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).
What height should a stair handrail be?
Measuring Handrail Height
The top surface of the handrail should be
between 34 and 38 inches above the floor
, or above the Nosing Line. Some installation guides suggest marking the height by measuring from the nosings of the steps.
What is the correct height for a stair handrail?
To meet building code requirements, the stair railing should be mounted so that the top of the handrail height is
34 to 38 in. above the front edge of the stair nosings
.
What is the code for handrail on stairs?
Handrail Height
In the U.S., the I-Codes require handrail placed
between 34 and 38 inches
. In commercial applications, the NBC permits the top or a guard (42′′ minimum height) to also serve as handrail. In the U.S., once a stair has a 30′′ drop, a guard (42′′ minimum) and a handrail (34′′ to 38′′) would both be required.
Do I need a handrail for 3 steps?
A: Editorial Adviser Mike Guertin replies: Since
your stairs will have only three risers, you don’t need to install a handrail
. That said, it’s important to count the number of risers accurately.
What angle should a handrail be?
The angle should be
between 20 and 38 degrees
.
How do you measure for a handrail?
Overall length is determined by measuring the horizontal distance from the edge of the nosing on the first tread at the bottom of the staircase to the edge of the nosing on the floor/landing at the top of the staircase. The final measurement to acquire is
the distance along the nosing
.
How many risers require a handrail?
A handrail is required for staircases, platforms or landings above 1 metre from the ground. This will be
4 risers
and 3 treads of a compliant staircase.
Is it illegal not to have a handrail on stairs?
Handrails are mandatory
. Stairs should have a handrail on at least one side if they are less than one metre wide, and on both sides if wider than this. Handrails should be placed between 900mm and 1000mm above the highest point on the staircase steps.
Should handrail be on right or left?
When it comes to which side railings should go, we don’t talk about it in terms of the left or right sides. Instead,
handrails should always, first of all, go on the open side of the staircase
. As you may have guessed: the open side means the side that doesn’t have a guarding wall.
Do outdoor steps need a handrail?
The open side can be along the length or width of the stairway. This means that
exterior stairs will require a guardrail and / or handrail along the open side
.
Do I need a handrail for 5 steps?
The International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Building Code (IBC) say you should install a handrail on any stairs used to get in or out of your house. A railing is required for
four or more risers
. A handrail is for your hands to hold, while stair rails prevent you falling sideways.
How many steps can you take without a handrail?
The building code does not refer to the number of “steps” but it does require a handrail
when there are two or more “risers”
. For clarification, a “riser” is the vertical portion of a stair. The “tread” is the top of a step. A two riser minimum would translate to two steps.
Are stairs at 45 degrees?
For example, if you were crazy and built a staircase with a 12 inch tread and riser, then
the angle of the stringer to the floor would be 45 degrees
. A more common angle is about 37 degrees.
