Making a little platform

[GB]

Mother in law will need a little step up or platform to help her get into bed, as it is a bit high off the ground and she is rather elderly. I thought of making her one out of timber, and I wanted to cover the top surface with something non-slip. A piece of carpet sounds ideal, but will that start to fray/disintegrate around the edges, and is there any simple way to stop that? With nylon ropes, it's usual to melt the end to hold it all together. is that necessary with a carpet? I don't want any loops of carpet coming loose and being a trip hazard.

[Frank Erskine]

Round the nose of the "platform" rather on the lines of a staircase tread. If you use reasonably heavy hessian-backed carpet it should last for years!

[The Medway Handyman]

Copydex is usually used to stop carpet fraying.

[Dave Liquorice]

Hum, the step isn't going to be come a trip hazard in itself is it?

Perhaps a slightly lower bed would be better? Trouble is the height is pretty critical. Low easy to get into but hard to rise from from. High hard to get into but easy to get up from...

For proper carpet not really without stitching the edge. To avoid doing that that you might be able to blag one of the swatches from a carpet sample book from a carpet shop, real carpet, ready stitched edges. Alternatively a cheap door mat from a super market.

[John Rumm]

Why not make the top separate from the box, carpet it, and wrap the carpet right over the edge and fix it to the underside of the top. Then finally fix the top to the box. All the edges will be hidden under the top and out of the way.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Ribbed rubber is pretty hard wearing, non slip and easy to glue. And easy to clean.

[News]

In message , GB writes

Rather than making something from wood, how about a caravan step, with non slip rubber step(s)? Something like eBay item 120744453746 or

300573253589?

[dennis]

It would be safer to lower the bed.

[The Natural Philosopher]

low beds are VERY hard for elderly people to get OUT of.

[GB]

I think I will check that, because MIL is actually complaining the bed is too high. I'll have a look underneath. I might even be able to use my 9" angle grinder. I'd like that. :)

[dennis]

IME the elderly can't get into and out of low beds and chairs so don't over do lowering the stuff or you will end up putting it on blocks. You will find chairs and beds that rise and fall using electric motors just to make life easier.

[Nick Leverton]

Careful with that angle grinder, Eugene !

Nick

[NT]

To minimis trip risk from carpet, glue the carpet all over rather than just fixing it at the edges. Or simply dont carpet it.

NT