I seriously doubt the plywood would harm the carpet. Even if it did at the end you could just pay to have the carpet replaced. In the mean time you could move the lift easily as needed. Your first priority is moving the lift. Taper the plywood edges to alleviate tripping.

Do the arithmetic and see what the carpet replacement would cost. If it's within reason or your means then go ahead with the plywood. Then if it did not hurt the carpet well you'd be home free. If there was harm well it would just be a planned known expense balanced against having a terrible time moving the lift.

Possibly you could have the carpet taken up, stored and put back down at the end. Ask em. Got nuthin to lose.

Mxyplux - Mom doesn't like the idea of unfinished plywood on her bedroom floor. Also worried about the caregivers picking up splinters. I had considered calling the admin to see if we could take up and store the carpet but I am trying to fly under the radar with the hoyer lift. I don't know if they would allow it in Independent Living. Maybe the fact that she is on hospice would make a difference to them.

Hi

I see. Just for drill, however, if somebody else has the need I have a 4 X 8 piece of construction siding on a carpet in one corner for a weight workout area and there's really no chance of splinters because it is a partical board type and not regular plywood. I sanded the both sides quite smooth and bevelled it up so it could slide, if desired, w/o catching. Lot cheaper than plywood.

I don't remember if I varnised the bottom of this piece but have in the past which eliminates any possibility of catching. I made a Christmas tree stand platform of plywood, 2 foot square, varnished and bevelled up, and could slide the tree around the room as desired. No damage.

Yes, wood laid down on carpet will ruin it, leave that huge indentation from being pushed down by the lift as its used many times. Look at heavy pieces of furniture and what is left behind after being down all those years.

Well let's see. Presume a 200# couch with 300# of people on board on 4 legs and each leg is 1 square inch then the pressure is 125 pounds per square inch on the carpet under each leg spread over 1 sq in.

Set that couch w/people on a 4ft X 8Ft plywood (25#) and the pressure would be 525 pounds over over 4608 sq in. That approximates the weight of a Hoyer Lift with passenger and operator. The pressure would be 525/4608 = 0.114 psi.

So that'd be about 0.09% as much pressure. Plus it's spreadout over 32 feet dontchaakno? That would ruin a carpet? Naw. The only problem would be at the end there'd be a big clean spot where the pad was.

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If you choose chair mats look for the thickest ones. I bot 2 about 25 years ago and they had both light and heavy duty; heavy was noticebly thicker. I sit on the thick my wife on the light. Chair mats, however, have beveled edges so there'd be trouble at the joints. they leave nice clean areas too. :-)

What flumixes me is why Mom, who is completely incapacitated and dependant on others, is dictating what is on the floor.

I guess my concern isn't so much with the board pressing down the carpet, but rather the carpet causing unsteadiness to the board :: unsteadiness to the lift. Remember that the lift gets moved from one location to another, even if it's just to move it 90 degrees to access a chair. I'm afraid the weigh of the lift would lift the unattached boards thereby effecting the safety of the lift.

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!

I thought it would be perfect for my dad to get an office chair mat. Got the biggest 1 they had laid it down & 1st night I had put glass of water where dad could reach it. He was half asleep & spilled some of it on the pad. I stepped on it to get him up in the morning & went flying. Those things are slippery as all get out when wet. I took it back. I settled on a heavy towel beside the bed to absorb any water. So might want to take bottle of water with you & rub little on corner & see if your fingers slid like crazy. If your mom would agree to it they have some reasonably priced wood laminate that I've seen used on a DIY or Knock it Off show & it looks very nice. That way room would be safe & so many want wood or wood look floors now. 1 thing about real wood is it dents & if you walk around barefoot it sucks moisture out of your feet. DD got wood as kids had lots of allergies & they were a mess until they started wearing slippers all the time.