A guide to compact stairlifts for narrow stairs

Safety and practicality are always the first concerns when it comes to buying stairlifts. However, buyers are often also looking for something compact and discreet; people don’t want their mobility device to take up too much space.

Although the industry has not yet invented stairlifts that fold into the wall, most modern straight stairlifts and curved stairlifts are designed to be tasteful and understated. Many have a slimline design, with foldaway seats and armrests, and powered or linked footrests.

In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of a compact stairlift, different models, and helpful adaptations that work seamlessly with your interior to offer a discreet mobility solution.

The benefits of a slimline stairlift

Here are just some of the advantages of choosing a compact stairlift for your home.

• Space-saving – Thanks to the reduced size of slimline stairlifts, they leave much more room on stairways, landings, and in hallways than larger models.
• Improved accessibility – The extra space enabled by slimmer designs means accessibility for other staircase users is greater.  They can easily navigate around the lift and use the staircase as normal without the risk of tripping or damaging the lift.
• Aesthetically pleasing – Many people prefer the look of more compact, slimline stairlifts, as they are less obtrusive and obvious. Stairlifts are often available in different colours, which also helps with blending in better with a home’s interior.
• The same comfort and safety – Despite their compact designs, slimline stairlifts still boast the same comfort, safety, and reliability as all other stairlift styles. 

Slimline stairlifts

Stairlifts don’t have to be big and bulky. In fact, there are a number of sturdy and reliable stairlifts on the market that are suitable for even the narrowest of stairs.

For a slender stairlift design for curved staircases, staircases with corners, and even spiral staircases, the Flow 2 curved stairlift is a fantastic space saver, suitable for unusual as well as exceptionally narrow staircases as narrow as 61cm/24 inches. It runs on an extra slim, 8cm/3.15 inch rail, too, making it ideal for all types of homes. If you have a small hallway or one with a doorway at the base of the stairs, the Flow 2 Stairlift has a drop nose rail option, so it won’t block the area.

If you are looking for a space-saving stairlift with a larger weight capacity, the Elite curved stairlift is the answer, with its 30 stone capacity. It takes the least possible space on the stairs as the stairlift is fixed to the steps, rather than the wall; it can also be installed as close as 17.8cm/7 inches from the wall to allow for more room on the stairs.

Hinged tracks and slide tracks

Depending on the layout of your hallway or landing, a stairlift track can sometimes overrun a door or corridor. However, hinged tracks offer the perfect solution for this. These are available as optional extras, and you can either lift the track manually or have one that lifts automatically for added ease.

Alternatively, slide tracks are unique to Minivator’s Simplicity stairlift models. The slide track moves automatically once the stairlift starts, so it leaves the hallway doors and corridors free of any track barrier.

Foldaway stairlifts

In order for your mobility aid to take up as little space as possible, foldaway arms, footrests, and seats are available as standard on all of our offered stairlifts. This means other stair users can come and go without bumping into the stairlift or having to squeeze their way past it. It also ensures no unexpected damage could be caused to the chair by those accidental bumps and knocks.

Stairlifts are also available with linked footrests or powered footrest risers as an optional extra. A linked footrest means that the footrest is connected to the seat, so the two will fold up at the same time. A powered footrest riser means a switch is used to raise the footrest automatically, ensuring no one needs to bend down to manually lift it. Not only are these features helpful towards creating a more compact stairlift, but they also make the chairs easier to tuck away for those with mobility limitations.

Discreet stairlifts from Ransome Mobility

Not only do we have a range of fantastic, compact stairlifts to choose from for your narrow staircases, but our engineers also expertly install your mobility aid with speed and efficiency. We strive to offer the most competitive prices on the market, and will always do our utmost to provide you with our best, most helpful service.

To talk through your stairlift options or request a brochure, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team of experienced professionals.