For people lucky enough to have a staircase with one or more landings in the their homes, a curved stairlift can be the perfect solution to staying safe and independent. Today’s curved stairlifts can accommodate tighter bends than ever before and, as these type of stairlifts are made to measure, the ride quality is just as smooth and quiet as with a straight stairlift.
Previously the cost of a curved stairlift has made them fairly prohibitive to many customers, but with improved engineering techniques and access to modern materials the cost has come down significantly (although a curved stairlift is still considerably more than a straight stairlift simply due to the time involved in making the rail fit the exact contours of the staircase, rather than just being a straight rail).
As with most things that are made to measure, the lead time is slightly longer on a curved stairlift but Stairlift Finder has a policy of only working with suppliers who can deliver and fit their curved stairlifts within 3-4 weeks. Many stairlift companies might take up to 8-10 weeks to supply a curved stairlift so make sure you check this with them carefully to avoid disappointing delays. If you were to opt for a reconditioned curved stairlift, your waiting time could be as little as 1-2 weeks.
Key features for a curved stairlift
- If you have a doorway at the bottom of your stairs, avoid the track blocking off the doorway with a piece of track which folds out of the way with power assistance – meaning that you avoid the need to ‘step down’ off the lift onto the floor, and can fold the track away easily to reveal the doorway as normal
- The track of your curved staircase can be made longer to take you further onto the landing to make alighting more comfortable and secure
- For people with a loss of mobility down one side of the body (eg stroke, arthritis etc) the controls can be sited on either the left or right armrest to suit the user of the stairlift
- Handheld remote control consoles can be used to call the lift to your feet, which is essential if more than one person uses the stairlift and could potentially leave the other party ‘stranded’. You can even use the remote control to operate the stairlift for a passenger or to carry things upstairs.
- For many people, being able to choose the colour of their upholstery is an important part of the decision making process when buying a curved stairlift – after all, it’s something you are probably going to be looking at and using every day
- Avoid twisting your back when dismounting the stairlift by opting for a power swivel seat
- Automatic cut out means that the curved stairlift uses its sensors to ‘see’ if any object is blocking its path and then glides to a stop without jerking or jolting
- Make sure the controls of your curved stairlift are easy and intuitive to use, toggle switches can sometimes be fiddly and hard to grip so the curved stairlifts we recommend tend to have larger paddle switches
Get in touch and we’ll do the rest to get you the best stairlift to suit your home and your budget, whether you are looking for a curved stairlift, a straight stairlift or even an outdoor lift.