KenOC
Columbus
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After knocking out walls and creating a distinctly urban loft feel in my sleepy suburban home, I decided to do a cable rail to keep with the open feeling of my home. Like this:
Called the building department and got the "No way" from a planner.
My two motives for posting this:
-With all the contemporary enthusiasts, I'm sure I'm not the first to consider this option.
-To ask... how hard is it to overcome and prove that these types of things can be done safely?
Pablo
Crestview Addition
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I have too. At first I thought they might be banned since the cables can be used as a ladder by a small child but I was at the Ohio Union and all the railings in the great hall have horizontal rails (not cable, but the same concept). Maybe an architect can help you through the process.
Strange....
ThisGuy
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There used to be provisions in the code that didn't allow for climbable railings... This pretty much excluded any railing that had horizontal rails and also cable railing... That isn't part of the current code though...
http://publicecodes.citation.com/st/oh/st/b4v06/st_oh_st_b4v06_3_sec012.htm?bu=OH-P-2005-000004
SECTION 312 GUARDS
312.1 Guards required.
Porches, balconies or raised floor surfaces located more than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 36 inches (914 mm) in height. Open sides of stairs with a total rise of more than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 34 inches (864 mm) in height measured vertically from the nosing of the treads.
Exception: Guards are not required where a protective bar is installed 34 inches to 38 inches (864 mm to 965 mm) above the porch or deck on the side of the screening having access thereto. The bar shall be capable of resisting a horizontal load of 50 pounds per lineal foot (730 N/m) without contacting the screen and be a minimum of 1½ inches (38 mm) in height.
Porches and decks which are enclosed with insect screening shall be provided with guards where the walking surface is located more than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below.
312.2 Guard opening limitations.
Required guards on open sides of stairways, raised floor areas, balconies and porches shall have intermediate rails or ornamental closures which do not allow passage of a sphere 4 inches (102 mm) or more in diameter.
Exceptions:
1. The triangular openings formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail of a guard at the open side of a stairway are permitted to be of such a size that a sphere 6 inches (152 mm) cannot pass through.
2. Openings for required guards on the sides of stair treads shall not allow a sphere 4 3/8 inches (107 mm) to pass through.
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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If you had it installed when the code was in effect and it was compliant then, it could still be grandfathered in (unless you mess with it, then it needs to be brought up to standards).
When you go to sell the house it could become an issue that you'll need to prove was installed during the code compliant era and maybe they'll want to pull a permit from when the modification was done and opps...no permit.
Also, if someone were to get hurt, however unlikely it may be, your insurance company will be asking you questions.
Have you considered using striped glass...or maybe that is too eighties?
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