The height of the railing on the stairs

The height of the railing on the stairs is subject to strict regulation. This is due to the fact that the fences are primarily designed to protect people from falling down that move on the steps. Despite the wild imagination of designers and huge options for decoration of handrails, craftsmen must comply with the requirements regarding their height, material of manufacture, the type of fastening and the level of strength.

Height of handrails and fences: requirements of GOST and SNIP

The main dimensions and parameters of staircases are specified in administrative documents such as GOST and SNiP. In accordance with their points, each design, containing more than three steps, should be equipped with handrails. Their height and type depend on the location of the ladder, its width and frequency of use. Fences can only be installed on one side if the width of the structure does not exceed 125 cm and the second side is adjacent to the wall or the capital construction. For larger objects, rails are needed on both sides. A feature of very wide ladders, which reach 250 cm, is the need to build fences not only on the sides, but also on the center.

But that is not all. The standard height of the handrail along the stairs of private houses differs from the parameters of the fences that are erected in public buildings or in educational institutions. Proceeding from the fact that the latter are designed for more intensive patency, the safety of people pay more attention.

Fences in apartment houses

The height of the railing, enclosing the stairs above six meters, should be at least one meter. For lower constructions it is necessary to erect handrails, the dimensions of which are not less than 90 cm. If the room is equipped with ramps, they must also be accompanied by fences. For different categories of users, handrails are set at 70 and 90 cm. This design allows to meet the needs of people with limited mobility who move on foot or in a wheelchair.

Rules governing the erection of staircases in public buildings

Handrails and handrails installed in rooms in which a large number of people daily stay, are subjected to a much greater burden than the elements of stairs in private houses. For this reason, their manufacture and installation are given increased attention. The minimum height of the railing on the stairs in the public building is set at 90 cm. Schools and other educational organizations are exceptions. Here the fences should be erected not less than 120 cm. If we are talking about schools where children are taught at a slow pace of development, then the required height of the handrail is increased to 180 cm. The distance between the balusters can not exceed 10 cm. , That with wider gaps there is a risk of injuring children who are stuck in the fence. The required strength for railing in public buildings is the same as for living quarters. They must withstand a load of at least 30 kg / cm ³ .

Other types of fencing

GOST contains requirements for equipment used roofs. If there is a possibility of people leaving the roof of the building, fences should be placed along its edge. The minimum height of the railing on the roofs of buildings with a height of more than 10 m is 60 cm. For their manufacture, only steel is used. When equipping buildings up to 30 m, a railing with a height of one meter is placed on the roof. For taller houses, the size of the enclosure is increased to 120 cm. If the roof is low, the dimensions of the railings mounted on this base can be less than the established ones. However, the overall height of the fence must necessarily comply with the standard. If the architecture of the room contains an internal podium or an elevation of another purpose, it must be fenced. The height of the handrail is 90 cm in accordance with GOST.

Non-standard fences and their features

Curvilinear (spiral) staircase structures must be equipped with fences on both sides. When building spiral staircases this is not necessary. After all, they are located around the pillar. If necessary, a person can use a handrail to maintain balance. These requirements designers and craftsmen must perform rigorously, since curvilinear constructions in comparison with traditional straight lines or turning ones are more dangerous.

Types of protective structures

The type of handrails is chosen based on the design and configuration of the staircase. When designing this element, consider the following factors:

• Materials used in the construction of stairs.
• Purpose and height of fences.
• Norms and regulations concerning the specific type of fencing.

The most common are metal rails. It can be used in combination with other materials (concrete, wood, glass, stone, gypsum). When building houses, many owners prefer wooden structures. They can be installed, painted and repaired by yourself.

Glass and concrete fences

For stairs, fences of which are made of glass, the requirements for the strength and safety of the material are considered to be among the most important. For such enclosures there are special rules and standards. They include the use of multi-layer, reinforced or tempered glass.

Based on the popularity of concrete staircases and fences, standards have also been developed for them. Concrete balusters should contain metal reinforcement. True, it still does not put them in a row with all metal fences. GOST specifies the level of the minimum horizontal load that the railing must withstand: 30 kg / cm ³ . Balusters made of concrete that have an unstable shape or cast from a poor quality material may not meet this standard. To increase the safety of such stairs, the masters resort to placing strong vertical pillars along the edges of its marches. Their size can be larger than the height of the railing, and the material serves both metal and concrete. Ready-made protective structures must be checked. Control all the main parameters: height, strength, reliability of fastening. Identification of inconsistencies threatens the use of penalties.