SECTION 05520

HANDRAILS AND RAILINGS (STEEL)

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 SUMMARY
A. Section Includes:
1. Handrails: Round steel.
2. Guardrail System: Round steel.
B. Related Sections:
1. Section 05120 - Structural Steel.
2. Section 09910 - Paints.
3. Section 09960 - High-Performance Coatings.

1.2 REFERENCES
A. Reference Standards: See Section 01420. In addition to requirements shown or specified, comply
with NAAMM Pipe Railing Manual and NAAMM Metal Stairs Manual for design, materials, fabrication,
and installation.

1.3 DEFINITIONS
A. Guardrail (Guard System): System of building components near open sides of elevated surface for
purpose of minimizing possibility of fall from elevated surface.
B. Handrail: Horizontal or sloping rail intended for grasping by hand for guidance or support, for
arresting falls on adjacent walking surface and for providing visual clue for change in elevation.

1.4 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

A. Design Requirements: Drawings are diagrammatic and are intended to establish basic dimension of
units, sight lines, and profiles of units.
1. Fabricator: Responsible for designing system, including anchorage to structural system and
necessary modifications to meet specified requirements and maintain visual design concepts.
2. Employ registered professional engineer, licensed to practice structural engineering in
jurisdiction where Project is located, to engineer each component of handrail and railing
system.
3. Provide concealed fastening wherever possible.
4. Make modifications only to meet field conditions and to ensure fitting of components.
5. Obtain Architect's approval of modifications.

B. Structural Requirements:
1. Handrails: Capable of withstanding following loads applied as indicated.
a. Concentrated load of 200 pounds applied at any point in any direction.
b. Uniform load of 50 PLF applied in any direction.
c. Concentrated and uniform loads above need not be applied simultaneously.
2. Guardrail System: Capable of withstanding following loads applied as indicated.
a. Concentrated load of 200 pounds applied at any point and in any direction at top of
guardrail system.
b. Uniform load of 50 PLF applied horizontally perpendicular to plane of guardrail and
vertically, simultaneously, at top of guardrail system to transmit load to supports.
c. Concentrated and uniform loads above need not be applied simultaneously.

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 3. Infill Area of Guardrail System: Intermediate rails, balusters, pickets and panel fillers shall
withstand horizontal load of 50 pounds on area not to exceed 1 square foot at any point.
Above load need not be assumed to be acting concurrently with horizontal loads on railing
system.
C. Interface within System and with Adjacent Surfaces:
1. Vertical gap: Maximum permitted space or gap between vertical edge of railing system and
vertical wall or window surfaces adjacent to handrails or guardrails: 4-inch-diameter sphere
cannot pass through opening.
2. Gaps within Railing System: Maximum permitted space or gap within railing system: 4-inch-
diameter sphere cannot pass through opening.
D. Interface with Adjacent Systems: Integrate design and connections with adjacent construction.
1. Accommodate allowable tolerances and deflections for structural members in installation.

1.5 SUBMITTALS
A. General: Submit in accordance with Section 01330.
B. Product Data: Submit for primer, grout, anchorage devices, and connection devices.
C. Shop Drawings: Indicate dimensions, materials, fabrication and installation details.
1. Stamp with seal and signature of professional engineer responsible for design.
2. Indicate size and type of fasteners, welds, accessory items, shop finish and method of
anchorage.
3. Indicate material type and grades.
D. Changed Condition Drawings: Submit in accordance with Section 01330.
E. Informational Submittals: Submit following packaged separately from other submittals:
1. Support Reactions Design Data: Submit in accordance with Section 01330.
2. Certifications specified in Quality Assurance article.
3. Manufacturer's instructions.

1.6 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. General: Submit in accordance with Section 01330.
B. Engineer Qualifications: Registered professional engineer licensed to practice structural engineering
in jurisdiction where Project is located, with experience in design of metal handrail and railing
systems.
C. Fabricator Qualifications: Company specializing in fabricating work specified in this Section.

D. Welder Qualifications: AWS certified within past 12 months for each type of weld required.
Maintain current certification for duration of Project.
E. Regulatory Requirements: Conform to ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities
(ADAAG) and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) or local code if more stringent
requirements are applicable for installing work for accessibility to handicapped.
F. Regulatory Requirements: Conform to requirements of local building codes and authorities having
jurisdiction over Project.
G. Certifications:
1. Certificates verifying AWS qualifications for each welder employed on Project.
2. Engineering certifications.

