Stair Railing Baluster Spacing

Stair balusters are considered basic structures in constructing stairs. They not only serve as safety barriers for stairways inside the home, but also as ornaments that reflect the artistic preference of the home owners.

As a form of art, some balusters come with elegant classical designs that show the owner’s flair for flamboyant architecture while others can feature a bare but simplistic design that borders on bleak and modern.

As a safety structure, stair balusters should adhere to Stair Railing Baluster Spacing rules as indicated by the Building Code.

Designed primarily for its purpose as a safety barrier that prevents a person from falling through the side, stair railing balusters must also follow certain design rules that puts this purpose to good use.

One of the most important rules to follow when installing these balusters is the observation of the proper spacing between the balusters.

Firstly, the baluster spacing should be spaced in such a way that a four inch sphere cannot pass through the spacing. The four inch sphere is meant to represent an infant’s head. This rule should always be followed to prevent an infant from getting his head stuck in between the balusters.

The spacing is a critical consideration to make especially since it is considered an industry standard after being adopted into the building code. For a few states, a six inch spacing may be permitted, but please bear in mind that this rule is being changed by the remaining states to give way to the four inch rule.

This is because the six inch rule failed to prevent the heads of some infants from getting stuck between the balusters. Knowing this, it is best to ask the proper building authorities of your state for the proper building code related to the stair baluster spacing.

After taking the spacing of the balusters into consideration, it will then be clear that a stair step should have a width that can support the four inch rule. Simply put, if a stair step has a width that is considerably longer than four inches, then the placement of a single baluster on each of those stair steps may not be enough to satisfy the four inch rule.

However, placing two balusters on each stair step may be enough to cover the less than four inches required by the building code.

Lastly, a useful tip for the construction of stair railing balusters is the installation of the handrails before the balusters. This is because it is easier to adjust the stair railing baluster spacing than measuring, cutting, fitting, and attaching the handrails together with the balusters at the same time.

With proper planning and careful execution, the construction of the stair railing balusters will result in professionally made stairs.