Handrail Height Brazil Calculator

Handrail heights (NBR 9050 / NBR 9077)

NBR 9050 asks for two handrail heights. One sits at 0.92 m, for an adult standing up; the other at 0.70 m, meant for a child or someone in a wheelchair. In public buildings, stairs and ramps need both at once, which is the duplo (double handrail) you see everywhere. Residential interior stairs are a different case and fall under NBR 9077, where a single rail between 0.80 and 0.92 m does the job, measured from the nosing of the tread.

The rail itself should be round, 3.0 to 4.5 cm across, kept 4.0 cm off the wall, and never interrupted along the run. It carries on 30 cm past the first and last step, horizontally, so the user still has something to hold before stepping on and after stepping off. At the end it curves back into the wall, which keeps a bag strap or a loose sleeve from snagging on it.

Applications

Accessibility work under NBR 9050, fire egress under NBR 9077, public buildings, schools, healthcare units, residential stairs, and pool decks (where the handrail has to be slip-resistant).

FAQ

Single or double handrail in condo? Shared common areas have to be double. A private interior stair inside the unit can get away with a single rail at 0.80-0.92 m.

Glass handrail? Fine, as long as it's structural and slip-resistant. You see it a lot in modern projects, though it costs more.

Should the handrail end before the step? No. It has to run 30 cm past the first and last step, horizontally, so there's support going into and coming off the run.