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Platform Lifts

Outdoor Wheelchair Lifts

A raised porch, deck, or garage entry is one of the most common barriers to getting home in a wheelchair. An outdoor wheelchair lift — also called a porch lift or vertical platform lift — carries you and your chair up to the entry in a compact footprint, built to withstand Minnesota weather.

Get to your own front door — every season

For a wheelchair user, a few steps up to the porch can mean the difference between coming and going freely or being stuck. An outdoor wheelchair lift removes that barrier, carrying you and your chair up to a raised entry, deck, or garage landing, and it’s built to run reliably through Minnesota’s rain, snow, and cold.

Built for the outdoors

  • Weatherproof — sealed, corrosion-resistant components and drainage.
  • Battery backup — keeps working during storms and power outages.
  • Compact — fits where a long ramp never could.
  • Secure — safety gates, non-slip platform, and hold-to-run controls.

Lift or ramp for the entry?

Ramps are great for low rises, but because a safe ramp needs about a foot of run per inch of height, a tall porch can require an impractically long ramp. An outdoor wheelchair lift delivers the same access in a small footprint. When a ramp does fit the space, we’ll say so — see wheelchair ramps.

Licensed installs, funding help

Ocel Builders installs outdoor lifts under our Minnesota Elevator License, to code, and backs them with service support. As a registered Medicaid provider (NPI/UMPI), we can help fund the project through DHS waivers or VA grants. Request a free assessment.

Frequently asked

Questions about outdoor wheelchair lifts

Will an outdoor wheelchair lift hold up to Minnesota winters?

Yes. Outdoor lifts are built with weather-resistant finishes, sealed components, and drainage, and run on battery backup so they keep working through storms and outages.

Do I need a lift or a ramp for my porch?

If the porch is more than a couple of feet up, a compliant ramp can get very long. A vertical platform lift solves the same access in the space of a small landing. We help you weigh cost, space, and daily use.

How high can an outdoor lift travel?

Outdoor platform lifts commonly serve raised porches and decks several feet high — well beyond what a short ramp can comfortably handle in a typical yard.