What are the rules for handrails and guardrails?

expert EXPERT April 26, 2007

Handrails provide something to hold when going up or down stairs. Guards or guardrails keep people from falling off landings, decks, balconies and the open sides of staircases.

Handrails and guards are safety devices. Rules about where they are required vary by jurisdiction. Exterior guardrails are typically required on any porches, decks, or balconies more than two feet or 30 inches above grade. If you are adding or repairing a guardrail, check your local building standards to see which applies.

In most cases, handrails are needed on only one side of the stairwell as long as the stairs are not more than 44 inches wide. A staircase that is over 44 inches wide may need handrails on both sides.

Common sense dictates that the handrails must be strong enough to support someone's weight if they stumble. They must also be easy to grab. The handrail section should be at least 1 1 .2 inches out from any wall so you can get your hand around it, and the part that you grab should be roughly 1 1 .2 inches across the top surface.

A2 x 6 on edge can meet these criteria and still be a poor handrail. Good handrail design includes a shape at the top that can be easily grabbed in a panic. Grabbing and holding the top of a straight 2 x 6 railing may be difficult. The top of the railing should form a tube or oval, for example, so that you can easily wrap your hand around it.

Guards should be at least strong enough to support the weight of people leaning against the guard. Many are not.