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A railing is a structure
that is most often used in cooperation with elevated
areas that works to protect people and animals from
falling from the elevated area, which could result in
injury. Railings that are used for safety purposes are
often found on the exterior of the house on decks, walkways,
and stairs and are used in the interior of the house
on stairways and landings. Another more cosmetic application
for railings is for decoration or to create visual barriers
with a space. For instance, a railing halfway across
a deck could denote two separate areas on the deck.
A railing is essentially made up of either two or three
horizontal rails that are held together by a series
of vertical rails to form a rigid structure. The topmost
part of the railing is typically at a good height for
it to be grabbed by hand, and is often referred to as
a “handrail”. Common measurements for the
placement of the handrail are anywhere between thirty-four
and forty-two inches from the ground. The bottom rail
does not typically lay flat on the ground and rather
is two inches or so from the ground level. If you can
picture standing on a deck, this is the part of the
railing that you might rest your foot on when staring
out into the distance, while leaning your elbows on
the top rail or the handrail.
Railings are typically installed either between walls
or between posts. In the case of a deck where you may
need reinforcement more frequently than walls or posts
will occur, legs will occur every few inches or so to
create a “wall” between posts.
Connecting railings to a house or wall often includes
metal railings, rosettes and brackets, or weld tabs.
Codes dictate different specifications for different
applications for railings. For example, residential
railings are typically at least thirty-four inches high
and must be present should a deck be more than thirty
inches above ground. Balusters, which are the vertical
rods that go between posts, must be no more than four
inches apart. In commercial applications, conversely,
have stricter regulations due to the frequency of their
use and liability issues incurred by those who insure
such public spaces. In a commercial space, a railing
must be forty-two inches from the ground. In the instance
of commercial stairway railings, a side railing of 36
inches is required, and an extension must be present
at the lower end of the railing.
Railings are made from a variety of materials. Wood
railings are common on decks and in interior residential
spaces such as stairways in a home. Iron railings are
also very common, particularly outdoors. Iron railings
tend to be thinner than their wood counterparts, thus
being more view-friendly for outdoor spaces in breathtaking
areas. Further, iron railings tend to outlive wood railings
and they require much less upkeep. In areas where falling
would cause great danger to the public, iron railings
with their aversion to rotting are often the best choice. |
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