Deck stair rail code code#
The building code is very specific about the height of the railing and you have some leeway.
Deck stair rail code professional#
This creates a uniform sight line and professional look. It’s vital to maintain this spacing and position for the posts so that the railings connect to the posts at the same height above each tread. In other words, if the face of the top post on your deck is set back 3 inches from the tip of the decking board at the edge of the deck, then all the other posts on the steps going down must also have their face 3 inches from the tip of the stair riser they’re sitting on. The posts that support the railing need to be very secure and they need to be in the same relative position on each tread. This deck stair railing was made using great skill and modular parts designed to fit together.
If you built the steps right with the same riser and tread combination and the needed one-inch overhang of the tread over the riser, then the straightedge will just touch the front tip of each tread all the way down to the bottom step. To see this line, place a long straightedge on the steps. The bottom and top rails of the steps simply run parallel to the line created by the nose of each of the stair treads. The angle of the stair railing is determined by the rise and run of the steps you’re working with. The first thing to realize is it doesn’t require complex math to make a great stair railing. What follows should be a decent quick-start guide you can use along with some common sense to get very good results. I could write a book about the process easily devoting one hundred pages or more with countless step-by-step photos.
Deck stair rail code how to#
I realize you can’t provide step-by-step directions in the space you’re given, but can you point out the challenges and give me a few life-line tips so I don’t mess up my deck railing? Mandy C., Clemson, SCĭEAR MANDY: You’re correct that it’s impossible for me to offer you step-by-step directions on how to build stair railings in the limited space provided in this newspaper column. I can handle that but am worried about how to make all the complex cuts required for the deck stair railing. More information can be obtained from the photos on the subject of Deck stair railing code requirements gallery.Q&A / How to Deck Stair Railing Deck Construction | Outdoor Projects | Q & A text: Tim CarterĭEAR TIM: I read your column each week in our paper and a few weeks ago you talked about building stairs for a deck. Cover can also be provided to prevent light. It can be accessed through the doors from house and a stairway from the ground. The deck is enclosed by railing for safety.
The spaces found in residential decking include sitting, cooking and dining. They are mostly made of pressure treated softwoods which are adaptable to wet weather and capable of lasting longer. They are used to landscape the garden and extend house space as alternative of stone structures. Composite decking is mixture of wood pulp and recycled materials. They are made from wood, aluminum and composite material as shown by the photos on the subject of Deck stair railing code requirements gallery. The observation decks are elevated sight seeing platforms found upon a tall structure. Roof decks are built on top of an existing roofs to provide landscaping to urban areas. The types of decks are roof and observation decks. It is constructed outdoor at a given angle of elevation while connected to a building.
A deck is a weight supporting structure that resembles a floor.