Do You Know Your Stairway Building Code Requirements?
Guesswork on door width or kitchen island height? It may be against code, but chances are it may not be lethal. Guesswork on stairway code? Bad idea.
When you start looking at stairway code regarding handrails, you begin to see the logic behind it; it's not an arbitrary thing at all. For instance, the requirement that handrails be continuous all the way down is good common sense. Switching from one rail to another may be just the thing that causes you to lose concentration and fall, mid-switch. How ironic, painful, and dumb that your railing would be the thing that causes you to fall.
Let's look at highlights of railing and guard requirements as derived from 2009 International Residential Code for One-and Two-Family Dwellings and 2009 International Building Code.
Note on Terminology: A railing runs on an incline up/down stairs. A guard runs horizontally along a landing or other flat area with a drop on the other side.
Provide at least 1.5 inches of clearance between the wall and the railing for easy grasping by the hand.
When you have two railings--one on each side of the stairwell--those railings must be at least 27 inches apart from each other.
Railing height on stairs should be between 34 and 38 inches. The way you measure this is from the very end of the stair nosing upward. Measuring at a different part of the stair tread will give you an inaccurate measurement.
Minimum height for this guard-railing is 36 inches.
When you start looking at stairway code regarding handrails, you begin to see the logic behind it; it's not an arbitrary thing at all. For instance, the requirement that handrails be continuous all the way down is good common sense. Switching from one rail to another may be just the thing that causes you to lose concentration and fall, mid-switch. How ironic, painful, and dumb that your railing would be the thing that causes you to fall.
Let's look at highlights of railing and guard requirements as derived from 2009 International Residential Code for One-and Two-Family Dwellings and 2009 International Building Code.
Note on Terminology: A railing runs on an incline up/down stairs. A guard runs horizontally along a landing or other flat area with a drop on the other side.
Maximum Projection of Railing From Wall; Hand Clearance
The outer edge of the railing should not project more than 4.5 inches from the wall on which it is mounted.Provide at least 1.5 inches of clearance between the wall and the railing for easy grasping by the hand.
Minimum Railing Distance From Each Other - Two Railings
When you have two railings--one on each side of the stairwell--those railings must be at least 27 inches apart from each other.
Minimum Railing Distance - One Railing
When you have just one railing on a staircase, the outer edge of the railing must be at least 31.5 inches away from the wall on the other side of the staircase.Staircase Railing Height
Railing height on stairs should be between 34 and 38 inches. The way you measure this is from the very end of the stair nosing upward. Measuring at a different part of the stair tread will give you an inaccurate measurement.
Guard Railing Minimum Height
When the drop-off is more than 30 inches, a guard must be installed on horizontal walking surfaces.Minimum height for this guard-railing is 36 inches.
