Wheelchairs made of wood

A wheelchair frame in wood sounds like an experiment, but laminated timber suits the job well. It is light for its strength, it can be bent into the curves a frame needs, and when it is damaged it can be repaired with glue, clamps and ordinary workshop tools.

Why laminated timber

A solid piece of wood bent into a tight curve would crack, and a curve cut from a wide board leaves short grain that breaks easily. Laminating avoids both. Thin strips are glued together over a form, and once cured they hold the curve with the grain running along the whole part. The result is stiff, predictable and lighter than its size suggests.

The species matters. Straight-grained hardwoods such as ash, beech or birch are the usual choices, because they bend well and take glue reliably. The glue matters just as much: it has to cope with damp, changes in temperature and constant small movements.

How a frame is built

• Forms and templates. Each curved part has its own form, made once and reused, so every frame of the same design comes out the same.
• Glue-up. The strips are coated, stacked and clamped over the form, then left until the glue has fully cured.
• Shaping and joining. The parts are trimmed, drilled and joined, and every edge a hand might touch is rounded and sanded smooth.
• Finish. A durable finish protects the wood from water, sweat and cleaning products.

Wheels, bearings, brakes and tyres are not made of wood. They are bought-in parts, chosen so that they can be replaced with standard components.

Made to be repaired anywhere

This is the point of the whole idea. A bent metal frame usually needs a specialist and the right equipment. A cracked laminated part can be re-glued and clamped, or a new one made over the same form. All it takes is the drawings, the form, timber, glue and the tools found in most joinery workshops.

Safety comes first

A wheelchair is not a piece of furniture. The person using it depends on it every day, so a new design has to be tested under load before it is put into use, and a repaired part checked before the chair goes back to its user. Good craftsmanship here means care as much as skill.