How to Measure Stair Railing

Stair railings are an important safety feature in stairways. Building codes in most locations require handrails for stairways with more than two steps. Install handrails 34 to 38 inches from the front edge of the stair tread. Check with your local municipality to verify that these requirements and measurements meet building codes in your area.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• 4-foot level
• String or chalk line

Instructions

1. Place a level vertically on the front edge of the bottom of the stair tread, also called a stair nosing. Use tape measure to measure up 32 inches on the level. Use a pencil to mark 32 inches for the height of the railing. Repeat using the front edge of the top stair nosing.

2. Mark the location of the end of the railing placement for both the top and bottom edges of the stair railing.

3. Place a string or chalk line on the top and bottom 32-inch marks and extend to the top and bottom ends of the location of the finished railing.

4. Measure the distance on the string or chalk line between the top and bottom of the ends of the location of the finished railing.

References

• Buy Railing: Building Codes and Guidelines
• Wrought Iron Solutions: How to Measure for a Stair Railing