If the application given to the staircase and its context requires it, include additional handrails and improve safety measures. A minimum 12 inch (305 mm) horizontal extension plus the width of one tread is required at each bottom riser … Thus it varies by state and town. Residential Stair, Railing, and Guard Requirements. Railing spaced from wall: (=> 1.5") Railing projection into stairs (<= 4.5") Some jurisdictions base their legislation on the 2000 and 2003 International Residential Code (IRC). Legally constructed buildings are allowed to remain as they were originally built. On a related note, your deck must have guardrails or similar if it exceeds a height of 30 inches from the ground. Exterior stair railing code maintains that if your deck's stairs have fewer than two risers, a rail is not mandatory.
The Stairs- Residential Building Code for the U.S. is a municipal regulation. Review the code requirements for deck stair construction. IBC 1015.3: Required Guards shall be not less than 42” high with the exception of occupancies not more than three stories above grade within individual dwelling / single family units which

To meet building code requirements, the stair railing should be mounted so that the top of the handrail height is 34 to 38 in. Stairs Residential Building Code for the United States. Porch railing codes are designed to protect you and your family from being injured. Code requirements for handrails on exterior stairs similar to those of interior stairs. ADA stair bottom handrail extension requirements >= 12" + 1 Tread "width" (we prefer to call dimension A tread "depth" so as not to confuse measurements with stairway width - Ed.) above the front edge of the stair nosings. Minimum Railing Distance, One Railing: 31 1/2 Inches Minimum railing distance means the walking space between a handrail on one wall and an adjacent wall that has no handrail. However, any additions, alterations or repairs to any structure must meet the current code requirements. The following building code requirements are the current minimum code standards, required for decks and stairways, interior and exterior, in One and Two family dwellings, and based on Kentucky Amendments to the 2007 Kentucky Residential Code, Second Edition, May 15, 2007.

The following requirements apply to all stairways as indicated: (1) Stairways having four or more risers or rising more than 30 inches (76 cm), whichever is less, shall be equipped with: (A) At least one handrail; and (B) A stair rail consisting of a top rail and mid-rail along each unprotected side or edge. We chose 36 in. The building code requirement for stair railings typically requires handrailings on stairs that have a total rise of three feet or more. IBC 1015.2: Guards shall be located along open sided walking surfaces that are located more than 30” measured vertically to the floor or grade below at any point. The requirements are slightly stricter here, as the deck railing height code demands at least a 42” height guardrail for any deck. [38] Uniform Building Code Stair Specifications: UBC 1003.3.3.6 1997 or later specify handrail requirements, railing heights, rail widths, baluster spacing, stairway types, and guardrail specifications. 2. Railing IBC Code Cheat Sheet Guardrail 1.
(c) Stair rails and handrails. Code requirements are a starting point for designers and builders. Aug 23, 2012 - Learn how to build deck stairs using 2x12 stringers.

According to any code, there are no restrictions regarding designs, unless the spaces between the decorative elements go over 4”. Most new front porch railings or remodeling must comply with local code requirements. Inadequate spacing can lead to tragedy; protect your investment by knowing and complying with your local building codes.

Step 3 (below) shows how to find this wall mounted handrail= height point at the top of the stair… Watch our step-by-step DIY video.