The handrail should be between 34 and 38 inches in a vertical line from the stair. They recommend that a railing start about a foot from the stairs and extend a foot past the bottom stair. The fact is that outdoor stairs are more hazardous than indoor ones. Ice, snow, rain, and algae can all make outdoor stairs slipperier than indoor ones.
Weathering makes stairs uneven and creates tripping hazards. Statistics say that over one million injuries a year are the result of tripping downstairs. Regardless of building codes, if you have an older person, a person with disabilities or a younger shorter person living or visiting your home — install the handrail.
Then install some stair lights. If your deck is over 30 inches from the ground, then by law you need railings for the deck stairs. Low rise aka floating decks are less than 30 inches from grade and are exempt. There are safety recommendations for handrails and then some for guardrails aka guards or guarding.
The two serve different purposes. A handrail is for your hands to grip for balance going up and down. A guardrail is a barrier that keeps toddlers, pets and sometimes you from falling off a drop. It's easy to explain why handrails are crucial for the safety of any stair system. They provide you leverage and assist in maintaining balance while climbing up or going down the stairs.
The idea is to grab the handrail with your hand to achieve better balance. That significantly reduces the risk of falling at all ages. It is vital to honor code requirements for the optimal protection of the people using the stairs. That's the only way to maximize the benefits of the rail system.
You will need to follow different regulations depending on your property. However, it ultimately comes down to your local building codes. They cover everything from the height of the handrail, to the material you can use in a particular location.
The experts advise consulting with the local regulation. Don't hesitate to contact the city hall or another relevant authority to tell you what requirements your handrails should fulfill. It could be that there's no detail on how many steps require a handrail. Instead, you'll notice the rise requirements. If the total rise is at least three feet, most regulations will require a rail and handrail. The rise is the difference between the bottom of the stairs and their top edge.
In other words, it's the height difference from the ground to the area you want to reach. The answer to this question is the same as above — you want to consult the local regulations.
However, most of them consider the rise and not the actual number of steps. So, the number of stair treads is not relevant, but the exact height is. The critical thing to note is that handrails must be provided to all stairways that have a rise of at least three feet.
As for the building codes, they might not apply to all properties. If you believe your stairs aren't subject to inspections, you don't have to abide by the codes, but it is always a good idea to check and confirm local building codes.
A handrail on both sides of the stairs will be required if the stair width is greater than this. You do not need a handrail on the first two bottom steps. If your home has three or fewer steps , there's no need to install a handrail. However, homes having four or more stairs must have a rail mounted on at least one side if the stairway is less than 44 inches wide. If one edge of the stairwell is open, that's where the handrail must be. Asked by: Sharif Vinciguerra asked in category: General Last Updated: 11th February, How many stairs before a handrail is required?
To get to your question - the code doesn't refer to the exterior in steps but states from finished floor or platform to finished grade in excess of 30" requires a guard rail. It's with interior they mention any stairway with more than 3 risers 2 steps will require a handrail. What is the code for railing spacing? Balusters, the vertical guards that support the handrail, must be installed close enough that the space between them is no greater than 4 inches.
Most city inspectors carry a 4-inch ball with them to test the spacing. Installed balusters should withstand 50 lbs. What side should stair handrail be on? To meet building code requirements, the stair railing should be mounted so that the top of the handrail height is 34 to 38 in.
We chose 36 in. What is code for interior stairs? Stair tread depths shall be 11 inches mm minimum. The riser height shall be measured vertically between the leading edges of adjacent treads.
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