Baluster Spacing Code Gray Area
Okay, pay attention and
put your thinking caps on.
Would this lower guard rail be considered a guard rail, even though the
stair landing isn't higher than 30 inches from the lower level?
These are the types of problems that architects, contractors and
building department officials, can have problems interpreting. There's a
good chance that it wouldn't create a safety problem, if this handrail
wasn't even there. So how can we interpret this building code?
Here is how I would interpret the gray area of this
building code.
It's part of the stairway, so therefore it's required to have a guard
rail. The entire stairway itself is higher than 30 inches, so the lower
stair landing wouldn't be a separate part of the stairway. Therefore the
balusters would need to be spaced, according to the local building codes
in your area.
Obviously this situation could be debated with your local building
department, but would it be worth it in the long run.
Attention: Don't forget to check with
your local building department to verify any building codes on this
website. This information could be incorrect or outdated. Building codes
are updated regularly and to some building departments have different
interpretations for certain building codes.
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