Question 1

How high should a stair handrail be inside an Ontario home?

Accepted Answer

The 2024 Ontario Building Code sets the required height for a handrail on a private stair inside a dwelling unit at 865 mm to 1 070 mm, measured from a line drawn tangent to the tread nosings. A few other Code points bear on how a handrail is installed. Within a single dwelling unit, a stair narrower than 1 100 mm needs a handrail on one side only. A handrail is not required at all on an interior stair with no more than 2 risers.

Question 2

My kids climb the stair guard, what does Ontario code say?

Accepted Answer

There is a direct rule for this in the 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24). Nothing between 140 mm and 900 mm above the floor may make a guard climbable, unless it is shown not to be a hazard (9.8.8.6.). That is the zone children use as a ladder. The Code also sets out what the openings in a guard must stop. Within a dwelling unit, openings must stop a 100 mm (about 4 in.) sphere (9.8.8.5.).

Question 3

What is SB-7 and does it matter for my Ottawa guard?

Accepted Answer

SB-7 is the Ministry's Supplementary Standard SB-7 for guards, and it still matters under the 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24): clause 9.8.8.2.(6) says guards built to MMAH Supplementary Standard SB-7 are deemed to comply with the guard loading rules. Table 9.8.8.2. sets those loads for guards within a dwelling unit: 0.5 kN/m or a concentrated load of 1.0 kN at the top, 0.5 kN over an area up to 300 mm by 300 mm on the infill, and 1.5 kN/m vertical.

Question 4

Old balusters in Alta Vista, how do I check them against the 100 mm test?

Accepted Answer

The 100 mm (about 4 in.) sphere rule comes from the 2024 Ontario Building Code, section 9.8.8.5: openings in a guard must not allow a 100 mm sphere to pass through. To check your balusters, you need a sphere or a round object that is exactly 100 mm in diameter, and you pass it against every opening between balusters, between a baluster and the newel post, and between the bottom baluster and the floor or the base rail. A few things to check while you are at it.

Question 5

How far apart can balusters be in an Ottawa home?

Accepted Answer

Baluster spacing inside a dwelling unit is set by the guard opening rule in the 2024 Ontario Building Code: no opening may allow a 100 mm (about 4 in.) sphere to pass through. That is the rule that governs baluster spacing on an interior stair or landing guard. The triangle formed between a stair tread, a riser and the underside of a guard has its own limit: no opening there may allow a 150 mm sphere to pass through. A few other guard rules apply at the same time.

Handrails & Guards

How high should a stair handrail be inside an Ontario home?

My kids climb the stair guard, what does Ontario code say?

What is SB-7 and does it matter for my Ottawa guard?

Old balusters in Alta Vista, how do I check them against the 100 mm test?

How far apart can balusters be in an Ottawa home?