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Do you need handrails on landings?

5 min read

Asked by: Rich Beltran

The BCA Codes 2014 state that, for a residential building, a handrail needs to be continuous on each flight of stairs. However, it does not need to be continuous on the landing between flights.

Do handrails need to be continuous around landings?

Handrail Continuity: Handrail must be continuous within the full length of each stair flight or ramp run. Inside handrails on switchback or dogleg stairs and ramps shall be continuous between flights or runs. Handrails are not to be obstructed along their tops or sides.

Do you have to have a hand rail on stairs?

Handrails are an important element of stair safety. So when is a handrail required? The building code does not refer to the number of “steps” but it does require a handrail when there are two or more “risers”. For clarification, a “riser” is the vertical portion of a stair.

How many steps before a landing is required?

ADA Stair Landings



– A landing is required every 12′ of vertical stairway rise.

Do you have to have a landing at the top of stairs?

Typical Building Code Specifications for Stair Landings



Stair Landing Required: There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway. Exception: A floor or landing is not required at the top of an interior flight of stairs, provided a door does not swing over the stairs.

Does the landing count as a step?

Remember that when counting stairs, you are counting how many times you have to lift your foot. If you have to lift your foot to get onto the landing, then it counts as a step.

Why do stairs have landings?

What is the Purpose of Stair Landing? Stair landing is provided to permits stairs to change directions, Figure 4. Another purpose of stair landing provision is to allow occupants to rest.

Can I have a door at the top of the stairs?

You may be wondering whether it’s legal to put a door at the head of your stairway. We’ve done the research and have the answer for you. You can put a door at the top of an interior staircase. For safety reasons, if the door swings out over the stairs, you must have a landing at the top of the stairs.

Can you have a door opening out onto a landing?

Landings should be clear of permanent obstructions. They may have doors to cupboards or ducts that open over them, but these should remain closed in normal use. Other doors may swing across landings in dwellings, but only as shown below.

Can I have a door at the bottom of the stairs?

Doors: The building regulations stipulate that there must be 400mm from the door, or swing of the door to the bottom of the stairs.

Can a door open onto a step?

A door is permitted to open at the top step of an interior flight of stairs , provided the door does not swing over the top step. 1.2. Screen doors and storm doors are permitted to swing over stairs or landings.

Do you need a handrail for one step?

(a) Stairways shall have handrails or stair railings on each side, and every stairway required to be more than 88 inches in width shall be provided with not less than one intermediate stair railing for each 88 inches of required width.

Can a door swing over a landing?

There is no requirement for which direction an exterior door on a house must swing, but the direction will affect the allowable landing heights. In all cases, however, a storm or screen door can swing over the exterior steps and landing.

Is a single step considered a stair?

Components and terms. A stair, or a stairstep, is one step in a flight of stairs. In buildings, stairs is a term applied to a complete flight of steps between two floors. A stair flight is a run of stairs or steps between landings.

How wide can steps be without a railing?

1.2. The clear width of 48 inches (1219 mm) between handrails is not required for exit stairways accessed from a horizontal exit. The width of stairways shall be determined as specified in Section 1005.1, but such width shall not be less than 44 inches (1118 mm).

What is a landing on a staircase?

A stair landing basically would be any intermediate platform located in the stairway. Itself these could be located at the top and the bottom of the stairway.

How do you build a stair landing?

How to Build Stairs with a Landing

  1. Step 1: Finish Decking First.
  2. Step 2: Make Lower-stair Stringers.
  3. Step 3: Install Center Stringers.
  4. Step 4: Attach Stringers to Pad.
  5. Step 5: Attach Toe-kick.
  6. Step 6: Attach Stringers to Toe-kick.


How do you support a stair landing?

If you have help it'll be easier to build it in one piece on the floor. And then nail it in. Place. This 2×4 is it's a temporary leg to hold up the joists while I nail it. Off.

How do you finish a staircase landing?

The best way to cover your landing is to install a “landing tread” at the front (or along the edge) of the landing. Once you install the landing tread you can install our 3/4″ tongue and groove flooring that matches your stair treads and landing tread.

How do you build a landing on the bottom of stairs?

Job now the first thing you will need to do will be to remove the lower tread. And after that's done you can lay out and cut in place a few treated two by fours if it's concrete.

What is half landing staircase?

A half landing staircase gives the user a flat platform that is situated midway up the staircase, allowing the stairs to undergo a half (180°) turn, allowing it to ascend to a point that is better situated in the home, whether this is through preference or necessity.

What is L shaped staircase?

L Shaped Stairs



The L shaped stair is a variation of the straight stair with a bend in some portion of the stair. This bend is usually achieved by adding a landing at the transition point. The bend is often 90 degrees, however, it does not have to be.