greetings, i would like to know at what height from the ground does one
need to put railings around a deck. i am replacing an existing deck that
is rotting away and the old deck had railings around it. i would like to
drop the deck down so as to not put any railings around it ( the
railings block my view of the backyard from my living room). i
understand that codes differ from one municipality from another but i am
guessing that they are not that different.i really dont want to call my
local building inspector and get them nosing around so i thought i'd ask
the folks in this forum.
thanks, cj

"cj" wrote in message ...
greetings, i would like to know at what height from the ground does one
need to put railings around a deck.


..i really dont want to call my
local building inspector and get them nosing around so i thought i'd ask
the folks in this forum.

It does not matter what any of us think. Last summer we were doing some
work for a tenant to move into one of our buildings. According to the
generally accepted codes, the deck needs no railing and no stair rail. The
building inspector did not care what the code said, he did not care what
anyone on a newsgroup would say, he wanted both. He got both.

Call the inspection office. You don't have to give a name, just ask what
the code is.

Your choice is to ignore the code (won't be a problem unless you sell) and
take your chances. If someone falls and gets hurt what will your excuse be?
"Oh, the guys on the newsgroups aid it would be OK" OTOH, the code also
calls for tight spacing of the balusters. They do block the view. I'd look
at putting a rail, less balusters and then add more if you decide to sell
the house.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"cj" wrote in message ...
greetings, i would like to know at what height from the ground does one
need to put railings around a deck.


.i really dont want to call my
local building inspector and get them nosing around so i thought i'd ask
the folks in this forum.

It does not matter what any of us think. Last summer we were doing some
work for a tenant to move into one of our buildings. According to the
generally accepted codes, the deck needs no railing and no stair rail. The
building inspector did not care what the code said, he did not care what
anyone on a newsgroup would say, he wanted both. He got both.

Call the inspection office. You don't have to give a name, just ask what
the code is.

Your choice is to ignore the code (won't be a problem unless you sell) and
take your chances. If someone falls and gets hurt what will your excuse be?
"Oh, the guys on the newsgroups aid it would be OK" OTOH, the code also
calls for tight spacing of the balusters. They do block the view. I'd look
at putting a rail, less balusters and then add more if you decide to sell
the house.

I don't know where you live but here in Canada, the National Building
code says that if a deck is 24" above the ground it has to have
railings 36" high, no horizontal members above 4" from the deck and top
rail only all spindles 4" on centre. When the deck is 60" or more
above the ground, the railing must be 42" high. Basically the same
code as a crib for spacing so that a child or baby can not get his head
between the spindles or be able to climb.