What are the requirements for a railing?
Again, we recommend that you check your local codes and authority. Generally, most codes require a height of 36″ for residential and 42″ for commercial or multi-family dwellings. In both cases, you are limited to a maximum opening anywhere throughout the railing system of 4″. In other words, you should not be able to pass a 4″ diameter ball through the railing. There are also codes governing the load barring capacity, fail point, of railings. This is definitely an issue when using vinyl and cable rail materials. Because of the numerous codes and potential danger associated with railings, we recommend that you select a fabricator with a long history of building railings. In light of the fact that railings are installed to prevent a fall, these products must work one hundred percent of the time.
