The height of the railing is also specified by city building code.
Interior balcony railing height code.
Minimum required guardrail height r312 1 2 when a guardrail is required per the above explanation it must meet a minimum height requirement of no less than 36 inches for it to serve the purpose of minimizing a fall.
Requirements for deck stairs the code has some very specific requirements for deck stairs.
The top of the handrail should be at least 34 inches.
Railings must withstand at least 200 pounds of pressure in either direction.
Treads must be at least 10 inches deep measuring from front to back.
The height is measured vertically above the walking surface or the line that connects the nosing of a set of stairs.
Stair rails on decks should be between 34 inches and 38 inches high measured vertically from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail.
Railing systems require regular inspection to ensure they are secure.
Install railings on any deck that is 30 inches or more from the surrounding surface and on at least one side of a stairway leading to the deck.