Handrails and Railings in Lake Los Angeles, CA

Handrail and guard are separate items that often end up welded together. The handrail is the part a hand grips on a stair. The guard is the barrier along the open edge of a porch, landing or raised deck. An inspector measures each one on its own.

Rail on settled steps gets built to the steps as they are. Steps that have moved are no longer square, and a stock rail cut down to fit them leaves gaps and odd angles. We measure the actual risers and the landing, then weld the rail to that shape.

The mount is where rails fail. A baseplate on top of a step puts its anchors at the nosing, the weakest concrete on the step. A side mount moves the fasteners back from that edge but loads them in pry, so slab thickness matters. On thick sound concrete, a core drilled hole with the post grouted in holds well. A wall bracket has to reach a stud or masonry, never just stucco over lath.

Rust starts low and inside, and a Lake Los Angeles porch rail sits in open sun all day. Open tube collects water, so tops get capped and low points get drains, and anything going out for hot dip galvanizing needs vent holes because a sealed tube will not be dipped. Paint costs less and is easy to touch up. Galvanizing under an AAMA 2604 class powder lasts far longer outdoors.

If the rail borders a pool, plan check can count it as part of the barrier under Health and Safety Code 115923: at least 60 inches tall, no more than 2 inches underneath, no gap passing a 4 inch sphere, and an outside surface free of handholds or footholds. The statute does not name horizontal rails, but a horizontal member at child height reads as a foothold, so that rail gets vertical pickets.

This work runs out of our shop on Division Street in Lancaster. Read the full handrails and railings details, or call (818) 220-8704 and we will come out.