#Stair rail code height how to
How to measure the height of a stair rail? You should also place your foot in front of and behind the stairs to be safe. The railing must always be 34 to 38 inches above the top of the stairs to comply with U.S. In certain areas of the country such as California and Washington State deck raiilng much reach a height of 42 inches above the deck surface.How tall are stair rails? Reasonable height. Note that dimensions here should be taken excluding carpets rugs or runners. A 1-inch 25 mm nosing shall be provided on stairways with solid risers. Section 40321 a 6 lists the regulations applying to stairway treads and risers. The code specifies that risers should not be more than 7 ¾ inches in height and that any variation of risers within a flight of stairs should not be more than ⅜ inch. In the USA if your porch floor is less than 30 inches high from the ground a porch railing is NOT required by code. In a stairway risers must not be greater than 8 34 inches in height and must not vary by.
#Stair rail code height install
If your porch or deck is above a certain distance from the ground over 9 feet for example you may be required to install 42 inch balusters or longer. Available online at httpThe IRC requires that the railing be able to resist a 200-pound concentrated load applied along the top in any direction while some local codes still in effect specify a smaller load of 20 pounds per linear foot. The construction documents shall include the following. This deck railing height code also applies to commercial decks and balconies such as restaurants bars and museums as well as multi-family homes condos and any deck on a third-story or higher.
Note that some local jurisdiction or state require higher such as 42 in California. In some states such as California the minimum height is 42. The IRC requires guardrails to be at least 36 in height measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail. Maximum riser height shall be 8¼ inches 210 mm and the minimum tread depth shall be 9 inches 229 mm. In Canada the maximum height from the ground is 24 inches. READ: Balcony Railing Height RequirementsĬanada REsidential Rail Height and Dimensions Guards are required when then deck is 24 60 cm above grade. What is the best porch railing heightHow should a porch railing be build for code complianceHow much space should there be under a porch railingAnswer all. Decks attached to single family detached homes are generally regulated under the rules of the International Residential Code IRC. Obtain Township Zoning Approval b.ġ8 posts related to Deck Railing Code Pennsylvania. Treads are the flat horizontal parts of a stairway and risers are the vertical parts of the stairway that link the treads. Stair rails on decks should be between 34 inches and 38 inches high measured vertically from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail. Basically railing height must be at least a minimum of 36 inches from the floor of your porch floor. There are building code requirements for a porch. Provide four 4 copies of a construction documents including a site plan.Ī railing is only necessary if the deck is 30 or more off the ground and 24 in certain jurisdictions. Complete a Building Permit Application c. 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 minimum height of the railing varies based on the height of the deck. The guard rail height may be a minimum of 36-inches and a maximum of 42-inches. The railing must be strong enough to resist horizontal loads from people leaning on it.ĭeck Railing Code Colorado. Handrail height on the stairs should be no less than 34 inches and no greater than 38 inches. 1 Uniform Construction Code Statute 35 PS. Staircase Bottom Landing Pictures Deck Stair Railing Stair Railing Railing Its extremely important to check with your local building codes department to determine your local requirements. If your porch floor is over the heights stated the code requires a.