Standard Deck Stair Railing Height

This refers to the tops edges of the handrail and not the lower edge.
Standard deck stair railing height. 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. By contrast stair guards run horizontally along a flat area with a drop on the other side. Guards are required when then deck is 24 60 cm above grade. If your current stair railing was installed prior to that date you will probably or should have a hand railing of between 36 and 37 inches from highest surface of the stair treads.
Handrails are required for stairs and must meet standards as specified by r311 5 6 3 in the irc code. The handrail itself should be easy to grip with a minimum diameter of 1 1 4. The same gap is allowed between the decorative elements of the deck railing. One word on terminology.
For stair rail systems installed on or after january 17 2017 the top rail and handrail must be separate. The top edge of the handrail must be placed between 34 and 38 above the nosing of the stair treads. Canada residential rail height and dimensions. Deck railing height should be a minimum of 36 for any platform elevated to 30 and more from the surface.
Deck guardrail height. The sweep space between the deck surface and the bottom rail must be less than 4. The maximum space between the bottom rail and the surface is 4. The ada states that exterior stair railings must fall within the standard 34 inch to 38 inch range.
Stair railing and stair guards though they may sound like the same thing are different. The same height rules apply to stairs and the inspector measures the handrail height from nose of the stair tread. This is a minimum required height for residential structure higher guards are acceptable. If you choose to install a guardrail on a deck lower than 30 you must still meet code requirements.
The irc requires guardrails to be at least 36 in height measured from the deck surface to the top of the rail. Commercial deck guardrails such as those found at restaurants bars and at multifamily homes such as apartments or condos are required to be 42 inches high minimum. Decks 24 to 5 10 180 cm need 36 guards and anything above 5 10 requires a 42 high railing. Deck guardrails guards should rise to at least 36 inches above the residential deck level.
The minimum height of the railing varies based on the height of the deck. It also requires that all railings maintain a consistent height above stair nosings and be free from sharp points or surfaces that prevent proper use.