Bronze Railings Specifications

Hand Rails

• Hand rails must be 34 to 38 inches above a stair, ramp or floor and extend 1 foot beyond the top and bottom risers of a stair or ends of a ramp. It is required for both sides of a stair or ramp. The hand rail must be between 1 1/4 inches and 2 inches wide and must be no closer than 1 1/2 inches to the wall or guard rail, to allow the hand to grip it. Every hand rail must resist a 200-pound point load or 50-pound linear load in any direction, depending on the code in your municipality.

Guard Rails

• Guard rails must extend 42 inches above a floor and are required for surfaces, ramps or stairs that are 30 inches or higher above another plane. Guard rails must keep a 4-inch-diameter sphere from passing through, to protect individuals from falling through the railing. The railing also must resist a 200-pound point load or a 50-pound linear load in any direction, again depending on the code in your municipality.

Continuity and Connection

• Hand rails and guard rails must be continuous and the hand rail can integrate with the guard rail to limit the material and structural elements necessary for the railing. Elements, such as newel posts, must not interrupt or interfere with the railing, except in single-family residential projects. Intermediate hand rails are required for stairs that are wider than 88 inches.

Bronze

• Use extruded or cast bronze for the railing elements. Most alloys of bronze cannot be welded, so incorporate mechanical fasteners into the design of the bronze railings. All fasteners and materials must exceed the 200-pound point load or 50-pound linear load structural requirement for hand rails and guard rails.