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It all comes down to the shape of your stairs. Stand at the bottom and look up. This guide will help you work out the answer in a minute or two.
Written by the Mobility Centre South West stairlift team, Bodmin.
If you can see the top step from the bottom step, and the stairs go straight up with no turns, no landing and no angled steps, you'll most likely need a straight stairlift.
If the stairs turn a corner, have a landing part-way up, or have steps shaped like slices of cake (called winders), you'll need a curved stairlift.
| Straight stairlift | Curved stairlift | |
|---|---|---|
| Your stairs | One straight flight | Bends, landings, winders, or more than one flight |
| The rail | Made in standard lengths and cut to fit | Measured and made for your staircase alone |
| Cost | The most affordable | Costs more, because the rail is made to measure |
| Time to fit | Often soon after ordering | Longer, while the rail is made |
| Can I rent one? | Yes, see rental | Usually not, as the rail fits only your stairs |
Many people are surprised to find a stairlift will fit their narrow stairs. Modern stairlifts are slim, and the seat, arms and footrest fold up when not in use. The rail is fixed to the stairs, not the wall. We'll measure on our free home visit and show you how much room will be left for others.
Many older homes in Cornwall have steep, narrow staircases, often boxed in between walls, sometimes with a turn at the top or bottom. These can usually still take a stairlift, but they need careful measuring. A perch seat, where you lean rather than sit, can help where there isn't much knee room.
If the end of the rail would block a doorway, many straight stairlifts can have a rail that folds or slides out of the way when the chair is at the top.
You could have one curved stairlift running the whole way, or sometimes two straight stairlifts, one for each flight. We'll talk through both, honestly, including the cost and what it's like to change chairs on the landing.
Garden steps, or a steep path up to the front door, can have an outdoor stairlift. These are built for the weather and come with a cover. Near the coast, salt air makes a yearly service especially important.
Try our simple stairlift finder. It asks five easy questions. Or call us: describe your stairs and we'll tell you over the phone which type you're likely to need.
No call centres, no pushy sales. Ring us for honest advice, or book a free, no-obligation home visit.