Ceiling Lifts vs. Floor Lifts: How to Choose a Ceiling or Track Lift

Floor lifts and ceiling lifts do the same basic job: they raise a person in a full-body sling and move them between a bed, chair, wheelchair or commode. Where they differ is in what sits on the floor, what goes overhead and how much room each one needs. This guide compares the two, walks through the track options and lists the ceiling lift models we carry. It covers equipment only; how a person should be transferred is a question for their care team.

How is a ceiling lift different from a floor lift?

A floor lift is a mast and boom on a wheeled base. The caregiver pushes it to the bed, spreads the legs to get around furniture and rolls the person to the next seat. A ceiling lift is a motor that rides on a rail above the room. The caregiver attaches the sling, raises the person and slides them along the rail. Because nothing rolls across the floor, a ceiling lift works in tight bedrooms and bathrooms where a floor lift's legs would struggle to fit.

When does a floor lift make more sense?

A floor lift is often the simpler first purchase. It needs no track, can be wheeled into any room with enough clearance and can usually lift a person from the floor. The Hoyer Advance-E, for example, runs on a removable battery, carries a 341 lb rating, folds without tools and weighs about 70 lb. The trade-off is space: you need clear floor around the bed and chair, room under the bed for the base legs, and enough turning space to swing the lift. Our guide to choosing a patient lift for home care covers floor lifts in more depth.

What kinds of ceiling track are there?

• Free-standing frames. Posts stand on the floor and hold the rail, so nothing is fixed to the ceiling or walls. The Arjo EASYtrack FS 2-post system stands 7 ft 11 in tall, weighs 84.2 lb in total and runs a straight rail between two posts. The Prism FST-300 frame weighs 45 lb, with no single piece over 17 lb, and adjusts up to 7 1/2 ft.
• Pressure-fit systems. Posts are wedged between floor and ceiling. Arjo's 3-post layout sets a pivoting rail in a triangle, and its 4-post X-Y layout lets the lift travel anywhere inside a rectangle. Both suit ceilings from 84 to 108 in.
• Permanent tracks. Rails fixed to the ceiling structure or walls, planned and installed for a specific room. The Luna ceiling hoist we list runs on wall-mounted track, and its listing includes installation and training.

Portable or fixed lift motor: which do you need?

A portable motor unclips from the rail and can be carried to another room that has its own track. The Voyager weighs 12 lb with its battery, is rated for 440 lb and has a quick-release strap, so the caregiver can hook it to the rail without lifting the motor overhead. The Arjo Maxi Sky 440 weighs about 14 lb, is also rated for 440 lb and comes with a folding two-point spreader bar for Arjo loop slings. The Savaria Monarch weighs 11 lb, comes in 286 lb and 440 lb versions and uses a lithium-ion battery that Savaria says recharges in about two hours.

A fixed motor stays on its track. The Luna can work either way: it detaches and reattaches without tools, so it can run as a fixed or a portable unit.

Which lift motors work with which tracks?

Not every motor fits every rail. Arjo lists the Maxi Sky 440 for its EASYtrack systems, and the free-standing FS frame for the Maxi Sky 2 as well. The Voyager is sold for use on the EasyTrack system. Prism pairs its FST-300 frame with its P-300 lift. If you already own a track or a motor, call us with the model before you order so we can check that the two work together.

How do the ceiling lift options compare?

How do you measure a room for a ceiling lift?

• Measure the ceiling height at the spots where posts or brackets will go.
• Map the route: bed to chair, wheelchair, commode or bathroom, and how long the rail must be.
• Check the floor area the posts will take up, and whether furniture must move.
• If one motor will serve several rooms, plan a track in each room.
• For a permanent track, ask us about installation before you order.

What should you check before you buy?

• Compare the user's weight with the rating of the motor, the track and the sling.
• Confirm the motor and the track are compatible.
• Choose free-standing, pressure-fit or permanent track for your room.
• Use slings approved by the lift maker, sized to the user.
• Plan caregiver training, including emergency lowering.
• Read our returns policy before ordering.

Talk to us

Want help planning a track layout? Call 1-877-861-8000, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Pacific, or email contactus@medsupplynow.com. US orders of $50 or more ship free. Hospital beds and patient, pool, bath and vehicle lifts are not returnable. Other items can be returned within 30 days, less a 20% restocking fee. For a track system bought on its own, call us about returns on this item. Browse our ceiling and overhead lifts and patient lifts.

Related guides

You may also find these useful: how to choose a patient lift for home care, sit-to-stand lifts and our bariatric equipment buyer's guide. For every topic we cover, see the buyer's guide hub.

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