A wheelchair that is two inches too wide for the customer's bathroom door comes back, however good the price was. The spec sheet is where you catch that, as long as you know which numbers to read and notice the ones that are missing.
Self-propelled or transport
A self-propelled chair has large rear wheels with handrims so the user can push it; our lightweight aluminum wheelchair runs 22 in rear wheels. A transport chair has small rear wheels and is pushed by an attendant from behind. Our folding transport chair and bariatric transport chair both use 12 in wheels.
Transport chairs are lighter and easier to get into a car. They are also no use to someone who wants to get around on their own, which makes "who will be pushing it?" the first question to ask at the counter.
Seat width, seat depth and overall width
Seat width is measured across the seat. Standard adult chairs come in 16, 18 and 20 in, which is exactly how our reclining wheelchair is offered. Bariatric chairs pick up where those stop: our bariatric wheelchair comes in 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 in. Transport chairs sit slightly off that grid, at 17 and 19 in on our folding model and 22 in on the bariatric one.
Buyers check width and skip depth. Ours run 15.5 in on the lightweight aluminum chair, 16 in on the heavy-duty chair and 18 in on the 22 and 24 in bariatric models. Depth is also the number most open to interpretation: on a sling seat it can be taken along the fabric or out to the backrest, and the two figures differ. ISO 7176-7 specifies a method for measuring seat and wheel dimensions, so ask whether a sheet's numbers follow it.
Overall width is what decides the doorway. Wheels and handrims sit outside the seat, so our heavy-duty wheelchair has a 20 in seat and measures 27 in wide overall. For reference, the 2010 ADA Standards require a door to give at least 32 in of clear width in the buildings they cover, measured between the face of the door and the stop with the door open 90 degrees. Private homes are not held to that number, so have the customer measure the narrowest door the same way and compare it with overall width, never seat width.
Frame material and chair weight
Steel costs less and weighs more; aluminum saves weight. Chair weight is the number that matters to whoever lifts the chair into a car trunk, and it tends to trade against capacity.
| Model | Type | Capacity | Chair weight | Frame |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight Transport Chair | Attendant-propelled | 300 lb | 23 lb | Steel |
| Lightweight Aluminum Wheelchair, 18 in Seat | Self-propelled | 240 lb | 28 lb | Aluminum |
| Standard Folding Wheelchair, Steel Frame | Self-propelled | 250 lb | 39 lb | Steel |
| Heavy-Duty Wheelchair, 20 in Seat | Self-propelled | 400 lb | 45 lb | Steel |
| Folding Power Wheelchair | Battery-powered | 220 lb | 95 lb | Not listed |
Among our self-propelled chairs, the lightest one has the lowest capacity and the 400 lb chair is the heaviest. A store that stocks only one end of that trade turns away the customers at the other end. Ask, too, whether a listed chair weight includes footrests and armrests. ISO 7176-5 covers how a wheelchair's dimensions and mass are determined, which gives you a fair basis for comparing two sheets.
Weight capacity
Capacity is the maximum user weight the manufacturer rates the chair for. Across our wheelchairs and transport chairs it runs from 220 lb to 700 lb:
- 220 lb: folding power wheelchair
- 240 to 250 lb: lightweight aluminum wheelchair (240), standard folding wheelchair (250)
- 250 to 300 lb: folding transport chair, depending on model
- 300 lb: reclining wheelchair, lightweight transport chair
- 400 lb: heavy-duty wheelchair
- 450 lb: bariatric wheelchair with 22 or 24 in seat, bariatric transport chair
- 600 lb: bariatric wheelchair with 26 to 30 in seat
- 700 lb: bariatric wheelchair with 32 in seat
On the bariatric chair, capacity steps up with seat width, so read the two together. Then ask how the capacity was established. ISO 7176-8 sets requirements and test methods for the static, impact and fatigue strength of wheelchairs, and a supplier with test reports against it can answer that question in one email.
Folding and transport dimensions
Most manual chairs fold side to side. What a customer needs is the folded width and height, and plenty of spec sheets leave them out, including most of ours, so ask. Open dimensions are more common: the heavy-duty chair measures 27 W x 36.3 H x 42 L in with footrests.
The folding power wheelchair is the exception, with its folded size on the sheet: 30 x 28.5 x 16 in. It also weighs 95 lb, which is the honest footnote to the word "folding". It folds, and someone still has to lift 95 lb. Its turning radius is listed at 47 in; ISO 7176-5 also covers maneuvering space, if you need to compare that figure with another chair's.
Clinic and facility buyers sometimes ask about floor space. The ADA Standards set the clear floor space for a wheelchair at 30 by 48 in, and the heavy-duty chair, at 27 by 42 in with footrests, sits inside it.
Legrests, armrests and upholstery
The same frame often ships with different arm and leg options, so these lines are worth a question even when the sheet looks complete. For armrests, ask whether they are fixed, flip-back, swing-back or removable, and whether they are full length or desk length. The heavy-duty chair has swing-back arms, which clear the side of the seat for a sideways transfer.
For legrests, ask whether the footrests swing away or detach, whether elevating legrests are available, and the height range; the standard folding wheelchair's footrests adjust from 15 to 20 in. Ask about upholstery too. The heavy-duty chair uses fire-resistant nylon, and the bariatric chair is listed in nylon.
Get these in writing before you stock a model
- Seat width, seat depth and seat height
- Overall open width and length, plus folded dimensions
- Chair weight, and whether it includes footrests and armrests
- Weight capacity and the test it rests on
- Rear wheel size and how the chair is propelled
- Armrest and legrest types
- Frame material and upholstery
Every chair mentioned here is in the mobility catalog with its specs and SKUs. Prices are quoted per order: send a quote list and we reply with case pricing, availability and lead time. If a spec you need is not listed, ask on the quote. How to order explains the process.
Articles are general information for trade buyers, not medical, legal, tax or reimbursement advice. We make no health claims for any product, and each product's labeling controls.
Questions buyers ask
What seat widths should a medical supply store stock?
Standard adult widths are 16, 18 and 20 in. Bariatric chairs start at 22 in; ours run from 22 to 32 in, with capacity rising as the seat gets wider.
What is the difference between a transport chair and a wheelchair?
A self-propelled wheelchair has large rear wheels with handrims so the user can push it. A transport chair has small rear wheels, 12 in on ours, and is pushed by an attendant.
How much wider than the seat is a wheelchair overall?
Several inches. Our heavy-duty chair has a 20 in seat and is 27 in wide overall, so compare doorways with overall width.
How are wheelchair dimensions measured?
ISO 7176-5 covers overall dimensions, mass and maneuvering space, and ISO 7176-7 covers seat and wheel dimensions. Ask whether a spec sheet follows them.