The top of handrails gripping surfaces in residential and ADA-compliant buildings must be between 34 inches minimum and 38 inches maximum, measured vertically above walking surfaces and stair nosings. Stair railing height is measured vertically from the outermost edge of the stair nosing upward to the top of the hand railing. New handrails on stairs must be not less than 34 inches and not more than 38 inches above the surface of the tread, measured vertically to the top of the rail from the leading edge of the tread.
In individual dwelling units, unless protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system, stairs more than one story above or below the entrance floor level of the building must have a minimum handrail height of 34 inches to 38 inches. This article explains and illustrates the requirements for safe, usable railings used inside or outside buildings, including guardrails, hand railings on steps and stairs, and stair rails or stair guards for both interior and exterior use.
The standard height for stair handrails is between 32 and 34 inches, measured from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail. This height range provides the best support and safety for most users. When designing or remodeling a staircase, it is important to carefully consider the height of your handrail compared to your staircase.
New handrails on stairs must be not more than 34 inches nor less than 30 inches from the upper surface of the handrail to the surface of the tread in line with the face of the riser. Maximum riser heights of 7 3/4 inches and minimum tread depths of 10 inches are permitted in new construction, while in one and two family dwellings, maximum riser heights of 7 ¾ inches and minimum tread depths of 10 inches are permitted.
Residential stairways must be at least 36″ wide with treads at 10″ minimum depth and a maximum riser height of 7-3/4″. Handrails are required on any stairway.
📹 Adding a Stairwell Handrail – super inexpensive!
This video demonstrates how to add a handrail to a stairway using inexpensive materials. The creator provides detailed instructions on measuring, cutting, and installing the handrail, including tips for ensuring proper height and securing the brackets. They also show how to create a turn-back on each end of the handrail to prevent clothes from catching.
📹 Another Simple Solution To A Common Problem Created By Stair Builders – Deck Nosing Or No Nosing
This video explores a common problem encountered when building stairs with a nosing and a deck without a nosing. The presenter provides four examples of stairways, highlighting the potential issue and offering a simple solution. The video emphasizes the importance of consistency in stair design for safety and discusses the potential consequences of inconsistent nosing.
hi im doin this too mine was a fall off and im just gettin to it now .essnt sure about the middlr to do it 2nd after the top 1.or do last. i attatched the bjt on middle part but will skip attctjing and do bottom 1 first .did u do the wall part first on both then on the railing? the railing seems like its not flush
The previous owners of our house moved the stairs from the kitchen, just inside from the garage, to the livingroom. They put the old handrail in the attic without installing a rail for the new stairs. They must have built the new stairs longer for a less steep angle, because the old rail falls about three steps shy of the whole run of the new stairs. What’s the U.S. Code for minimum length for the rail in relation to the stairs?
This was good but also leaves a lot of unanswered questions. How did you make sure that the center support bracket was screwed directly into a stud? It would have been extremely lucky there happened to be a stud in the exact center. You didn’t show us wether or not you sanded down the edges of those 45 degree cuts. Did that rail come flattened on the bottom, or did you do it?
My reading of the “code” is that the variation in elevation – tread to tread – cannot exceed 3/8″. I don’t know if that also applies to the depth of the tread. However, the rationale for stairs is that by the time that a user has made the second step, the mind has calculated the rise and run and expects that ratio to continue. So, if the measurements change, the mind can become confused and the user may trip.
I’m no carpenter, not a joke. However, I have a friend who is and he builds stairs for himself with 5″ risers. His preference for this dimension is due to having to wear braces on his legs due to a degenerative bone disease. I have neuropathy and have had knee surgery. At 74, I don’t anticipate any improvement. Once I walked up his stairs it took all strain off my knees and descending the stairs with my numbness was made easier. I realize that this extends the staircase; but where feasible it is a great help to those with mobility issues. Also, on site stairs, dock stairs and the like it makes carrying stuff up and down easier and I feel its safer.
On the subject of trip hazards: A few years ago, we moved into a rental home with a completely whacked set of (only TWO!) steps from the ground to the top of the deck. The first step from the ground had a 4X4 partially embedded in the ground holding up the risers from the dirt. the rise was about 9 inches from the ground to the first step. the next step was about 6 or 7 inches (per manufacturing guidelines), and the rise to the deck from there was at least 8 inches. VERY DISCONCERTING as you walk up the steps. I replaced the two-riser assembly with a three-riser assembly and firmly attached the riser assembly to the deck at the same RISE as the steps had, and ensured the bottom step started from the same point in space as the rises each ascended. In other words: this little two-step assembly had THREE different rises from ground to deck– and, trust me, this was far and away more trip-worthy than any variation in tread width!
