How long should a railing be

Yet, if the railing is pushed out too far, there is the risk of violating another section of code that provides for 27 inches of walking width between the two railings of a double-railing staircase. Stair railing and stair guards, though they may sound like the same thing, are different.

Stair railing runs on the stair incline, up and down. By contrast, stair guards run horizontally along a flat area, with a drop on the other side. Stair guards do not protect stairs but are often used in conjunction with stairs, as with stair landings or elevated walking areas leading to stairs. Handrail height is the height of the handrail in relation to the stairs.

Handrail height on the stairs should be no less than 34 inches and no greater than 38 inches. The way this is measured is to begin at the leading edge of the stair nosing and run an imaginary vertical line upward until it reaches the top of the railing.

The same measurement applies to all of the stair nosings, thus resulting in a railing that is parallel to the stairs. Measuring at a different part of the stair tread than the nosing or at a different part of the handrail than the top will give you an inaccurate measurement and might result in a code violation.

There are some exceptions where handrails can be higher than 38 inches, such as continuous transitions between flights or transitions from a handrail to a guard. The projection from the wall describes how far the handrail is away from the wall that it is mounted on. Railing that projects farther than this will crowd the walking path, especially when there is a railing at the other side of the stairs, limiting the walking space.

Minimum hand clearance means the distance between the handrail and the wall. In other words, this is the area where your hand goes. This clearance is represented by a line that extends from the wall to the nearest part of the handrail. Position the long edge of your smartphone along the Nosing Line or, if there is a molding running parallel to the stair slope you can measure its angle instead.

Beautiful, code-compliant , easy to install and delivered in as little as 24 hours. It is a common and almost pervasive misunderstanding that in order for free-standing handrails to…. Canada USA. Elements to Measure The proper installation of a handrail, regardless of the type of building, requires an understanding of how to measure for length and height of the handrail.

Measuring Handrail Length The length of the sloped section of handrail is measured on a line running along the nosings of all steps, starting at the nosing of the top landing and running to the floor at the lower end. Measuring Handrail Height The top surface of the handrail should be between 34 and 38 inches above the floor, or above the Nosing Line.

The code calls for railings to end at a newel post, return to the wall, or to have a safety terminal. If the stair railing has vertical spindles, or balusters, between the rail and the steps, the distance between them can be no greater than 4 inches. Typically, building inspectors use a ball with a 4-inch diameter to test the spacing. Railings must be able to withstand 50 pounds of pressure per square foot.

The IRC defines stair rails and guardrails differently. Guardrails are designed to prevent falls, while stair rails are something to hold onto. Guards are required in nonresidential settings when the height of a fall from the stairs would be greater than 30 inches even if the staircase has fewer than four risers. Keuka Studios Stair Calculator Use this calculator tool to check your measurements when measuring an existing stair for a new railing.

Decimal Fractional. Tread Rise [D]. Number of Rises [H]. Tread Run [C]. Tread Thickness [E]. Nose Projection [I]. Stringer Mount Type:. Standard Flush. Stair Results: Decimal.

Total Rise [A] in. Total Run [B] in. Stair Results: Fractional.