Outside Handrails for the Elderly
Getting older is a part of life, there’s no way around it. And as we get older, normal everyday tasks become a bit more difficult like getting the mail or tending the garden.
With your mobility being limited, your accessibility shouldn’t be limited too.
So, how do we solve this? Well, until exo-suits are invented where we can all walk up-right with no problems, we are going to have settle for simple railings (foreshadowing).
In this article, we’re going to discuss everything that goes into planning and installing an outdoor handrail. And we’ll show you where and how to order your new outdoor handrail.
Outdoor Handrail Ideas for the Elderly
When planning for a new handrail either for yourself or for your elderly loved one, you’ll want to survey the location before you go and buy one. The three key things to focus on when analyzing the space are:
- How many steps there are?
- What is the angle of the slope?
- How the railing going to be mounted?
How many steps are there?
A simple question and hopefully a simple answer, this will become important later as we discuss the length of your handrail as you’ll want the railing to extend the length of a step beyond the top and bottom (if space allows for it).
What is the angle of the steps?
This is where some simple measuring comes into play. You can use the Pythagorean theorem by measuring the length and height of the steps to then get the length of handrail you’ll need. Or utilize your children/grandchildren to measure from the top step to the bottom step.
How will the railing be mounted?
The answer to this depends on how you want your railing mounted and what the space will allow you to do. You can have it be wall-mounted, surface-mounted, or a combination of both depending on the space you have available.
Outdoor Railing for the Elderly
Now that you properly planned for your railing, what do you look for in a handrail?
This is where we can turn to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the International Residential Code (IRC) for what type of handrail is best for the elderly at home. Now while your railing at home does NOT need to abide by ADA regulations, these regulations are great baseline for what to look for in home railing.
Smooth and Continuous Outdoor Handrail
This refers to the part where you or someone will grab onto the railing. Having a smooth and continuous surface will provide an easy and secure grip throughout the handrail.
Again, your handrail does not have to abide by this rule as you’ll see in some later examples, but it is important to think about when buying or installing a handrail.
Height Requirements for Outdoor Handrails
The IRC states that handrails must be between 34 and 38 inches. This requirement allows for some variation to match the height of the individual(s) that will need to use the handrail.
There’s no sense in having a handrail if it’s not safe to use or if it’s uncomfortable to reach/use.
The Correct Length for Your Outdoor Handrail
We mentioned earlier in the planning stage when measuring the space and counting how many steps you have. When purchasing or building your handrail, having a railing that extends beyond the steps to give a safer stepping-off or stepping-on point to the stairs.
Now this is dependent on the available space you have. If there isn’t enough room, it isn’t the end of the world. Again, these are recommendations to provide the best and most secure handrail for elderly users.
What is the Best Outdoor Handrail for the Elderly?
Now that we know the style, height, and length you should be looking for in an outdoor handrail. Where do you get one?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. We here at Simplified Building having railing kits aptly called “Simple Rail”. These kits are an easy solution you can buy online and install yourself! Or you can get your kids to do it since they owe you for raising them and taking care of them.
With simple rail, you can choose the length and style you want, and they all come at the correct height needed for you. They are also easily modified because of their modular pipe and fittings system so you can swap out parts and change angles as needed.
However, you don’t have to do this alone. Our team of project specialists are here to assist you with either choosing the right simple rail kit or to help you with your design and plans for a new handrail so that it best fits your home.
Installing an Outdoor Handrail
Now that you’ve ordered your new outdoor handrail, how do you install it?
Now I’ll preface this section by stating that I won’t be going over every step to installing an outdoor handrail, that would make an already long article even longer. If you are looking for a more in-depth walkthrough, then check out our how to install a handrail guide.
That said, let’s key in on some important installation notes when you install your outdoor handrail.
Wear PPE
Please wear personal protective equipment. This means hand, eye, and feet protection. We don’t want anyone getting injured while installing a railing.
Measure Twice, Maybe Three Times
It is critical that when you measure the install locations for flanges and the angles of your railing that you are double or triple sure that your measurements are correct.
Tighten Down, but Not Fully
When you tighten down set screws, it’s important to tighten them down so that the railing is secure, but not fully tightening them down allows for adjustments to easily be made to the angle or height as you are finishing up the install.
Test Run Your Railing
Once you’re “done” make sure you test run the railing to ensure that it is the right height and angle. This ties back to the previous point of not tightening down your set screws all the way. Once you’ve test ran it, or I guess test walked it, tighten down all the set screws and you are finished!
In Review
We’re all getting older, sorry to bring that up again, but that doesn’t mean moving around our home needs to become difficult.
So, check out our line of Simple Rails to order today, or contact one of our project specialists who would love to assist you with your railing project.