Another great article! In my case on my upcoming porch stair build, the porch has a narrow facia protruding out 1-3/4″ from the deck which long story short, will not look good if I remove it. I want my tread nosing to be 3/4″ so would the best way to resolve this be to add an inch wide ledger below the facia to reduce the protruding facia down to 3/4″? My new total run would be reduced by an inch as well correct? Sorry if this is obvious, first time stair builder here!
Thank you for sharing.👍🏼 Following code is basic instruction in apprentice training starting with forms and foundations. Our MLP’s (manipulative lesson plan) says it on every page. By the time you get to framing, it is burned in your brain simply because code will vary and even drawings can illustrate something that won’t pass where you are. I picked up as good of workers habits as I could in my union JATC training. I enjoyed this topic you posted 👍🏼
On my deck (16’x48’) I have 2 sets of stairs. One is in the middle and one on the corner. The deck is 18″ off the ground. The middle stair has 2 steps, 9″ rise. The corner stairs has 3 steps, 6″ rise. I built this in 2004. Code in our area is a maximum of 7 3/4″ rise. The three step staircase has a railing, the 2 step does not. When I built this Twenty years ago that was no problem, Today I’m 76 years old and now I can’t use the middle stairs, but have no problem with the corner stairs, yes the railing helps, but so does the stair height. Now I understand the code……Thanks…Jim PS…..on my laundry list is a new 3 step stair case in the middle with railing.
In medieval fortress, height of each step is varied, deliberately, to make enemy prone to slip and fall. Important to make the height of each step the same. I prefer not to use nosing. Instead, on the vertical board, isn’t installed exactly vertical. The bottom part is slightly inward, making it easy for the toe. Off course it’s harder to built. 90 degree hazard. Eliminate any 90 degree because it’s sharp. Any 90 degree need to be rounded, but the radial need to be as small as possible.
ALL stair steps and door steps should be REQUIRED to be at least 16 inches and without any nosing. My shoes are over 13 inches long, and, these days, many men have even longer feet. My wife and I were thinking of renting an apartment once, but we decided against it, because it had 8 inch stairs. Not only is that very stressful the feet of a tall person, but it also creates a very steep and dangerous staircase. Nosings are just fluff that reduce the effective depth of the step. They just create an unnecessary trip hazard for longfooted people who are already struggling to find space for their feet on short steps. If there are going to be building codes that we have to live with, they should be rewritten to serve ALL the people.
measuring for steps is either finish to finish or rough to rough and deducting the thickness of the tread from the bottom of the stringer. What seems to confuse people is measuring the initial height and distance and knowing when and where to deduct for tread or riser thicknesses. Bottom step mistakes are less harmful than top step errors but neither should occur if you cut your stringers properly and deduct the correct measurement from the bottom stringer. How in all my years in school did rafter and stringer math examples never come up but trajectory of a rocket toward a moon did dozens of times. I’ve seen more screwed up stairs in my life than anything else. So perhaps math teachers would be advised to teach measuring and fitting stairs in various circumstances to assure a better informed carpentry pool. Also landing placement dividing stairs seems to be s struggle for builders too.
Every 90 degree tread edge should be rounded off to prevent splitting … it’s how most people walk, that is on the edge especially when descending the stairs … that’s the difference between builder grade and craftsmanship grade !!! … and don’t forget to “crown” each tread to keep it from “cupping” !!!
A review of the building code a couple of years ago, on the three sets of stairs on my neighbor’s deck he was building, revealed the expression of keeping any stair system “consistent” throughout. The trip hazard occurs when there is an inconsistency and the brain needs it to be consistent to prevent a destabilizing effect, either catching a toe, the heel sliding off or a stumbling up or down from a variance in the height. The nosing in this article is well pointed out as an inconsistency. The 7-11 rule shows that it is the safest overall, based on the brain science and the 18 inch overal requirement. All three of his sets violated the consistency principle, unfortunately.
recently saw an episode of This Old House where they rebuilt a staircase for someone with an artificial leg. The tread nose is something older people catch their foot on, so they slanted the riser to gain tread width but eliminated the nose. The whole idea here was to allow reusing the railings and balusters so there was minimal change to the look of the older home.
