Replies

1. 
   allenschell2 | Sep 05, 2004 04:53pm | #1

   Depending on your volute balusters about all you can do is cheat your volute forward as far as possible. I try to keep mine at 40" or less. Alot of times I have to place my volute to the front as far as I can get it.

   If your using iron balusters it doesn't matter cause there all 43" or something like that.

1. 
   StanFoster | Sep 05, 2004 05:02pm | #2

   Allen is right.....Usually mine come in at around 40-41 inches...and if I use wooden balusters...sometimes I have to put new longer bases on them...and I have even cheated with adding to the pin top if done strongly and with painted balusters.

   Stan

2. 
   Snort | Sep 05, 2004 05:51pm | #3

   We build to the International Residential Code. The handrail height (the rail running up the steps) can be 30" min. to 38" max vertically above the nosing. Guardrails (on horizontal areas like balconies and landings) can't be less than 36" high.

   Personnaly, I like to put the handrail at 32". I've always installed the starting newels w/ volutes according to the manufacturer's patterns, and, after almost 200 sets, have never been called for a code violation.

   Funny thing, about 10 years ago, we used the CABO code. For several years the handrail height min/max and the nosing extensions kept changing. The stair part manufacturers never changed their newel, baluster, or landing tread dimensions. Finally the code gravitated back to the manufactured stair part dimensions<G>

   Don't worry, we can fix that later!

1. 
   robbird | Sep 05, 2004 07:32pm | #4

   Thanks for all of the replies. Local code wants between 34" and 38" above the nosing. I suppose I could go fishing until tuesday then talk to the inspector.

1. 
   Woodbutcher | Sep 05, 2004 11:09pm | #5

   That would be my advice. I've always prefered to ask the inspecter first before I butcher $100.00 worth of stair parts. 

   We have the same 34-38" limitation here as well.   It used to be much broader than that, but they just changed one day and didn't tell us until  after the fact.  I had installed a handrail at 32" just like the last gazillion I had done.  The final inspection came back with a big red mark - "handrail too low"   I tried to argue that they should have at least announced the change before they started enforcing it, but you know what they say about arguing with an inspector.

1. 
   Snort | Sep 06, 2004 04:12am | #6

   Here, every two years changes(if there are any) are added to the code. State, county and city addendas. If any permit was issued before the addendas the work is grandfathered in, no problem.

   I did get caught on a handrail height change once. My fault for not keeping up. Came up with a stub rail on top of illegal low one. It actually looked cool, but at my expense. I've kept up with codes since<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!

3. 
   Qtrmeg | Sep 06, 2004 11:43pm | #7

   Yep, for a 36" rail height your s. newel will be 41", plus fitting. I don't see how the volute height would be a code violation, you don't even have to start the rail until the second step.

   You could drop the rail to 34", (which is as high as I put them, and I still think they look too high).

   Another option is to use an ascending volute, which saves you another 3". So with a 34" rail height and an ascending volute your s. newel height is 36" plus fitting, as opposed to 39" +.

   Fishing sounded like the best plan.

1. 
   robbird | Sep 08, 2004 06:28pm | #8

   Thanks for the opinions. No luck fishing. I'll be talking to the inspector tomorrow.