First, an honest surprise: upfront, wood and aluminum cost about the same. Industry cost guides put a professionally built pressure-treated wood ramp and an installed modular aluminum system both in the range of roughly $100–$250 per linear foot. The difference isn't the sticker — it's everything that happens after install day. That's where the next ten years get expensive.

The quick comparison

Factor	PHM Aluminum (Rampit USA)	Wood Ramp	DIY Composite Deck Ramp
Upfront installed cost	Comparable — and right-sized to your actual rise, so often shorter & cheaper than template quotes	Comparable per foot, but more labor: ~2 carpenters, 2 full days	Highest material cost — composite boards run 2–3× treated lumber
Maintenance over 10 years	Essentially none — aluminum doesn't rot or need sealing	$1,500–$9,000: re-stain/seal every 1–3 years at $200–$400 a time, plus board repairs	Boards are low-maintenance — but the treated-lumber frame underneath still rots in 10–15 years
Traction when wet or icy	Knurled slip-resistant tread engineered for winter	Notoriously slick wet, icy, or mossy; grows algae	Smooth boards can be slick wet or frosted — and hit 150°F+ in summer sun
Slope & safety	Measured and built to ADA 1:12 slope with code-style rails	Only as good as the builder's math	Only as good as the builder's math — DIY ramps commonly fail an inspector's level
Lifespan	20+ years	~9 years neglected; 10–15 typical with upkeep	Surface outlasts the frame; frame is the failure point
When you no longer need it	Disassembles in hours; used systems commonly list for 30–60% of new	$1,000–$7,000 demolition & disposal; treated lumber can't even be burned	Same demolition bill — you can't resell a structure
Moving or reconfiguring	Modular — extend, shorten, or relocate to a new home	Fixed — rebuild from scratch	Fixed — rebuild from scratch

Why wood ramps cost more than their price tag

A wood ramp wins the first conversation because lumber looks cheap. Then Ohio weather starts collecting rent. Outdoor pressure-treated decking needs stain or sealer every 1–3 years — figure $200–$400 per treatment for a ramp-sized job, more if you hire it out. Skip it, and freeze-thaw cycles get to work: checking, cupping, splintering, soft spots, and rot at the ground posts. Ramp manufacturer EZ-Access puts the ten-year maintenance bill at $1,500–$9,000 — on top of the original build, and before the replacement that's coming at year 10–15.

And wet wood is slick wood. Every major ramp maker warns that wood surfaces are hazardous when wet, icy, or mossy — and the person using the ramp is exactly the person who can least afford a fall. Aluminum's knurled tread is engineered to grip in the rain and snow it will actually live in.

“I'll just build it out of composite decking” — the Facebook math

This one deserves a real answer, because composite boards genuinely don't rot. Here's what the argument leaves out:

• Composite boards cost 2–3× treated lumber — roughly $4–$18 per square foot for the boards vs. $2–$6 for pressure-treated — and they're only the walking surface.
• The frame underneath is still wood. Composite decking isn't structural; it has to be fastened to a pressure-treated lumber frame — and per lumber-industry guidance, those treated frames deteriorate in as little as 10–15 years. The rot problem isn't solved. It's hidden under nicer boards.
• Labor is the hidden line item. Carpentry runs roughly $40–$60/hour in the Midwest, and a code-correct ramp with landings and rails is real construction. Total it honestly and a composite build lands in the same range as a professionally installed aluminum system — often above it.
• Slope math is unforgiving. ADA guidance is 1 foot of ramp per inch of rise — a 24-inch rise needs about 24 feet of ramp plus landings. Contractors report DIY ramps routinely measure steeper than 1:12 when a level finally goes on them.
• It's a permanent structure. When it's no longer needed — and for many families that's a season of life, not forever — a built ramp is a $1,000–$7,000 demolition. An aluminum system comes apart in an afternoon and sells.

The resale difference is real money

Browse the used market any week of the year and you'll find modular aluminum ramps listed across Ohio — typically asking around 30–60% of new cost, with complete systems on national marketplaces listed from about $1,250 up to $7,500. That's because an aluminum system unbolts, moves, and reinstalls. A wood or composite ramp's end-of-life value is a dumpster invoice. One is an asset; the other is an expense.

American-made vs. imported kits

Not all aluminum is the same aluminum. Every system we install is built by Rampit USA — a veteran-owned, family-owned American manufacturer building access ramps since 1992 — using high-strength 6000-series aluminum with a permanent knurled tread (no grip tape to peel), capacities up to 1,000 lbs on the modular line, and a lifetime warranty on aluminum components, with replacement parts a phone call away.

The budget-import picture is different. In July 2025, the CPSC recalled roughly 18,000 China-made aluminum ramps (utility/loading ramps sold at a national farm store) that could bend or break under load — 35 incident reports, including two injuries. Verified buyer reviews of bargain ramp kits tell the same story: advertised capacities that turn out to be per-pair rather than per-ramp, hinges rusting within weeks, decking that flexes until owners shore it up with blocks. On equipment someone's parent rolls down every day, engineered and warrantied beats cheap and hopeful.

What about renting? And the national chains?

Honest answer on renting: if you only need a ramp for a few months — say, recovery after surgery — renting can genuinely be your cheapest option, and we'll tell you so. But watch the math: rentals commonly run around $10–$12 per foot per month plus install and removal fees, so a 15-foot rental at ~$180/month crosses the cost of owning it outright somewhere around the one-year mark. Industry guides across the board agree: need it more than about 12 months, buy it.

On the chains: national installers price per linear foot and tend to quote the longest, most conservative configuration — a safe default that inflates footage and price. Our edge is right-sizing: Rob measures your actual rise in person and builds the shortest system that's safe for how it's really used — same American-made Rampit components, sized to your home instead of a worst-case template, with your exact price before any work starts.

Common questions

Doesn't aluminum get slippery in the rain?

The knurled extruded tread is designed specifically for wet and winter traction — it's a big reason care facilities choose aluminum over wood, and there's no grip tape to peel and reapply.

Will an aluminum ramp look industrial on my house?

Modern modular systems are clean, low-profile, and sized to your entry — and unlike weathering wood, they look the same in year ten as day one. When no longer needed, they remove without a trace, which buyers appreciate at sale time.

Can I really resell it later?

Yes — there's an active used market, with modular aluminum systems commonly listed around 30–60% of new price. Built wood or composite ramps can only be demolished, at a cost.

Do I need a permit?

It depends on your town — Ohio municipalities often require permits for ramps affixed to the home or altering an entry path, for any material. We'll flag what applies at your assessment; always confirm with your local building department.

So what will mine actually cost?

It depends entirely on your rise and layout — which is exactly what the free assessment measures. Nationally, installed modular aluminum typically runs $100–$220 per linear foot; right-sizing is how we keep your total down. You'll see your exact price before any work starts, and if a smaller, cheaper option does the job safely, that's what we'll recommend.

Figures are national averages compiled August 2026 from industry cost guides and manufacturer data, including EZ-Access, Lifeway Mobility, HomeGuide (2026), Angi, Fixr, HomeTips, AdvantageLumber (2025), ADA.gov slope guidance, CPSC Recall 25-387 (July 2025), and current marketplace listings. Your installed quote reflects your actual entryway, not an average. Resale figures reflect typical asking prices for used systems, not guaranteed sale values.