PART 2 - PRODUCTS

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2.1 STEEL HANDRAIL MATERIALS
A. Round Handrails:
1. Round Structural Tubing: ASTM A500, seamless, Grade A.
a. Size: 1-1/4 Standard Steel Pipe (max 1-1.2" OD).
b. Minimum Wall Thickness: 11 gage.
c. Finish: Standard [ASTM A53 hot-dip galvanized, 1.8 OZ/SQ FT].
B. Posts: Same as handrails.
C. Pickets and intermediate members.
1. Pickets: Round Structural Tubing: ASTM A500, seamless, Grade A.
a. Size: 1” Standard Steel Pipe
b. Minimum Wall Thickness: 13 gage
2. Finish: To match railing.

2.2 STEEL GUARDRAIL MATERIALS

A. Round Guardrail System:
1. Round Structural Tubing: ASTM A500, seamless, Grade A.
a. Size: 1-1/4 Standard Steel Pipe (max 1-1.2" OD).
b. Minimum Wall Thickness: 11 gage.
c. Finish: Standard.
B. Vertical Supports: Same as guardrail railing.
C. Pickets and intermediate members.
1. Pickets: Round Structural Tubing: ASTM A500, seamless, Grade A.
a. Size: 1” Standard Steel Pipe
b. Minimum Wall Thickness: 13 gage
2. Finish: To match railing.

2.3 ACCESSORIES
A. Railing System Anchors and Inserts:
1. Rolled Structural Channels, Plates, Shapes, and Bars: ASTM A6/A6M.
2. Headed Stud Anchors: ASTM A108, grades 1010 through 1020, AWS D1.1, Section 7, Grade
B, forged steel, headed, uncoated.
B. Fittings: Fabricate tees, elbows, splice connections, wall returns, wall ends, rail caps, post caps, and
accessories from same material and finish as railing.
C. Mounting Flanges and Anchor Plates: Fabricate of same material and finish as railing.
1. Provide holes for anchorage to adjacent construction.
D. Handrail Brackets:
1. At Walls: ASTM A47 or ASTM A48 iron casting or fabricate of same material as railing.
2. At Guardrails: Bent round steel bar, minimum 1/2 inch, to support handrail from vertical
supports with 1-1/2 inch clearance from inside face of handrail to guardrail.
3. Bracket design shall permit ADA compliance for clearance from wall or obstruction and for
continuous use of railing.
4. Finish: Same as handrail.
E. Fasteners:
1. Bolts and Nuts: Regular hexagon head type, ASTM A307, Grade A.
2. Lag Bolts: Square head type FS FF-B-561.
3. Machine Screws: Cadmium plated steel, FS FF-S-92.

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 4. Wood Screws: Flat head carbon steel, FS FF-S-111.
5. Plain Washers: Round, carbon steel, FS FF-W-92.
6. Masonry Anchorage Devices: Expansion shields, FS FF-S-325.
7. Toggle Bolts: Tumble-wing type, FS FF-B-588, type class and style required.
8. Lock Washers: Helical spring type carbon steel FS FF-W-84.
9. Concrete Expansion Anchors: HSL Anchor as manufactured by Hilti Fastening Systems, Inc.,
Tulsa, OK.
a. Finish: Zinc-plated.
10. Finish: ASTM A153 hot-dip zinc coating for anchors in exterior use.
F. Non-Shrink Grout: Premixed, factory packaged, non-ferrous aggregate, non-staining, shrinkage-
resistant, non-corrosive, non-gaseous, ASTM C1107.
1. Minimum Strength at 28 Days: 5000 PSI.
2. Acceptable Products:
a. Masterflow 713, Master Builders, Cleveland, OH.
b. Euco N.S., Euclid Chemical Co., Cleveland, OH.
c. Crystex, L&M Construction Chemicals, Omaha, NE.
d. SikaGrout 212, Sika Corporation, Lyndhurst, NJ.
e. Sonogrout 10K, Sonneborn Building Products, Minneapolis, MN.
f. Five Star Grout by US Grout Corp, Fairfield, CT.
g. Accepted Substitute in accordance with Section 01600.
G. Provide templates for locating components.

