How High Do Deck Railings Need To Be
Rail posts need to be properly fastened and should not be spaced more than about 6 feet apart to prevent a saggy or bouncy rail.
How high do deck railings need to be. If your deck isn t actually raised up and could in fact be described as a patio then you don t need decking railings. The posts extra height above the railing is just for looks. This popular rail style leaves a 4 space below the bottom rail to allow for snow and debris to be swept off the deck surface. The top of your porch railing should never be higher than the top of the window sill.
At vista railings we understand how important it is to follow the proper deck railing code requirements for your area in addition to offering a wide range of deck railing products we are also always available to answer any questions you might. You ll need enough length hanging below the surface of the deck to attach the posts securely to the supports. An inch or two higher than the railing will look nice. This is a minimum required height for residential structure higher guards are acceptable.
Check your local building codes as horizontal railings are not safe for children and are not permitted under many circumstances. The top of the handrail should be at least 34 inches. Typically the railing is built inside the screening as in this photo from my book best practices for residential construction. Building codes exist to protect the.
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. Install railings on any deck that is 30 inches or more from the surrounding surface and on at least one side of a stairway leading to the deck. Canada residential rail height and dimensions. Deck guardrail height.
Whatever the height of the decking there should be no gaps big enough for a 100mm sphere to pass through it. Decks 24 to 5 10 180 cm need 36 guards and anything above 5 10 requires a 42 high railing. When looking out the window from indoors the porch railing and balusters should never block any of your view. Rail posts are attached to the deck frame and support the infill sections.
Deck railings must be a minimum of 36 inches high from the deck floor to the cap rail. Having a clear idea of how high deck railings need to be will ensure that your deck space is not only safe for everyone to use but also up to code. In the uk the required height of your decking railing will be conditional on the height of the deck platform itself. Guards are required when then deck is 24 60 cm above grade.
Most building codes require deck railings to be between 36 inches 91 cm and 42 inches 110 cm high. Deck guardrails guards should rise to at least 36 inches above the residential deck level. As with any deck remember that any deck that is 2 feet or more above the ground must have a railing system.