Handrail to Stud Wall 2

[bookowski]

I'm assuming that this has been worked out since it's done all over the place but what is a typical detail for attaching a railing to a stud wall (wood or metal stud). I have not encountered this before as it's usually delegated to others but an architect asked me to look at his detail. From what I see it looks common to specify blocking aligning with the anchor locations. I don't see how the 200# works for this detail, in particular if you apply 200# vertically on the rail, which is about say 3"+ away from the connection. What keeps the blocking from rotating?

The only way that I see this working is to have them lay out and align studs with the anchor locations and then use a tall plate to take the T/C forces from the 200#. Is there a better detail?

 

[Bagman2524]

"I assumed that this is very common and I was just missing something here in the detail/load path but it sounds like maybe this is one of those things that usually gets drawn by an architect and doesn't work (on paper). "

We see this happen a lot. Architects will often just grab a rail or stair detail from somewhere and use it in their drawings without doing any design checks.




Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase. -MLK

 

[manstrom]

In my experience, most of the railing brackets in single family construction are not strong enough to pass the 200# loading. Railing failure is the #1 structural deficiency in buildings.

 

[bookowski]

Resolution: Architect wanted to go down to 2.5" studs for aesthetic reasons, I couldn't even see how it worked with a thicker stud wall so I had them put in HSS aligned with the brackets.

 

[racookpe1978]

I have actually built and installed the handrails using the "standard" three-screw Home Depot/Lowes brackets. You have to work hard to get each bracket into a vertical 2x4 stud, but it is possible without adding any extra bracing or wood behind the gypsum. They take my full weight without moving when I support my weight from my arms - one hand on each rail. No, I am not 400 lbs, so each rail is not carrying 200 lbs. But they do not move either when I gently "bounce" up and down on the rails.

I have never tested ANY railing into metal 2x4's.

The "rules" require the 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 nominal dia pipe: They CANNOT be larger nor smaller and still meet the code "grip" requirements. I would like to see your actual calculation where the previous writer said he had to use a thicker pipe for strength purposes. What assumptions have you made?