People often confuse handrails and guardrails, but they serve distinct purposes with few key differences. In this guide, we’ll break down these differences clearly, helping you understand their unique roles in safety and design.
What Is A Guardrail?
A guardrail is a protective barrier installed along the edges of elevated surfaces, such as balconies, decks, or walkways, to create a physical boundary.
Guardrails act as a safety measure by blocking open edges, reducing the risk of falls from heights. They create a physical boundary along open edges, ensuring safety by restricting movement beyond a designated area.
What Is A Handrail?
A handrail is a linear support structure, typically mounted along staircases, ramps, or walkways, designed to be grasped by hand.
Handrails provide stability and support for individuals using stairs, ramps, or walkways. They offer a secure and continuous surface to grasp, helping maintain balance and reducing the risk of slips or falls.
Design and Structural Requirements For Handrails and Guardrails
Guardrail
Guardrails are usually needed when there is a drop of more than 30 inches from a walking surface. This means that if a platform, deck, or balcony is high enough that falling could cause injury, a guardrail must be installed to keep people safe.
To be effective, guardrails must also be sturdy enough to handle pressure and impact. Building codes require them to withstand a certain amount of force (minimum of 200 pounds (90 kg), ensuring they won’t bend or break if someone leans on them or bumps into them. This strength is important because guardrails are often placed in areas with a lot of foot traffic, where people might naturally rest against them for support.
Handrail
In many cases, building codes specify that handrails must be installed when a staircase has four or more steps or when a ramp has a certain incline.
Handrails must also be strong enough to handle pressure and movement. Most building codes require them to withstand at least 50 pounds (22 kg) of force applied from any direction. This ensures they remain stable when someone grips them tightly for support, whether they are walking up stairs, using a wheelchair ramp, or catching themselves after a stumble.
Common Misconceptions
The difference between guardrails and handrails isn't easily noticeable, but they serve completely different purposes and cannot be used interchangeably.
There are many situations where both guardrails and handrails are required in the same space. For example, on a raised deck with stairs or an elevated walkway with steps. In these cases, the two safety features work together—one preventing falls from heights and the other providing stability for movement.
| Feature | Guardrail | Handrail |
| Definition | A barrier that prevents falls | A rail for support and balance. |
| Primary Purpose | Stops people from falling off edges. | Helps people steady themselves. |
| Required When | Needed for drops of 30 inches or more. | Required for stairs with 4+ risers. |
| Height Requirement | Usually 36-42 inches high. | Usually 34-38 inches high. |
| Force Requirement | Must resist 200 lbs of force. | Must resist 50 lbs of force. |
| Common Locations | Balconies, decks, stair landings. | Stairs, ramps, accessibility routes. |
Conclusion
Whether you're planning a new project or just looking to stay informed, we hope this article has helped you better understand the key differences between guardrails and handrails.
If you're looking for durable, high-quality handrails that meet building code requirements, explore our handrail collection or contact us today for expert guidance!
