When is a railing needed on a deck

The question is — should you anyway? Safety codes are excellent guides for us all. Codes may seem like a pain, but behind the code are some clever engineers who are just trying to keep folks safe. Graspability guidelines make sure that human hands can grab the handrail easily and securely. Engineers have determined that round handrails should be between 1. Those engineers have also determined that the rail needs to be 1. 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.

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Most often, I hear someone choosing not to add a railing for one of the following reasons: Expense: Some people skip the railing just to save money. The first time someone missteps and breaks an ankle is going to cost you. Or, if you avoid that, consider the cost to get rid of the critters that decide to move into the dark, enclosed space under your low-to-the-ground deck.

Eventually, your choice to build low could cost you. Building codes for a standard single-family residential dwelling are typically based on the International Residential Code IRC , a set of minimum guidelines established to ensure the protection of public health, safety, and welfare. According to the IRC, deck guardrails must be installed on any deck higher than 30 inches above grade.

The deck guardrail height should be a minimum of 36 inches , as measured from the surface of the deck to the top of the rail. Some local municipalities have their own code requirements about guardrail height, so check with the building department to ensure it does not require a higher railing than 36 inches.

If a proposed deck will be lower than 30 inches above grade, it may not require guardrails to pass code but a homeowner may opt to install them for safety anyway. When purchasing railing for a deck, homeowners will need to consider both guardrails around the perimeter of the deck and railing for the deck stairs.

Deck stair railing should stand at least 34 inches high, measuring vertically from the nose of the stair tread to the top of the rail. The IRC specifies that deck stair railing should measure between 34 and 38 inches high, so homeowners may wish to use railing that is even higher than 34 inches for their deck stairs. Balusters are the vertical posts that run along the guardrails and stair railings to prevent people and pets from falling off the edge of the deck or staircase.

Code requirements dictate that balusters be spaced less than 4 inches apart to prevent babies and small children from sticking their heads in the gaps between balusters. If a deck baluster must be placed against a lower railing, the 4-inch rule also applies to the space between the bottom of the railing and the deck surface.