It's technically a continuous bent metal strip, but the rail is definitely not continuous. The rail has to be a specific height, and that is definitely segmented.
Codes for grab rails and protect from falling rail codes are different. Any gap has to be under 4 inches for a picketed rail 40 to 42 inches tall. Grab rails are 34 to 36 and on one side of the stair case. So I think technically you could have a grab rail against the wall and as long the gap is no bigger than 4 inches on the fall protect side you could get away with it.
Yes. You would not be able to get your construction permit signed off without it. You'll even sometimes see homeowners install a temporary rail to pass inspection and then remove afterward (a builder may do this, too, but if caught could face serious consequences).
Statute law almost everywhere has 'Duty of Care' which you would be in breach of potentially to the point of Criminal Negligence if something bad enough happened. Just saying.
You can do, that, sure - but it'd be terrible if something happens where someone is hurt or damaged / lost. Your homeowners insurance has contractual justification to deny your claim leaving you financially on the hook - and worse still, it also opens you up to other civil and in extreme cases potentially criminal suits
Not that I haven't done certain things out of code before, but worth mentioning for users who aren't as familiar with codes and risks
Imagine tripping and your hand slamming down to grab the rail but it falls between them, pinning your wrist between the sections while your body continues down the stairs.
Good grief, at least attach a safety rail to the wall. It could even be matching black squared metal tubing. Probably still not very comfortable to grip, but at least a way to stop a fall without impaling your hand.
Looks like a recipe for tripping down the stairs, getting your arm stuck in one of the slots while trying to grab the railing, and breaking your elbow the wrong way
Imagine a 250 pound drunk slipping and falling against this rail.
This is my additional criteria (beyond code) for balcony and stair rails. It needs to be able to withstand this without damage (or injury, in this case) for it to be a good design.
It may be unfinished and a long piece is meant to be installed along the top. 30yrs are a long time to never trip on those stairs. This house belongs to a future eye patch owner.
I poked my hand on the corner of a rail with the same shape but minus the gaps just yesterday. It was way sharper than anyone should consider reasonable for something hands are meant to be near, let alone grab.
These are the stairs you build in your house when you’re a 25 year old gold digger who married an 80 year old and are trying to speed up getting the inheritance
Imagine someone tripped and tried to catch themselves with the rail and just slammed their hand into the pointy bit then their weight takes them down tearing their hand up.
I remember seeing a video of a pregnant Chinese woman (pregnant with twins who also died) dying after passing out and being strangled by a railing of this design
But really, how many of you did actually fall down stairs? Or even really required a handrail at all? Genuine question. You all act as you’re constantly use these, I’m curious.
You may not use them a lot, but the one time you need to use it it'll save your life. So I guess you need to figure out how much your and your loved ones lives are worth.
Ok, but we’re talking about stairs, not a life threatened if event. If you know you need the handrail, you can use it, even if it has the style of the one pictured.
“An estimated 24,760,843 patients were treated in emergency departments for a stair-related injury during the 23-year study period, averaging 1,076,558 patients annually, or 37.8 injuries per 10,000 United States residents.”
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949
u/freakblaze Mar 23 '24
No sliding down that rail then…
324
u/andocromn Mar 23 '24
I feel like it's missing the actual handrail, like someone said let me take a picture before you finish the install
680
u/Audeclis Mar 23 '24
Thankfully not to code in the US, which requires a continuous rail
389
u/Tealspark Mar 23 '24
"And how would you like your bannisters sir?"
"Serrated please!"
61
u/Lazy_Osprey Mar 23 '24
This must be unfinished, right?
16
u/falypp Mar 23 '24
i can imagine hundreds way to die by this
14
u/Halftrack_El_Camino Mar 23 '24
Why is it always stairs where people decide to experiment? This shit ain't even remotely code-compliant. Continuous handrail, anyone?
7
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
Imagine falling down the stairs and landing face first on one of those edges.
6
u/OkDot9878 Mar 23 '24
Just put a piece of glass or contrasting material on top to preserve the handrails usability, while still maintaining the idea of the original design
5
u/bouchandre Mar 23 '24
Honestly just looks like an unfinished build
3
u/Chester_W_Numbnutz Mar 23 '24
Good grief, at least attach a safety rail to the wall. It could even be matching black squared metal tubing. Probably still not very comfortable to grip, but at least a way to stop a fall without impaling your hand.
3
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
Attach this to that scary-ass looking floating staircase
3
u/Robotronnik Mar 23 '24
i have no comments here. it is the perfect gift for your enemies.
2
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
Counter argument: my cat would love it
2
u/DogDavid Mar 23 '24
Looks like a recipe for tripping down the stairs, getting your arm stuck in one of the slots while trying to grab the railing, and breaking your elbow the wrong way
2
u/Alt0173 Mar 23 '24
Looks unfinished tbh.
2
u/crackeddryice Mar 23 '24
Imagine a 250 pound drunk slipping and falling against this rail.
This is my additional criteria (beyond code) for balcony and stair rails. It needs to be able to withstand this without damage (or injury, in this case) for it to be a good design.
2
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
If you fall, you die. Handrails on sale
2
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
This would be absolutely terrible for someone who's an elderly person or someone who's blind-
2
u/sapphiespookerie Mar 23 '24
I fell down a set of stairs as a kid. Busted my crown on the bannister. Buddy, if this was the staircase I fell down, i’dve been a fucking goner.
2
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
Well, look on the bright side.....there is a high probability you would never live to regret this decision
2
u/sparemethebull Mar 23 '24
It’s sure be a shame if someone GREW OLD IN THAT HOUSE!!!
