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.
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This is a minimum required height for residential structure-higher guards are acceptable. Tread: Tread is the flat part of a staircase that you place your foot on.ĭeck guardrails (guards) should rise to at least 36 inches above the residential deck level.Rise: Rise is the vertical distance from one stair tread to another.Another benefit is that low-rise decks often do not require a building permit. Low-rise decks: Also called ground-level or floating decks, low-rise decks do not rise more than 30 inches above the ground and thus are exempt from certain guardrail and baluster requirements.Grade: Grade refers to the ground level directly adjoining the deck.Balusters: Balusters are small vertical in-fill posts running between the guardrail or railing, designed to prevent people, particularly children, from falling off the deck through the space below an angled stairway railing or the horizontal guardrail.Railing: As the terms are used by the code, a railing is a form of guard that protects stairs, running on the incline up and down the stairway.As the terms are defined by the code, a guardrail is different than a railing-which is a similar feature found on a stairway Guardrails: A guardrail (sometimes simply called a guard) runs horizontally along a landing or other flat area with a drop on the other side.Understanding the IBC code requirements is easier if you fully understand the terminology that is used: Be sure to speak to your local permitting office and consult your applicable code before building. As a result, your locality may adapt the IBC to suit the needs of its citizens. Older decks using older construction methods may be grandfathered in, but new requirements are mandated whenever you build a new deck or remodel or repair an older deck.Īs a model code, the IBC is developed by the International Code Council for states, cities, and other local groups to both adopt and adapt for their use. If so, be advised that toe-nailing is no longer an accepted connection, according to the current International Building Code (IBC). It's important to keep on top of the building code requirements for decks, because the code is continually changing.įor example, your older deck may have toe-nailed connections-wood connections made with nails simply driven through the joints at an angle. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that from 2016 to 2019, the failure or collapse of decks and balconies led to 2,900 injuries.
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The Spruce Home Improvement Review Boardīuilding code requirements for exterior decking railings and stairways are especially stringent because properly built decks can help prevent serious injury.By requiring luminous egress path markings in Illionis, we create safer spaces for everyone. The importance of photoluminescent and luminous egress products is why they have become mandatory in the state of Illinois. In emergency situations people’s vision can sometimes be compromised, so providing an easy to see and follow path to safety is crucial. Luminous and photoluminescent marking systems can save lives, as they shine brightly when everything else fails. The visibility of stair treads, handrails and obstructions within an egress path is extremely important when providing a safe egress passage. Long after the lights have gone out, our photoluminescent products will be there, shinning bright to guide patrons and residents to safety. Installing Ecoglo® luminous egress path marking products means not having to panic when the power fails in your building.