lee, will your elevator be able to hold 2x4x8 or a 4x8 sheet of plywood?
No. We had to cut ours down to 42 inches deep from the standard 48 inches. I think a standared sheet of plywood would fit in a standard one, although I am not sure the door is tall enough to get it inside one.
By the time the elevator is needed, I doubt anyone would be handling 4'x8' sheets of plywood. I can no longer do that now, have to have Home Depot cut them into more manageable sizes I can deal with. They have been very helpful in doing that for me.
We moved to a new ranch in the fall of 2013 with everything on the main level. Trains are the only thing in the basement and I think the lift Dewey posted would do quite nicely for us to access the basement that way if need be. Laundry and everything else is on the main level. We also have 36" doors everywhere in the house for wheel chair access just in case that is ever needed. With a couple of other minor adjustments we should be ready for some health issues, but of course we are really hoping we never have to deal with all that.
