For homeowners and architects, making the right choice between handrail vs. stair railing is vital to ensure a safe and aesthetically pleasing staircase. While these two types of railings share some characteristics, they are ultimately very different. Additionally, with so many options available, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the initial process of choosing a product for your home or project. To help clarify this confusion, we've outlined some basics below:
An important distinction that we would like to make is between handrails and stair railings. Handrails are often referred to as "guardrails" in the building industry.
While some companies may be able to provide both guard rails and stair railings, anyone engaged in the business of installing guardrails should be properly licensed. A database of qualified hand railing contractors can be found here. Above all else, it is important to educate homeowners on the proper use of guards and railings prior to installation.
Handrails and stair railings are both types of safety railing that go hand in hand with your stairs, whether it is a design or a solid one. Both of them are intended for the same purpose–to ensure safety for anyone who is using the stairs. Handrails along staircases and stair railing is a contemporary trend in home building and home renovation. It's not just about convenience–there are many laws that require certain renovations to be done to allow legal occupancy of a home.
So, when it comes to deciding which kind of railing you will use for your home project, think about the people in your life and which type of handrail would be best for them. And keep in mind that it's likely worthwhile to choose one type or the other.
Either way, you want to make sure that whoever is using your stairs will be safe.
As a general rule, if you're looking for something to keep your kids in line, there are better options than stair railings. This is because stairways can be a fatal accident waiting to happen. There's just so much that can go wrong in the home with kids and pets, and potential injuries or deaths abound on stairs. It's also true that stair railings stand out as a design element -- they aren't exactly subtle, especially when they come with spindles or balustrades.
Read about offshore handrail here.
The code is fairly strict about which type of railing is required and where they should be placed. Knowing this will help you determine the type of railing that you need to include in your railing drawings.
