accessing an outdoor space, such as a garden or lake, is just as important as getting up to a bedroom or bathroom on a second floor. Fortunately, there are stair lifts that are manufactured specifically to withstand harsh outdoor elements.

An outdoor stair lift functions the same way and has the same components and parts as an indoor lift, such as a swivel seat, flip-up arm rests, seat, and foot rests, obstruction safety sensors and two 12-volt back-up batteries. The main difference with an outdoor unit is the extensive weatherproofing it undergoes to make sure that precipitation, dirt, wind and temperature changes do not damage the control boards and motor. Outdoor stair lifts also come with a marine-grade vinyl padded seat and weather resistant cover to help protect it.

What Types of Staircases can Outdoor Stairlifts be Installed on?

Like indoor units, outdoor stair lifts can be installed on both straight and curved staircases. A curved rail is typically custom-made to fit the exact curve of your stairs and will therefore cost more than straight rail lifts.

For a quality straight rail outdoor chair lift such as a Bruno Outdoor Elite, you are looking at a starting price range of $5,000-6,000. A curved outdoor unit will typically start at $10,000 installed due to the need for a custom-built rail. The product model that we offer for curved outdoor stair lifts is the Bruno Outdoor Elite Curved.

One bit of advice when considering an outdoor stair lift is to contact a provider with extensive experience installing outdoor lifts. While they are similar to indoor lifts, installing an outdoor lift can present challenges not found in most homes and therefore should be left to the pros.