What height does an ADA handrail have to be?

The 2010 ADA Standards put the top of the gripping surface 34 to 38 inches above the walking surface, the stair nosings or the ramp surface, and the height must stay consistent along the rail. Florida adopts these standards by statute, and the Florida Building Code uses the same 34-to-38-inch range.

Do ADA handrails have to be on both sides?

Yes. Section 505.2 of the 2010 ADA Standards requires handrails on both sides of stairs and ramps, with a narrow exception for aisle ramps in assembly seating. The rails must also be continuous for the full length of each flight or ramp run, and the inside rail on a switchback stair runs continuously between flights.

How far does an ADA handrail extend past the stairs?

At the top of a stair the rail extends horizontally at least 12 inches beyond the first riser nosing. At the bottom it continues at the stair's slope for one tread depth past the last nosing. Ramp rails extend 12 inches horizontally at both ends. Every extension returns to a wall, guard or the floor.

When does a ramp need handrails?

Under the 2010 ADA Standards and the Florida Building Code, any ramp run that rises more than 6 inches needs handrails on both sides. Ramps on an accessible route can be no steeper than 1:12, and each run rises no more than 30 inches before a landing.

What size should an ADA handrail be?

A round rail must be 1 1/4 to 2 inches in outside diameter. A non-round profile needs a perimeter of 4 to 6 1/4 inches and no cross-section dimension over 2 1/4 inches. The rail must not spin in its fittings, and its edges must be rounded and free of sharp spots.

ADA Handrails in Pompano Beach, FL

Typical cost: cost guides don't price ADA rails on their own; HomeGuide's outdoor handrail figures, $50 to $230 a linear foot installed and $40 to $60 for steel or aluminum, are the closest.
Height: the top of the gripping surface sits 34 to 38 inches above the ramp, walkway or stair nosings, at a consistent height.
Grip: round rails 1 1/4 to 2 inches across, with at least 1 1/2 inches clear of the wall.
Extensions: 12 inches past the top of a stair and both ends of a ramp run; one tread depth past the bottom step.

Pompano Stair Railing passes accessible-route handrail jobs to a commercial handrail installer who fits ramp rails, stair rails and second, lower rails for children's facilities in steel, aluminum and stainless. Describe the ramp or stair and the building, and the installer calls to arrange a measure.

ADA Handrail Types

Pair of galvanized steel handrails along both sides of a concrete wheelchair ramp at an office entrance

ADA Ramp Handrails

Ramp rails go wherever an accessible route changes level, from shop fronts to condo lobbies. Any ramp run rising more than 6 inches takes rails on both sides, and the ramp has to keep at least 36 inches of clear width between them.

Ramp slope: 1:12 at most; 30 inches of rise per run before a landing.
Extensions: 12 inches horizontally past the top and bottom of each run.

Round stainless handrails on both sides of an exterior concrete stair at a public building

ADA Stair Handrails

Stairs that are part of a means of egress follow the same handrail section as ramps. Rails go on both sides and run the full flight; at a switchback, the inside rail carries straight through between flights.

Top extension: 12 inches level, starting above the first riser nosing.
Bottom extension: one tread depth past the last nosing, at the stair's slope.

Two stacked handrails, one at adult height and one lower, along a ramp at a school entrance

Second Handrails for Children

Where children are the main users, as in elementary schools, the ADA advisory notes suggest a second, lower rail no higher than 28 inches, with at least 9 inches between the upper and lower rails so a small child can't get caught between them.

New steel handrail fitted to an older concrete stair at the side entrance of a retail building

Handrails for Altered Buildings

An older building being renovated is held to the handrail rules when its stairs are altered, even where an accessible route already links the floors. Where full-length extensions would create a hazard because of the layout, the standards allow them to be shortened in alterations.

Installer measuring a concrete entry staircase for a new railing

Why Pompano Beach homeowners call Pompano Stair Railing

One local railing installer per request, not a call list
Free to homeowners: no referral fee
Ask for material, finish and hardware grade in writing
Permit and inspection named on the quote

ADA Handrail Requirements: 2010 Standards § 505

Florida Statute 553.503 adopts the federal ADA Standards into the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction, and the Florida Building Code's egress chapter matches the key numbers. A compliant rail meets all of these:

Both sides, continuous
On both sides of stairs and ramps, unbroken for each flight or run.
Height
34 to 38 inches to the top of the gripping surface, kept consistent.
Clearance
At least 1 1/2 inches between the rail and the wall or any surface beside it.
Grip
Round 1 1/4 to 2 inches; non-round 4 to 6 1/4 inches around with no dimension over 2 1/4 inches. Tops and sides stay unobstructed, and brackets may block no more than 20% of the underside.
Finish and fit
No sharp or abrasive edges, and the rail can't rotate in its fittings.
Extensions
As listed above, each returning to a wall, guard or the walking surface.

ADA Handrail Cost and Timeline

Price follows length, material and how the rail mounts: posts core-drilled into concrete, side-mounted to a ramp edge or bracketed to a wall. HomeGuide's handrail data puts a short 5- to 10-foot run at 2 to 4 hours of work, so most of the calendar goes to the city permit and any custom bending at landings and returns. Outdoors near salt air, ask for 316 stainless or factory-finished aluminum.

See commercial railings.