Check and see what local building codes want for it. You don't want to do one thing and find out it wasn't enough. Or over do and see that your original idea would have been good.
This is the correct answer!
A local Church was installing new hand rails on their new cement walkway and stairs 5 or 6 years ago. The contractor called the city to find their rules covering the railings.
The official word from the city (in printed form) stated that the contractor should install "proper hand railings." When again questioned about the rules describing a "proper hand railing." The written description was "You build what you feel is proper and if we disagree, we will have you replace it to meet our satisfaction."
I built a steel railing with a top rail with 1 1/4" wide channel iron, a bottom rail with 1 1/4" channel iron, and 1/2" solid square bars every 4" apart on center. At the each end of each section was a 1 1/2" square vertical tube tying the top and bottom rails together and were used to anchor the railing to the cement Each section was 8' long or less, each section was of the correct length so a part of each railing was uniform. Between the walkway and the stairs I made 172' of railing. Apparently the city was happy. All the railings that have been built since by other city public access look the same as the railing I built. Someone told me recently that now the lowest railing can't be over 4" off the surface level and the vertical spacing can't be more then 3" on center. Apparently OSHA has become involved with hand railing now. Gene
