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What is the code for stair handrail when stairs curve

6 months ago

We are updating our staircase as part of our renovation, and I just saw how they did the handrail on the back staircase. It looks ridiculous! i asked the worker and he said it had to be done like that in order to meet code. We’ve had several issues w this stairs project so I don’t want to go by what the worker said. I’m waiting to hear from my GC, but please lmk if the stair codes require the handrail to be like this OR can we have 1 rail on this wall that turns back into the wall like we had before and then

1 rail on the left wall after the turn?

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Comments (13)

millworkman
6 months ago
Needs to be continuous, top to bottom.
kculbers
6 months ago
Yes, needs to be continuous. We had a new oak staircase installed a few years ago. It has a continuous hand rail per code.
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Having been on crutches more than once in my lifetime (two broken legs, knee surgery once, and uncountable sprained ankles), I can assure you that a handrail was of ZERO use to me when attempting to navigate a staircase on crutches. Both of my hands were otherwise totally occupied with holding onto the crutches and bearing my weight. (Yes, I know some people advocate the "tuck both crutches under one arm and hang onto the railing with the other" method but, in my experience trying to hang onto two crutches with one hand is a sure recipe for disaster!) And now, although I am not YET in my dottage, I do have enough knee problems that I generally hang onto the handrail when navigating stairs. That said, every code I have ever seen allows for staircases with only one or two risers to forego having a handrail at all. In fact many jurisdictions don't require a handrail unless the staircase had more than four risers. I for one can't see any particular difference in safety or ease of climbing (or going down) a two-step staircase without a handrail and doing the same thing without a handrails for the bottom two steps of a longer staircase. Anyone who is so decrepit that they cannot manage the bottom two steps without a handrail is not going to be able to safely ascend or descend the entire staircase anyway. The bigger problem I would have with a staircase whose railing did not go clear to the bottom riser, is that a person walking PAST the staircase and not watching his/her feet might misjudge just how far out the staircase extends and trip over the bottom riser. Because the newel and handrail stick up higher into one's field of vision, having the newel post attached to the bottom riser tends to alert you to move a little further away from the staircase when walking past it.
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MY MIL had a staircase like that, and as Kennebunker said, she used a rope hand rail. Is that your only access to the second floor? My MIL's staircase (it was the only one)nearly was the cause of her needing to go live in a nursing home as she became unable to negotiate it when rehabbing a hip replacement. You mentioned g'babies, so it's maybe something you might want to think about before it's an issue. Kid proofing is with gates. I think you could also have fun creating a curved, laminated handrail yourself, once you get some of the other issues sorted out. BTW, I think you water heater is great, just think of all the "free heat" it will throw off! As you get into old houses you might find it very comfortable to pull up a chair and warm your tootsies on the water heater. Do you have a chimney in the attic above that fp? Is there a void where masonry could still be? It wasn't uncommon for fake mantles and hearths to exist when houses were heated with stoves alone. (And you have a stove hole above it.) Molly~
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Be sure to sell or give away that beautiful old railing and not throw it on a heap. I happen to like it. But indeed, it might look better in black. The railing you have posted instead gave me some shudders. Quite a contrary style and not one I'd welcome in my home. Way too modern for a ranch home, is what comes to my mind. If you are really going to get a new railing, I like the one Judy proposed, although I wouldn't want it in white at your place. Perhaps in black and the railing that matches the wood of the stairs? Or maybe something like this?
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Comments (23)
I think it's so a child can't fall through the space between the ceiling and the handrail. Four inches is pretty small, but then, I've seen some pretty agile little ones. There is a landing just at the top of the pic, so there isn't a lot of "rise" to work with, as a result. I think the code means add another rail at the bottom of the balusters- so there's a little space at the bottom, and the top rail is effectively lifted, rather than the balusters attached to the stairs themselves (so the top rail is lower). (so you're right, perhaps just raise it) It's a basement reno - inspectors here have passed the same design in other homes, so I think the inspectors need to do a better job educating. At any rate, I'm getting into the idea of a small newell post midway up the stairs, like the pic from the mount pleasant home near the top of this post. I'm going back down to have another look.
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Julie Adams
Original Author
6 months ago
Ok. Thanks for feedback. If it has to be continuous, can the rail at the top be lower so when the bottom rail connects to it, it doesn’t have to go straight up like it does? I don’t mind it being continuous, but the way it goes straight up looks bad. I haven’t seen a continuous rail done like this. Any suggestions on how to make it look better?
PRO
BobH
6 months ago
The way they did it is correct. The rail has to go vertical because of the winder steps coming to a pint at the corner.
palimpsest
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
Using this might be a much more comfortable hand experience if you get gooseneck and roundover pieces instead of trying to cut it all out of miters.
Julie Adams
Original Author
6 months ago
Thank you!!! I had seen some “round” pieces on Pinterest and wondered about that. The way it’s done now not only looks bad to me but feels unnatural. I’ll look into the round pieces. Much appreciated!
palimpsest
6 months ago
They also make these if you have a wall-to-freestanding handrail situation:
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
6 months ago
"No one walks on the pointy ends of a winder."

They certainly do. That's why the code doesn't allow winding treads to come to a point.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
6 months ago
The code has specific requirements for winder stairs. I consider them to be an accident waiting to happen and I avoid them unless there is no other workable alternative. Installing the rail on the side where there is full tread depth encourages use of that (safer) portion of the stairs. I'd relocate the rail, but insurance agents might suggest leaving where it is and increasing your liability coverage as the preferred alternative.
S Carr
6 months ago
We have family members with staircases that have railings on one side of staircase that rise to small landings, then turn & go up the remainder of the way, with the railing on the opposite side. Does that meet code?
millworkman
6 months ago
Most likely met the code at the time and nothing needs to be done. They would be grandfathered in.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
6 months ago
The code (2018 IRC) provides an exception to the requirement that railings be continuous in the case of a landing.
palimpsest
6 months ago
I would not hurt to have a handrail on the other side, too. If it does not convert to a baluster supported railing with exposed treads along one side like Kculbers' photo...if it is a solid wall all the way down, they do not need to match, it could be just a pole style handrail.

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