Minimum gap between spindles?

mac80

Hi,

I recently got my house renovated and got new oak spindles and banisters etc.
The carpenter told me how many spindles to orders and I got them, he had 14 spare :mad: and said that the spindles looked better spaced apart more.

I have since realised that apart from the waster of money in buying the extra spindles, the staircase may be dangerous because of the large gap between spindles.
We dont have kids yet but it would be lethal for kids if we did. The gap between spindles is 9" ( from center to center ) :eek:

I'm getting the carpenter back tomorrow ( a family friend ) to have a look at it, I dont know if i'll have to pay for the changes yet?????

Is there a legal minimum gap between spindles?


Thanks

Mac

SpitfireIV

9" is crazy! haha, I think he just didnt want all the extra work!! The regulation distance is 90 or 100mm apart (I'm not certain at the moment) thats about 3.5 - 4". A ball of that diameter shouldnt pass between them, its basically so that a child cant fit its head in!

It seems like he may have had them counted out correctly, or close enough, at the beginning but either realised it was quicker to space them further apart and get payed the same, or maybe he figured it looked better, or maybe he didnt know what he was doing and wasnt up to the job?! I'd say he knew well the proper distance at the start and thus I wouldnt be giving him an extra days pay to sort the problem! If he's doing the job he should know the regs!

aerosol

As Croppy said,9" is nuts,Get him back,shouldn't be more than 100mm.As a child I would frequently test this with my head at all oppertunities:D

ttm

Isn't it something like if you can get a 100mm dia ball through the gap its too wide so max spacing at anyone point has to be 99mm?

Edit> think that would be UK but guess the same here?

mac80

Ok cheers guys

jack of all

Check out Part K of the Irish building regulations, http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1651,en.pdf which state that: "....In addition,
unless the stairs are unlikely to be used by children
under five years of age, guarding should be so
constructed that a 100 mm diameter sphere cannot
pass through any openings in the guarding and that it
will not be readily climbable".

To be honest any competent working carpenter should know this, the rule has been around a long time. Have a look through the document and check your stairs for the other important dimensions- width, rise, going, handrail height, pitch and headroom. Family friend or not, if he isn't familiar with a building regulation that's around more than 10 years (with little substantial change over that time) he shouldn't be touching stairwork. Sorry to be harsh but no engineer or architect would sign off on a job where the stair didn't meet regulations, the risk is too great. Hang tough on this one, you've got to know your job when it comes to stair building.

MathsManiac

ttm wrote: »

Isn't it something like if you can get a 100mm dia ball through the gap its too wide so max spacing at anyone point has to be 99mm?

Edit> think that would be UK but guess the same here?

That's spot on for Irish Building regs.

See Part K. item 1.1.19.

Document here:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1651,en.pdf

[Edit: pipped at the post!]

mac80

Thanks again, i'll let you know how my meeting goes, he should be here shortly

mac80

Met "carpenter" and explained situation. He claimed that the spindles i have wouldnt look as well 100mm apart and thats why he put them 9" apart.

He said that the regulation was nonsense and houses have been built over the last few years with worse etc, gave me big speel on how regulated Ireland has got.

Long story short i insisted he redo the work to regulation spec and it will be done next week.

When he asked me why i didnt complain when I saw him setting the wood, i just told him that i presumed that he would have worked to all the correct regulations and that it wasnt my job to know the regs as i'm a technician not a carpenter.

Thanks for the help,

Mac

jack of all

I think your carpenter's response is classic! I'm sure you'll be happy when the job is completed- to building regulations.

kadman

What else has he done on your house that may be outside of building regs

kadman

mac80

Everything else he done is within regs, he only hung doors etc.

jamesy08

For timber swingsets,its 85mm,distance in between spindles
jamesy