Recommended Stair Railing Height

Irc stair railing code.

Recommended stair railing height.

To meet building code requirements the stair railing should be mounted so that the top of the handrail height is 34 to 38 in. These are two model codes and are offered as suggested guidelines for local code authorities to follow at their discretion. The top rail must be at least 42 inches in height 1910 29 f 1 ii b and the handrail must be 30 to 38 inches in height 1910 29 f 1 i as measured at the leading edge of the stair tread to the top surface of the rail. The minimum height of the railing varies based on the height of the deck.

If you choose to install a guardrail on a deck lower than 30 you must still meet code requirements. Handrail graspability to be either type i or ii with a minimum 1 1 2 inch clearance from a wall. Maximum 7 3 4 inch stair riser height. Step 3 below shows how to find this wall mounted handrail height point at the top of the stair.

Stair hand railings must also not have any protruding edges that can cause potential injury either. Canada residential rail height and dimensions. In addition to a railing s height the space between the wall and the railing known as the railing s clearance is also important. The international residential code for one and two family dwellings irc and the international building code ibc address staircase railings.

Maximum 12 3 vertical height rise for a flight of stairs. Handrail height to be placed a minimum 34 inches to 38 inches. 34 to 38 34 to 38 28 with a minimum of 9 clearance between the child and adult handrail 30 to 38 36 to 38 may also serve as guard 34 and 42 34 and 42 guard height. Minimum 10 inch stair tread depth with nosing or minimum 11 inches with no nosing.

Guard railings must also follow approved guidelines. Above the front edge of the stair nosings. See enclosed figure 2 for an example of a stair rail system installed after january 17 2017. There are also tread and riser laws too.

We chose 36 in. Decks 24 to 5 10 180 cm need 36 guards and anything above 5 10 requires a 42 high railing. For best results consult your area s building codes to verify these regulations and check for any unusual extra regulations you need to follow. When designing or building a staircase we focus mostly on the big things more exactly the actual staircase and we tend to ignore the details such as the railing forgetting that there s a building code which we need to respect.

Building codes and ada regulations require a minimum clearance of 1 5 inches when railings are attached to a wall rather than vertical posts that are part of the stairway. The irc requires guardrails to be at least 36 in height measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail. Where children are primary users recommended not required general stair rail system.