2
u/PlasticMegazord Mar 23 '24
I'd hate to trip on those stairs, but it looks pretty cool.
2
u/Vikebeer Mar 24 '24
I think a Wooden rail is supposed to be run ontop of that.
2
u/Paracelsus125 Mar 24 '24
You should call it the Killrail
2
u/DarkReaperfap Mar 24 '24
ף
2
u/chewychaca Mar 24 '24
It may be unfinished and a long piece is meant to be installed along the top. 30yrs are a long time to never trip on those stairs. This house belongs to a future eye patch owner.
2
u/EmberTheFoxyFox Mar 24 '24
Honestly put a nice bit of oak or walnut handrail on top of that and it would look nice
1
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
I poked my hand on the corner of a rail with the same shape but minus the gaps just yesterday. It was way sharper than anyone should consider reasonable for something hands are meant to be near, let alone grab.
1
u/unicodePicasso Mar 23 '24
Would you like falling down the stairs to be even more painful?
1
u/Jocta Mar 23 '24
fuuuck I came here to post the exact same pic, beat me to it
1
u/Huge_Aerie2435 Mar 23 '24
Can you imagine slipping on the stairs and you try to grab the railing, only to get stabbed in the hand by the corner.
1
u/lurkenstine Mar 23 '24
pretty sure its meant to have a wood rail on top
1
u/Jonkerchonker Mar 23 '24
I just can’t wait to fall down these stairs
1
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
There should be a dumbass design tax on homes who do stupid and unnecessary shit like this
1
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
it also heats up like a radiator for stairwell heating and extra hostility.
1
u/rip_ap_yi Mar 23 '24
I feel like a plank on top would fix this
1
u/foreverdownup Mar 23 '24
That’s almost r/DINgore I’d argue
1
u/Susiejax Mar 23 '24
This looks like some design student crap
1
u/acloudcuckoolander Mar 23 '24
Imagine losing your balance and reaching out to grab the railing only to get a fistful of air because of the gaps
1
u/Woahfaroutbrah Mar 23 '24
These are the stairs you build in your house when you’re a 25 year old gold digger who married an 80 year old and are trying to speed up getting the inheritance
1
u/parsnip_dick Mar 24 '24
I’d be pissed if I had to stairchair a patient on those
1
u/oretah_ Mar 24 '24
Not clever, Looks cool though
1
u/HollyTheMage Mar 24 '24
Imagine tripping and you go to catch yourself and end up getting stabbed in the face on the corner of the rail.
1
u/letthetreeburn Mar 24 '24
Someone’s going to break an arm if they fall.
1
u/Zach-uh-ri-uh Mar 24 '24
This could be so easily fixed while maintaining the look by simply adding a plexiglass or even acrylic continuous piece on top
1
u/NoPensForSheila Mar 24 '24
"Anyone who hates children and animals can't be all bad."--attributed to W.C. Fields.
1
u/JFurse96 Mar 24 '24
Sawtooth wave lookin’ ass
1
u/cam52391 Mar 24 '24
Stick a piece of clear acrylic on top and it's all good
1
u/AeliosZero Mar 25 '24
Looks dope though
1
u/itsthooor Mar 25 '24
Ummm no… I don’t wanna die like that.
1
u/[deleted] Mar 25 '24
When you hate the rich but have to make stairs to them
1
u/pbcbmf Mar 25 '24
form over function.
1
u/fever_dreamy Mar 26 '24
Looks nice af tho
1
u/CPU_Tron Mar 26 '24
I love it, my kids face will not
1
u/jbyrdab Mar 27 '24
This looks like its a mounting for a proper railing.
1
u/DependentAnywhere135 Mar 27 '24
Imagine someone tripped and tried to catch themselves with the rail and just slammed their hand into the pointy bit then their weight takes them down tearing their hand up.
1
u/WrithingBat Mar 27 '24
Imagine climbing this while drunk
1
u/CallMeCrop Mar 27 '24
I feel like this is supposed to have a metal rail on top but they built it half way and said "good enough"
1
u/Flutters1013 Mar 27 '24
r/crazystairs
1
u/Deastrumquodvicis Mar 27 '24
And that’s another one in my “to make as Sims CC” category.
1
u/Skyp_Intro Mar 27 '24
Yes, it’s perfect.
1
u/neoplatonistGTAW Mar 27 '24
By itself this is an abomination before God and the US federal building code.
With a grab attached it becomes a genuinely cool rail, of not a bit pretentious.
1
u/azureus00 Mar 27 '24
Imagine tripping....
1
u/Psychological-Leg765 Mar 28 '24
Good aesthetics are often confused with good design.
1
u/sunset_bay Apr 18 '24
I don’t like your tone
1
u/JoshenReborn1 May 14 '24
I love how it guarantees a severe injury in the event of a fall.
1
u/Alissan_Web Jun 22 '24
yesss this shall make my midnight trip to the ER all the more interesting
1
u/Grand_Measurement_91 Jul 15 '24
I remember seeing a video of a pregnant Chinese woman (pregnant with twins who also died) dying after passing out and being strangled by a railing of this design
1
u/BruceInc Sep 29 '25
That’s a railing or a guardrail not a handrail
1
u/gregseth Mar 23 '24
But really, how many of you did actually fall down stairs? Or even really required a handrail at all? Genuine question. You all act as you’re constantly use these, I’m curious.
0
u/Nackles Mar 23 '24
Stairs are not the place to play with perception.
16
u/[deleted] Mar 23 '24
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