Doing the math before you cut is kinda like — important. Measure the rise, divide by between approx 6.5 and 7.25 inches — until all steps are the same number (to assure even step height with step board installed) determine the angle 35 to 55 degrees, draw it out on paper first. If you don’t grasp this basic concept, keep playing with it on paper until you do. Once you understand this, all other stairs are the exact same idea. Never be in a big hurry. Take your time and think it thru. Everyone sees the final result. Draw lines on paper first. Determine before hand the lumber (or material) sizes you’ll be using. Worthy of a repeat: Take your time and think it thru. “This is the step that many builders miss”.
Occasionally, a client will ask that there be no overhang. I usually walk away from those jobs. The 1″ nosing is so “standard”. I often note, that on carpeted stairs, the lack of nosing results in the upper portion of the carpeted riser is worn and stained. I think that’s because we expect the nosing and have planted our feet too close to the riser. Perhaps someone has a different view of that problem.
I built stairs straight and curved for 20 years every set is different in someway like fingerprints. But basic codes are all the same. Basic addition and reduction is part of overall planning. Every set of stairs is a product of calculation. Stairs are like chess you don’t just get lucky. Measure calculate add divide subtract and succeed
A standard stair machine at a gym is usually 8″ rise 10″ run, and those steps feel steep but not excessively short, plus you’re not going down them in a forwards direction, though sometimes I could do with a bit more toe room. I can see how 7″ by 11″ or 6.5″ by 12″ feels less effort, although take more space. I’ve been in a house with 7″ by about 9″ stairs and it felt slightly Teletubby-ish to walk up them, although there was some underhang for more foot room when climbing up the stairs but not so helpful down them. On the winder stair portions I definitely preferred a longer run. It made the glutes work slightly more and the quads slightly less, so the motion felt more natural with the shin more vertical on the next step, instead of knee forward on the shorter run steps. Often space constraints mandate a shorter than optimal run, and or a longer than optimal rise though.
I once put together a solid Teak staircase. The skirt board was to be cut with a 45* angle – to meet the riser in a miter. The boss had to tell me the skirt board cost $1600 (thanks boss). He knew it wasn’t easy and told me he bought two boards, just in case. I got it right the first time, 13 perfect miters under an oil finish. Could be the best thing I ever made in 34 years of carpentry. (the whole house, two floors, was in solid Teak (!) 19 million dollar property in Key West, Florida.) Due to a moratorium on Teak, the owner bought a house in Thailand, had it deconstructed and shipped to Miami where it was re-milled.
Another problem that messes up a lot of people, including some “professionals”, is confusion between the RUN and the TREAD. The examples shown here all have an 11 inch run, which its the measurement from rise to riser. That number stays the same, even with the 1 inch nosing. The nosing examples here gives you a 12 inch tread, but the run is still only 11 inches. The TOP step has no nosing above it (on the deck), but the RUN of it is STILL 11 inches like the rest, even though the entire 12 inch tread is now exposed. Cutting the back off the stringers like some suggest would now give that top step an 11 inch tread, but only a 10 inch run. That’s an illegal situation in many places, where code says the run cannot vary any more than 5 mm (3/16 inch) between any 2 adjacent steps. The only real solution, like this article shows, is to make sure the nosings are consistent all the way up, including on the landing/deck surface, whether 1 inch each, less, or none at all.
The simple rules to the design a safe straight staircase are:- 1. The profile of every step must be identical. 2. The rake of the stair must not exceed 42 degrees. 3. Width of tread + twice the height of riser = between 22 & 28 inches. The perfect ratio is 12″ tread with 6″ riser. Here in UK, nosings are not an issue. All domestic stairs must have 16mm (5/8″) nosings over all risers. Winders? Ah! They are another set of rules all together.
We have a stairway with no nosing. It’s ugly and covered with carpet. I would love a article describing how to install good quality wooden treads, back walls AND nosing, without rebuilding the entire stairway. I agree completely; each step MUST be the same. Add new decking on top of the first step and you have now made a deeper step. This is a project I have longed to do. A good article on what NOT to do would be helpful.
