How far apart should deck railing spindles be?

4 inches
Balusters are the vertical guards that support the handrail. They must be installed close enough that the space between them is less than 4 inches. Most city inspectors carry a 4-inch ball with them to test the spacing.

What is code for spindle spacing on a deck?

4-inch
U.S. building codes mandate that balusters have no more than a 4-inch gap between them. This relatively tight amount of spacing still allows for visibility between spindles, but also stands as a safety measure to prevent small children from becoming stuck between spindles or from slipping through the balusters.

How do you calculate railing spindle spacing?

Measure the length of the space between the end supports of the balustrade. For this example, assume it’s 13 feet 5 ½ inches, or 161 ½ inches. Divide that length by four to determine the number of spaces you will need while having a minimum of 4 inches distance between balusters.

What size are deck spindles?

At this point in the process, while the nominal size of the spindle is 2″ x 2″, the actual dimensions are 1-3/8″ by 1-3/8″….Understanding Our Deck Product Sizes.

Product Standard (Nominal) Size Actual Finished Size
Heritage Deck Spindle 3″ x 3″ 2-1/4″ x 2-1/4″
Lamp Post 4″ x 4″ 3-1/4″ x 3-1/4″

What is the maximum gap between spindles?

99mm
The building regulations state that a 100mm sphere cannot pass through any opening and this includes between spindles. So your maximum space between spindles is 99mm.

How many spindles are needed for railing?

How Far Apart Should Spindles Be On a Deck Railing? The general rule is that your railing must have three balusters per foot (every 12 inches), although you can place them closer together if you’d like.

How do I figure out how many spindles I need?

It is as simple as that. To calculate the number of stair spindles required, count the number of treads (steps) on the single flight, making sure not include the landing area, multiply by two, and then subtract two (as you will only require one spindle on the top and bottom steps to make room for the newel posts).

How many spindles do I need for my deck?

How far apart should railing posts be?

U.S. building code requires support posts for the rail structure to be no further apart than 6 feet on a deck with 4×4′ deck rail posts and no more than 8 feet apart for decks with 6×6′ deck rail posts. Posts should be no further apart than 5.5 feet on stairs.

What is the minimum gap between spindles?

For landing spaces, try & stick with an 80mm gap between spindles – so you will need to measure the landing space then work out the rest, whilst considering the width of your spindles too.

How far apart can railing posts be?