| I don't have a
picture of a stair handrail being tested, but they use a machine that
would look something like my crude illustration above, to apply pressure
to concentrated sections of the handrail. If the handrail system breaks
before the minimum required pressure is applied, the handrail system
will fail the test.
Most building codes require that a stairway handrail
resist a load of 50 pounds per linear feet, applied in any direction.
Single-family homes require a 200 pound concentrated load on the hand
railing.
These tests apply concentrated loads to the handrail itself, or the
upper section of the handrail unit. There is a special machine that
applies pressure on different types of handrails, in a controlled
environment, to find out if they can or can't be used on certain types
of buildings.
The next question you're going to ask me, is how does this building code
work with a guardrail. I couldn't find the word guardrail mentioned
anywhere in this section. A guardrail could require more than the amount
specified on this page. However, I did find some pictures of tests being
done on handrails, that looked like guard rails, if you know what I
mean.
People often get the word handrail mixed up with the word guardrail, but
I have seen the word handrail used to refer to a guardrail, more than
once.
Remember, most metal guardrails or handrails that are made from metal
are going to be stronger than those made from wood. I would imagine,
that most wood handrails systems would fail these tests.
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