Small space stair lifts can fit where other stairlifts cannot! We have a number of small space stair lifts which fit on the tightest and most difficult staircases. So if you have an awkward staircase, and certain lifts simply won’t fit, try some of these on for size!
Small Space Stair Lifts – The Flow X From ThyssenKrupp/Access BDD
If your staircase is very narrow, or there is a corridor or doorway at the top/bottom, for example, you might need one of these stairlifts. This is the Flow X; a revolutionary stairlift from Access BDD. The Flow X is a stairlift like no other. It’s patented ASL technology and single rail system means it can move seamlessly on even the most awkward of stairs.
Some stairlifts require a bottom and top “run off point” to exit the lift, which requires more space. For example, here’s a Stannah 260 stairlift with the rail turning off the stairs in order to park and exit/alight the lift. But suppose your staircase has a doorway at the base, or a tight corridor and there’s no space to do this.
The Flow X (pictured below) gets around this problem and you can see the single rail stops on the base step, so as not to obscure the under-stair storage space or the door to the right. 
Here’s another image of the same installation showing the stairlift neatly folded at the staircase base. You can see this installation below and other installations our YouTube channel here.
Small Space Stair Lifts – Doorway Obstruction
Sometimes a staircase isn’t necessarily small – but there are some obstructions on it, or at the top or bottom. This can prevent the installation of certain stairlifts due to space issues. Here’s another example of one of our installations.
This time we used a Flow 2a (the predecessor to the Flow X). This staircase was particularly tricky, with a very narrow passageway and a corridor at the bottom. There were also two doors either side of the staircase base.
This was literally the only stairlift on the market which could be fitted on this particular staircase, other than the Flow X stairlift of course. Another provider passed this job on to us because they didn’t deal with this particular brand and their stairlift wouldn’t fit! See the case study on this narrow staircase here.
Small Space Stair Lifts – “Drop Nose” Rail
The Flow models have a drop nose rail which allows them to be installed without blocking a corridor or doorway. There are other mechanisms for doing this of course, such as the retractable rail, pictured below left. However, the drop nose rail solves the same problem and with fewer moving parts, so there’s no possibility of blocking a corridor or doorway should the power rail fail for some reason.
Here’s another one of our installations showing the drop nose rail. This was a very tight curved staircase, leading up to an attic room. It had a very narrow doorway at the bottom, which meant the Flow X (pictured here) was the only solution.
Small Space Stair Lifts – Other Solutions
Often our go-to solution for a small space are the Stannah models – both the Stannah 600 for straight staircases and the Stannah 260 for curved staircases offer a perfect solution for most stairs. Here you can see how narrow the staircase is with this Stannah 600 folded up on it.
Here’s a Stannah 260 stairlift on a curved staircase (below). So you don’t necessarily need such an advanced stairlift as the Flow X, whose extra tech adds considerably to the cost. We also specialise in reconditioned stairlifts – professionally refurbished stairlifts at a much better price. We give all our refurbished models a full 2 year warranty, covering you for parts, labour and call outs.
Small Space Stair Lifts – Heavy Duty
If you’re pushing the weight limit on a stairlift, but still require one for a small space we have a solution for this too. Here’s a quick breakdown of the stairlift weight limits already mentioned in this post:
| Stairlift Model | Weight Limit |
|---|---|
| Flow X & Flow 2A | 19.6 stone |
| Stannah 600 | 25 stone |
| Stannah 260 | 21 stone |
With a reconditioned stairlift we will often suggest to be more conservative with the weight limit, for safety reasons; since these are pre-used models.
There are two heavy duty stairlift models we favour, the Platinum Ultimate and the Bruno heavy duty. In the case of a small space stairlift, we will use the Platinum Ultimate as the Bruno is a much heavier duty build than the Platinum and will likely be unsuitable for a small space. Here’s the Platinum in action. It has a wider chair than standard stairlifts (for a larger person), and can carry up to 25 stone in weight. The Bruno can carry up to 30 stone in weight, but is less suitable for narrow or difficult stairs.
Summary
Small space stair lifts allow you to install a stairlift on sometimes an otherwise insurmountable staircase, which would previously have been impossible, without these modern marvels! Models such as the Flow X are the best stairlifts on the market for difficult and awkward fittings. However the extra technology does add the the price, so if you don’t really need one, you can save money on a stairlift going for a cheaper model (if it will fit).
We choose Stannah’s too for narrow and awkward stairs when they will fit. Since we specialise in professionally refurbished stairlifts you can save a large chunk when buying a pre-used, (reconditioned) model. We also specialise in small space stair lifts, so let us know if you need our help or advice!
If you would like to have a chat, call our team on 0800 046 3438 or visit our contact page and leave a message. We offer a free no-obligation survey and will recommend the best stairlift for you!
We understand how important a stairlift is for your mobility needs and are here to help – give us a call and book a free survey today! See also our post on stairlifts for narrow stairs.