How to Install a Handrail on a Wall
How to install wall mounted handrails
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Handrail regulations
Stairs should have a handrail on at least one side if they are less than 1m wide. They should have a handrail on both sides if they are wider. You do not need a handrail on the first two steps up.
If your stairs are enclosed by a wall on both sides, then you will need at least one wall mounted handrail fitted and it does not matter which side the handrail is fitted to. If your staircase is wider than 1m then you need two wall mounted handrails.
If your stairs are against only one wall, then you will need a wall mounted handrail only if your stairs are wider than 1 metre. Domestic staircases are usually less that this width, so normally, no wall mounted handrail will be required in your home.
You may, however, wish to install a handrail on the wall anyway, as an additional aid. This is absolutely fine, bit it must still comply with current building regulations.
Fitting either a mopstick handrail, pig's ear handrail or profiled handrail will enable you to comply with the regulations.
What are the different types of handrail? Shop for Wall Mounted Handrails
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How high should I fit my handrail?
In all buildings, handrail heights should be between 900mm and 1000mm measured from the pitch line to the top of the handrail.
Lay a straight edge, long enough to cover several steps, on the stairs. The pitch line will be the underside of the straight edge (assuming no carpets are fitted). See below.
With your mopstick or pig's ear handrail, you should aim to match the height of the top of the existing staircase handrail.
Installing Mopstick Handrail
Allowing 50mm for the thickness of the handrail, measure up vertically at least 850mm from the front of the bottom tread and the front of the top tread.
Put a pencil mark at these points, and fix a screw temporarily into the walls where marked.
Stretch a length of string tightly between these two points. Check that the height is correct for all the steps and adjust one of the screws up or down if necessary.
Mark on the wall every 500mm or so, so that you can use a straight edge to join all the points. You can now remove the screws and string leaving a pencil line at the correct height along the wall.
TIP: Instead of marking your wall with screws, have two people hold each end of the string taut while you measure and adjust to the correct height.
Place a long straight edge and level against the second riser to mark an intersecting vertical line.
Draw a pencil line against the straight edge and then repeat the process except for the penultimate riser at the top of the staircase.
You now have two intersection lines that mark the bottom mopstick bracket and top mopstick bracket. Divide the remaining distance between the two marks so that the brackets are no further than 1m apart. It is normal to have two more points in total. You will probably have four marked positions for four mopstick brackets.
Place the first bracket against the wall with the centre line of the bracket against the vertical line and the handrail plate along the handrail pencil line.
Mopstick bracket
Mark the three holes with a bradawl and then remove the bracket.
Repeat this process for the remaining three brackets.
Fix the brackets into the wall using fixing plugs for solid walls, or metal plasterboard anchors for plasterboard partitioning (Ideally, try to screw into the timberframe of the wall).
Before plasterboarding, place a 300mm wide length of 20mm, or thicker, plywood between, and flush with, the vertical timbers at the approximate height of the handrail (allow for brackets). This will give you something really secure to fasten your handrail brackets to without the need for plugs or special anchors.
Please Note: Make sure you have a secure fixing so that the rail is strong enough to fall against.
With the aid of another person, place the handrail on the brackets and, with a pencil, mark the position of the fixing holes. This will allow you to pre-drill your handrail. Wonkee Donkee recommends that you pre-drill all screw holes to avoid splitting your timber.
Temporarily fit the handrail using a couple of screws, and vertically mark the ends of the mopstick handrail for cutting to give a more attractive finish.
Use a level to vertically mark both ends of the rail approximately 200mm out from the brackets. Remove the rail and carefully cut with a tenon saw.
Finally, fix your mopstick handrail back into position. Paint or stain the handrail to finish.
TIP: If possible, paint or stain the handrail before fitting to the brackets. This will save getting paint on your brackets. If you don't have anywhere to do this, place masking tape on the brackets - particularly on the part that fixes to the handrail - then screw the handrail in place with a single screw at each end. You can now paint or stain without fear of getting any on your brackets. When everything is completely dry, remove the handrail and take off the masking tape. Secure handrail to all brackets using as many screws as the bracket allows. Job done!
Finished mopstick handrail
A very similar process can be used to fix your pig's ear handrail.
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How to Install a Handrail on a Wall
Source: https://www.wonkeedonkeerichardburbidge.co.uk/how-to-install-handrails-on-a-wall/