Handrail height is the height of the handrail in relation to the stairs.
Stair rail post height.
Handrail height on the stairs should be no less than 34 inches and no greater than 38 inches.
The top edge of the handrail must be placed between 34 and 38 above the nosing of the stair treads.
Although there is an international residential code for handrail heights 34 to 38 inches local codes may require sizes that are different from those of the international code.
Handrail graspability to be either type i or ii with a minimum 1 1 2 inch clearance from a wall.
Handrail height to be placed a minimum 34 inches to 38 inches.
Rail and post height codes.
The following example is using a box newel post and 2 6701 large traditional handrail with a finished stair handrail height of 37 and the post sitting atop the shoe.
Minimum 10 inch stair tread depth with nosing or minimum 11 inches with no nosing.
The handgrips must allow a minimum of 1 1 2 space between the handrail and the guardrail or wall.
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.
Above the front edge of the stair nosings.
Building stairs that comply with safety standards requires not only that you apply local code standards to constructed stair rails heights but also to constructed stair post heights.
Maximum 7 3 4 inch stair riser height.
To meet building code requirements the stair railing should be mounted so that the top of the handrail height is 34 to 38 in.
34 875 2 125 2 6 2 1 25 40 1875 or 40 3 16 to the top of the block bottom of post cap newel post heights at the start of the stair are.
Secure bottom stair rail post to stair framing with 2 1 2 bolts or equivalent.
This means that a handrail s height is measured from the top of the stair treads or horizontal stepping members.
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.
In this case we bolted the rail post to the riser board.
For stair rail systems installed on or after january 17 2017 the top rail and handrail must be separate.
Codes require railings against a wall to be between 30 inches and 38 inches high while handrails on open stairs must be 34 to 38 inches high.
The top of the handrail is the upper limit of this measurement even if it includes a decorative molding or gripping surface applied on top of the structural part of the rail and the vertical posts.
Make sure the rail post is long enough for a 34 minimum rail plus additional room for post cap mounting.
Handrail ends must be returned and terminated at rail posts.
Maximum 12 3 vertical height rise for a flight of stairs.
We chose 36 in.