2.4 STEEL HANDRAILS AND GUARDRAILS FABRICATION

A. General: Verify dimensions on site prior to shop fabrication.
1. Preassemble items in shop to greatest extent possible to minimize field splicing and assembly.
Disassemble units only as necessary for shipping and handling. Clearly mark units for
reassembly and coordinated installation.
B. Design Requirements: Return railings to walls at ends.
1. Extend railings 12 inches beyond top riser and 12 inches beyond plus one tread beyond bottom
riser where not continuous.
2. Make clear distance between components of guardrail infill such that 4 inch diameter sphere
cannot pass through opening.
C. Railing Components: Use prefabricated fittings for joining railing components.
1. Use prefabricated radius bends or bend pipe to form radius bends free from buckles or twist,
with smooth finished surfaces.
2. Fabricate joints exposed to weather to exclude water or provide weep holes.
3. Remove burrs from exposed cut edges.
4. Close exposed ends of pipe and tube with cap or end fitting.
5. Fabricate toe boards or kick plate of 4 inches wide by 1/8 inch steel plate unless noted
otherwise.
D. Connection of Railing Components: Use internal welding connector sleeves.
1. Completely weld joints, without undercutting or overlap.
2. Remove slag, grind exposed welds smooth and contour surface to match adjacent surfaces.
3. Bolted or riveted connections are not acceptable.
E. Exterior Steel Handrail: Fabricate as indicated on Drawings with continuous Round Handrail System,
as top rails.
1. Posts: Equally spaced at maximum of 4’-8” OC unless otherwise indicated.

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 a. Exterior Locations:
1) Concrete Plug: Fill bottom 5-1/2 inches of posts with concrete or mortar.
2) Weep Holes: Drill two separated 1/8 inch holes in posts just above concrete fill to
weep any moisture inside of posts.
2. Steel Handrails: Continuous, welded to posts.
F. Interior and exterior Steel Guardrail and Guardrails at Stairways: Fabricate as indicated on Drawings
with continuous Round Guardrail System as top and bottom rails.
1. Vertical Supports: Equally spaced at maximum of 4’-8” [3’-6”] OC unless otherwise indicated.
Weld to top and bottom rails and to stairway stringers.
a. Exterior Locations:
1) Concrete Plug: Fill bottom 5-1/2 inches of supports with concrete or mortar.
2) Weep Holes: Drill two separated 1/8 inch holes in supports just above concrete fill
to weep any moisture inside of supports.
2. Pickets: Equally spaced between vertical supports with maximum of 3-7/8 inches clear space
unless otherwise indicated. Weld to top and bottom rails.
3. Handrail Brackets: Equally spaced at maximum of 4’-8” OC unless otherwise indicated.
Fabricate to provide minimum 1-1/2 inches clearance from inside face of handrail to face of
guardrail unless otherwise indicated. Fabricate to provide maximum continuous gripping
circumference from top of handrail. Weld to vertical supports and handrail.
4. Steel Handrail: Continuous, welded at bottom to handrail brackets.
G. Exit Barrier Gate: Self-closing, unlatched, hinged gate as indicated, fabricated from same materials as
steel guardrail system to comply with applicable code requirements complete with springs, hinges,
and stops.
1. Provide stop to prevent swinging in direction of level lower than level of exit discharge.
2. Provide spring hinges to return to closed position.

2.5 FINISHES
A. General: Apply primers in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.
1. Steel surfaces to be primed must be dry and free of dirt, oils, rust, salt and other contaminants.
B. Surface Preparation:
1. Interior Uncoated Surfaces: Remove mill scale, rust and dirt by SSPC-SP3 power tool cleaning.
2. Exterior Uncoated Surfaces: Remove mill scale, rust and dirt by SSPC-SP6 commercial grade
blast cleaning.
C. Universal Primer:
1. Manufacturer's standard, lead free primer, capable of providing sound foundation for field
applied top coats despite prolonged exposure.
a. Rust inhibitive/corrosion-resistant.
b. Solids: Nominal 60 percent.
c. DFT: 2 to 3 mils.
o
d. Maximum Allowable Dry Time: One hour to touch; 12 hour dry to recoat at 75 F.
e. Compatible with finish paint system specified in 09910 [09960].
2. Acceptable Products:
a. Tnemec, Chem Prime 37H-77, Tnemec, Kansas City, MO.
b. Carboline Multi-Bond 150, Carboline Company, St. Louis, MO.
c. Accepted Substitute in accordance with Section 01600.
d. Provide at interior stairs.
D. Galvanizing:

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 1. Surface Preparation: Remove mill scale, rust and foreign matter by SSPC SP6 - Commercial
Blast Cleaning at shop prior to galvanizing.
a. Galvanized Surfaces: Clean in accordance with SSPC-SP1 solvent cleaning. Remove white
rust by SSPC SP3 power tool cleaning. Exercise care not to remove galvanizing.
2. Galvanized Finish: Hot-dipped galvanized.
a. Iron and Steel Products: ASTM A123; Coating Grade 85 [65].
b. Provide at exterior locations.
3. Galvanizing Repair Paint: MIL-P-21035 or SSPC-Paint-20.
a. Acceptable Products:
1) Valspar M-2-2 (13-F-2), Valspar, Baltimore, MD.
2) Tnemec 90-93, Tnemec Co., Kansas, MO.
3) Carboline Galvanox, Carboline Company, St. Louis, MO.
4) Accepted Substitute in accordance with Section 01600.
E. Final painting under Section 09910 - Paints and 09960 - High-Performance Coatings.

