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Best railing height for old-fashioned-looking front porch (WAS: Okay to have different window styles?)

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Best railing height for old-fashioned-looking front porch (WAS: Okay to have different window styles?) Sasquatch 10-05-2006
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Posted by Sasquatch on October 5, 2006, 12:03 pm
What is the best railing height for an old-fashioned-looking
wrap-around front porch? Here's a link so you can see the porch in
question:
http://www.mynewoldhouse.com/house/images/FrontElevationLRG.gif

How about 30"? The code for most areas is 36". But, like I said, we
do not have to follow code because or porch is close to the ground.
And 36" just looks to high, like the people sitting on the porch are in
jail. (We've all spent enough time in jail. We don't want to feel
that way on our front porch.) I've read that 30" was a standard during
the Victorian and post-Victorian era. But I've also seen some 24"
railings that look great--they're kind of the ballustrade style--low.

What do you think about 30"? Then we could just by standard composite
railing components from HB&G to go with their columns and modify the
ballusters to make them 6" shorter.

Please share your thoughts.

- John

jojo wrote:
> Railing: Do not even consider using a 24" high railing. That would be an
> abomination.
> jojo


Posted by Glenn on October 5, 2006, 12:17 pm
You asked and got answers before. Didn't like them and want
different?

> What is the best railing height for an
> old-fashioned-looking wrap-around front porch? Here's a
> link so you can see the porch in question:
> http://www.mynewoldhouse.com/house/images/FrontElevationLRG.gif
>
> How about 30"? The code for most areas is 36". But,
> like I said, we do not have to follow code because or
> porch is close to the ground. And 36" just looks to high,
> like the people sitting on the porch are in jail. (We've
> all spent enough time in jail. We don't want to feel
> that way on our front porch.) I've read that 30" was a
> standard during the Victorian and post-Victorian era.
> But I've also seen some 24" railings that look
> great--they're kind of the ballustrade style--low.
>
> What do you think about 30"? Then we could just by
> standard composite railing components from HB&G to go
> with their columns and modify the ballusters to make them
> 6" shorter.
>
> Please share your thoughts.
>
> - John
>
> jojo wrote:
> > Railing: Do not even consider using a 24" high railing.
> > That would be an abomination.
> > jojo


Posted by Sasquatch on October 5, 2006, 1:49 pm
Just thought I might get more opinions if I broke the question out into
its own discussion.

I'm kind of surprised people haven't sounded out *AGAINST* the 36"
railings. The local architects I've talked to have said that 36" looks
too tall for a house that is trying to look old fashioned or
traditional. They say it looks like a play pen. They say none of the
100+ year old houses had railings that high unless they've since been
updated.

- John

Glenn wrote:
> You asked and got answers before. Didn't like them and want
> different?


Posted by Glenn on October 5, 2006, 2:09 pm
Maybe we know more than the locals. I'm 75 and started in
construction at 18 and I have never seen a 24" rail but as I said
before, it's your house and if you want it 12" high, it's no skin
off my butt. We are just telling you what it OUGHT to be. I
would suggest though that you keep your homeowners insurance paid
up so when someone trips over the thing, you are covered.

> Just thought I might get more opinions if I broke the
> question out into its own discussion.
>
> I'm kind of surprised people haven't sounded out
> *AGAINST* the 36" railings. The local architects I've
> talked to have said that 36" looks too tall for a house
> that is trying to look old fashioned or traditional.
> They say it looks like a play pen. They say none of the
> 100+ year old houses had railings that high unless
> they've since been updated.
>
> - John
>
> Glenn wrote:
> > You asked and got answers before. Didn't like them and
> > want different?


Posted by eds on October 5, 2006, 3:01 pm

> Maybe we know more than the locals. I'm 75 and started in construction at
> 18 and I have never seen a 24" rail but as I said before, it's your house
> and if you want it 12" high, it's no skin off my butt. We are just
> telling you what it OUGHT to be. I would suggest though that you keep
> your homeowners insurance paid up so when someone trips over the thing,
> you are covered.
>
>> Just thought I might get more opinions if I broke the
>> question out into its own discussion.
>>
>> I'm kind of surprised people haven't sounded out
>> *AGAINST* the 36" railings. The local architects I've
>> talked to have said that 36" looks too tall for a house
>> that is trying to look old fashioned or traditional.
>> They say it looks like a play pen. They say none of the
>> 100+ year old houses had railings that high unless
>> they've since been updated.
>>
>> - John
>>
>> Glenn wrote:
>> > You asked and got answers before. Didn't like them and
>> > want different?
>
I live in a house built in 1886 and owned by my family since 1891, The
railing was 36" back then and still is although replaced several times. I
have photos back to 1891. Too low a railing makes one feel that they will
trip over it. If you don't like it, don't use any railing.
EDS



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