Stairlift installation isn’t as complicated or finicky as you may think. We provide stairlift installation as part of our services, so this is by no means an instruction manual for anyone trying to do it themselves.
This is a step-by-step guide of how a stairlift is installed.
Jump straight to…
Do I have a straight or curved stairlift?
Straight and curved staircases are different to install. You can decide whether you have a straight or curved stairlift simply by looking at your staircase!
Take a look at this guide if you’re looking for more information on stairlifts and different models. These are installed a bit differently due to their different layouts.
As you can see, this stairlift curves around to the right so a curved stairlift would be needed.
How long does it take to install a stairlift?
Our engineers usually allow a full day to install a stairlift. This is because they need to fit the rail and wire it all up to the electrics.
Curved stairlifts can take a couple of days to get set up just because there are more parts and the curves need to be perfectly positioned.
It takes significantly less time to uninstall a stairlift. We simply remove the screws and take it all apart.
When it arrives…
Brand new straight stairlifts usually arrive in two main pieces which will make up the rail. There will also be other boxes and bit that contains to fittings, screws, and of course the stairlift chair itself.
This makes it easier to get the components in and out of your home.
Curved stairlifts usually come in quite a few different sections, particularly the rail. Again, this is to make it easier to get the parts in and out of your house.
Are stairlifts drilled into walls?
The short answer to this question is no. Stairlifts are not fitted to the wall at all, which means less mess and a much easier installation process.
Stairlift rails are actually screwed into the steps themselves. Brackets are fitted to the bottoms of the rails, and these are lined up and fixed to the steps with a screw.
This means that stairlift installations are a lot less disruptive if our engineers aren’t drilling into the wall! It also makes it much easier to remove the stairlift if you ever decide to get rid of it.
How to fix the stairlift rail to the staircase
As mentioned above, the stairlift rail is fixed to the staircase with brackets. These are positioned on the top of the step and are then screwed in place.
Curved stairlifts are fixed in the same way but will have more brackets. This is to make sure that any curves are completely secured and will not move or become detached when the stairlift moves across them.
Stairlifts are fitted to the stairs rather than the wall, making the entire installation process much easier and less disruptive for you.
Assembling the stairlift
The sections of rail are then bolted together to create one single piece of track. These pieces will be factory joined for a completely discreet and smart finish.
The stairlift chair is then mounted and attached to the rail. Our engineers then wire up the staircase to give it power.
If your stairlift has a battery-operated remote control, then this is will automatically connect to the system wirelessly.
Can my stairlift travel further?
You can install stairlift to travel beyond the staircase and on to the landing itself, and it’s fixed to the floor in the exact same way. Particularly with curved stairlifts, our customers want a bit of extra distance when they get to the top of the stairs to make sure that they’re positioned safely.
In Summary…
This is a very brief guide on stairlift installation. Obviously our own fully-trained engineers install all the stairlifts we supply, but we often get questions on how it’s done.
Get in touch with our team to book your free stairlift assessment!
Graeme has worked alongside the public sector for much of his working life, helping departments improve efficiencies and deliver on projects. In his role at Vivid.Care, Graeme used his experience to tackle some of the most challenging issues in the healthcare sector, from falls through to winter pressures. He was also a guest speaker and a number of different conferences, including at the Falls Prevention Summit in London.