PART 3 - EXECUTION

3.1 EXAMINATION
A. Examine conditions and proceed with Work in accordance with Section 01400.
B. Verify installation tolerances of items embedded in other work:
1. Spacing: Plus/minus: 3/8 inch.
2. Alignment: Plus/minus: 1/4 inch.
3. Plumbness: Plus/minus: 1/8 inch.

3.2 PREPARATION
A. Coordinate setting drawings, diagrams, templates, instructions, and directions for installation of
anchorages, concrete inserts, and anchor bolts.
1. Clean openings of debris.

3.3 STEEL HANDRAILS AND GUARDRAILS INSTALLATION

A. Install in accordance with approved Shop Drawings.
1. Fit exposed connections accurately to form tight, hairline joints. Make joints as strong and rigid
as adjoining construction. Fully weld joints and seams and dress smooth where exposed.
2. Set posts plumb and align to within 1/4 inch in 12 feet. Set rails horizontal or parallel to rake of
steps or ramp to within 1/4 inch in 12 feet.
B. Post Anchorage: For Anchoring Posts and Vertical Supports:
1. In Concrete: Anchor posts in formed or core drilled openings in concrete.
a. Forming: Forms which remain in place not allowed. Metal cans or sleeves not allowed.
b. Drilling: Coordinate reinforcement placement to avoid cutting or exposing
reinforcement during core drilling. Apply galvanizing repair paint to any exposed metal.
c. Minimum Depth of Opening: 5 inches unless otherwise indicated.
d. Minimum Diameter of Opening: 3/4 inch larger than post diameter.
e. Minimum Distance from Center of Opening to Edge of Concrete: 4 inches [5 inches]
unless otherwise indicated.
f. Provide temporary closure on top of opening to prevent concrete and moisture
penetration.
g. Clean hole of foreign matter to exposed concrete, place posts, and fill annular space
between posts and openings solid with Non-Shrink Grout.

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 h. Wipe off excess grout and leave 1/8 inch build-up sloped away from post.
2. Anchor posts by welding to imbedded plates preset and anchored in concrete.
3. Anchor posts with floor flange or fascia flange and fascia brackets to concrete with concrete
expansion anchors and to steel by bolting or field welding.
C. Steel Handrails: Install with 1-1/2 inch clearance from inside face of handrail to finished wall surface.
At stairways, install with minimum 2-1/4 inch clearance from inside face of handrail to finished wall
surface.
1. Handrail Brackets at Walls: Provide at 6 inches from end and spaced equally at maximum of 4
feet OC unless otherwise indicated on Drawings.
a. Concrete and Solid Masonry: Expansion anchors; expansion shields and concealed
hanger bolts, or exposed lag bolt.
b. Hollow Masonry: Toggle bolts
c. Stud Partitions: Secure to metal grounds with toggle bolt; wood blocking with lag bolt.
D. Railing Expansion Joints: Provide slip joint with internal sleeve extending 2 inches beyond joint on
each side.
1. Fasten sleeve to one side only.
2. Locate expansion joints within 6 inches of post.
3. Provide at intervals of maximum 20 feet on center.
E. Exit Barrier Gate: Provide at top of stair run extending below level of exit discharge in exit stairways
to prevent egress traffic from going to lower level without exterior exit.
1. Gate: Swing from stairway wall side in direction of egress from lower level.
2. Securely anchor hinge side of gate to stairway wall construction.

3.4 CLEANING AND PROTECTION

A. Touch-Up Painting: Perform immediately after erection.
1. Clean field welds of flux.
2. Power-tool clean abraded shop paint.
3. Paint exposed areas with shop primer.
4. Clean field welds and abraded areas of galvanized surfaces and apply galvanizing repair paint per
ASTM A780.
B. Final Painting: See Section 09910 and 09960.
C. Protect railings in accordance with Section 01500.

END OF SECTION

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