Do You Have to Step Over the Threshold on a Transfer Wheelchair Tub?

No. On the Transfer30, Transfer32, Transfer60 and TransferXXL the L-shape door opens the entire side of the seat, so you sit on the edge of the seat from a wheelchair or transfer bench and swing your legs and body into the tub before closing the door. The threshold is still among the lowest in the line at roughly 3.5 to 4 inches, but you do not have to step over it. Figures for every model are in Step-In Threshold Heights by Model and How Low It Can Go.

How a Transfer Works

A U-shape or inward-swing door leaves a lip that the bather crosses on foot. The L-shape Transfer door opens the full side instead, which turns the entry into a seated transfer. The seat height is approximately 21 inches from the floor per the team, chosen to provide a comfortable transfer for most users. Other seated models target the 17 to 19 inch range used for accessible toilets, so the Transfer seat sits a little higher on purpose. The tour is in the wheelchair transfer tubs on video article.

Threshold Figures for the Transfer Family

• Transfer family generally: approximately 3.5 to 4 inches, alongside the Capri as the lowest in the line.
• Transfer32: about 4 to 4.5 inches per the team.
• One customer reading the Transfer60 drawing put it near 3 1/4 inches, and one team answer grouped the Transfer tubs with the 6 inch models.

Because the figures have not always matched from one answer to the next, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 for your exact model's threshold in writing before ordering if it is critical for the bather. The technical drawing on each spec sheet shows the height from the floor to the bottom of the door opening, but drawings can be hard to read.

Floor Clearance in Front of the Door

An outward door needs open floor in front of it, which is separate from the step-in height. The L-shape Transfer door needs about 36.5 inches of clearance in front, compared with about 21 inches for a U-shape door. Plan for the wheelchair or transfer bench to sit in that space, and see the outward door swing clearance article before finalizing the layout.

How the Transfer Compares with Other Doors

Published drawing values and team figures for other models include the Monaco at 3 5/8 inches and the Mobile at about 3 3/4 inches, the Big4One and ShaK at about 5 inches, the Ultra at about 6 inches and the Elite at about 6.5 inches. Most in-swing tubs land around 4 to 5 inches and some outward-swing tubs around 6 inches. On any of those models the bather steps over the lip, which is why the seated transfer on the L-shape door matters more than a fraction of an inch of threshold.

Lowering the Threshold Further

Thresholds can be reduced to about 3 to 3.5 inches when the tub is set lower and the drain body sits below the subfloor. The leveling legs let the tub sit lower, but the drain then needs a subfloor opening, and the bottom of the apron or end panel is trimmed to clear the floor. Cutting those parts voids warranty coverage on the altered panels only. Ask whether a low-threshold build is available for your model before planning any floor or drain work, and have a local licensed plumber carry it out, since Ella does not send technicians.

Related Guides

• Getting Into a Transfer Tub: Three Entry Methods and How the L-Door Is Built, on Video
• Operating the L-Shape Transfer Door: Front Handle, Closing, and Wheelchair Entry
• How Wide Is the Door Opening? Published Door Widths, Swing Arcs and Clearance by Door Family

Related Videos

Common Questions

Do I have to step over the threshold on a Transfer tub? No. The L-shape door opens the entire side of the seat, so you sit on the seat edge from a wheelchair or transfer bench and swing your legs in.

How high is the seat on a Transfer walk-in tub? Approximately 21 inches from the floor per the team, chosen for a comfortable transfer for most users. Ask for the written figure for your model if the transfer height is critical.

Which Ella walk-in tubs have the lowest step-in threshold? The Transfer family and the Capri, at roughly 3.5 to 4 inches. The Monaco and Mobile drawings also show thresholds under 4 inches.

How much floor space does the Transfer door need? About 36.5 inches in front of the L-shape door, compared with about 21 inches for a U-shape door. That clearance is separate from the step-in height.

Can the Transfer threshold be made lower? Setting the tub lower with the drain below the subfloor reduces thresholds to about 3 to 3.5 inches. Trimmed panels lose their warranty coverage, so plan it with the team and your plumber first.