Its a fact that we humans do notice even quite a small change in the ‘Going & Rise’ of a staircase.. Our brain will detect, via our feet dimensional changes on a staircase….In UK the normal angle for domestic stairs is 42 degrees which equates to 150mm rise to 220mm going. l believe 37 degrees is considered optimal
dual public stairways in public areas would be good, most public buildings have ridiculously wide stairways, architects seem to think stairs are very attractive”go figure”, they deliberately design a building with a 10 ft plus stairway just for show, a ramp is always best, suits any age. i don’t wear shoes so i always watch where i put my feet,don’t trip. my wife wears wears shoes and regularly trips and falls, she avoids our stone pathway, and has actually said” i have to watch where i’m walking” we have a natural stone stairway to first floor with built in waterfall, last thing i wanted was precision stairway, in a private residence people should be able to do what they want. plenty of people get killed using mobile phones, no real regulation there…………..
you mean the international code actually made a decision on stairs they and predecessor code boards argued to non action for 50 or more years i saw when i bought my first new home in 1975 checked again when bought fl home in 95 but fortunatly no staires in most fl homes except mcmansions now got to look it up ready to build a cabin in no code county but i will build a smart safe place
I have noticed around here the rise doesn’t seem to be that important I have fallen a couple of times in the dark because the bottom step on the stairs in front of my house has a very short rise ( 4″) in relation to the other steps. Two of the steps are 8 ” and the top step is 7.5″ . I noticed on one of the newer commercial buildings that the steps are not uniform and one has too much rise. I live in Tennessee. There were no building inspections for years.
As one fellow already said, the most serious problem is uneven rises. Where I live, a stair must have no more than one eigth of an inch difference in rises (including landings and floor covering) or fail inspection. Your nose issue is easy to fix. Also like someone else already said, fix it! Better yet, read the Building Code stair requirements before building your stairs. It really is easy to understand and is online. Also, there are strict requirements for “grabable” railing requirements and heights and when needed on both sides and when not. Read the bldg code.
We had a new deck built a month ago. I didn’t think about any codes or measurements until I fell going down. Our measurements are fine. What the problem seems to be is they are too steep. The guys are coming tomorrow to check it. IM trying to understand how the stairway should go. There are 15 stairs with the one inch nose. Unfortunately no nose on the deck. How would you calculate the number of stairs to have. Thank you for any help. Barbara S
Thanks for the article! You say, “Most of the time the stairs will have a nosing and the deck won’t.” Why won’t the deck have a nosing? Most decks should have a nosing or decking overhang. It shouldn’t be flush –especially if you are using wood for the decking. You are correct that the steps should all be as similar as possible. It would be a big failure for the building inspector to miss that one step is 10″ and the rest are 11″ in run, nosing to nosing. But you are right, most inspectors probably wouldn’t get close enough to the deck stairs to notice, let alone measure.
7- 7/8″ max rise @ 4-7/8″ min. rise in the Ontario building code book. This is the allowable maximum & minimal bilateral measurement to work within to build ALL the steps the same size! The ” end-all ” in thus article, was the very first step! They ALL should be the same rise and run . The first step is A TRIP HAZARD! … I know it’s not a first stage,solid fuel, rocket booster, required to leave the earth’s gravitational Force. But it’s paramount for the next sequence of steps, or you could end up with another NASA ( Need Another Seven Astronauts) Challenger disaster. Lol, so ya see, carpentry – is not rocket science 🤣 but shouldn’t be mistaken as such, lol, and — saying- “oh ya, that looks close enough” just doesn’t cut it lol
We would make sure there is a nosing on each step and the deck edges. The one thing I would point out in this case, is that is the stringer run are 11″ and if you need a 1″ nosing, the dimensional lumber needed will have to be a combination of standard and custom cut boards. If a treated board gets ripped down to suit the size needed, I’d suggest routering the cut edge and treating it to prevent rot and decay. Our best practice is to keep the stringer length at 10″ with a 1″ nose to use 2 sections of 2 X 6 treated boards. Thanks for the article, most people don’t understand these concepts and this is explained very well.
All the people who trip on an uneven stair step should never travel or go outside. I have seen every variation you can imagine from a staircase only 20 in wide and every step a different shape and height in a public building . I saw one built across the front of a building more like a set of steps every step ( some broken) was a different width and height the building was built on a hill it was curved across the front of the building. If you tripped and fell you would likely land under a city bus. I’ve also seen many very low overheads with sudden changes in Headroom . All that is necessary is open your eyes.
For many years I’ve wondered if gravity was less strong when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, thinking that may be the reason that they could grow to such enormous size. Blue whales can be large, because of the support that water gives them. So, it’s important to revisit our ergonomic regulations from time to time, in order to accommodate the current population.