The residential wheelchair platform lift is the most popular alternative to unsightly ramps, overcoming architectural barriers to accessing the home from outdoors and accessing two or more living floors within the home.

The commercial vertical platform lift requires an enclosure or shaftway surrounding the wheelchair lift with a travel height of up 14 feet. A factory enclosed model comes self-contained with a wraparound, non fire rated, shaftway enclosure, complete with gates, doors, interlocks and controls. Popular factory enclosures include safety glass, Plexi-glass and metal panel enclosures, being either steel or aluminum for outdoor use. The other option is the onsite construction of masonry or stud drywall enclosure, oftentimes built by a general contractor.