Building Code Questions - Titan Post Anchor
Will the 4x4 Titan Post Anchor work with the Building Code?
This is a great question we get all the time.And there seems to be a lot of confusion out there among people about how to build wood railings that will meet the building code requirements.
The answer to that question is both Yes and No.
Reading the following questions and answers will help you understand this issue better.
- Is the post anchor “approved” by the building code?
- What does “approved” mean?
- Why is the post anchor not “approved” by the building code?
- Has the 4x4 Titan Post Anchor been tested by an independent lab?
- Why did you only test a single unsupported post?
- How did you set up this test?
- What were the results of the test?
- Can I see the test report?
- Can I build a wood railing system with the post anchor that will meet the building code?
- How high does a guard rail have to be?
- How much lateral force along the top rail must a guard rail system withstand?
- What is a guard rail as opposed to just a railing?
- How does post spacing affect the strength of a railing?
- Can I connect the post anchor directly to deck boards?
Is the post anchor “approved” by the building code?
No. The post anchor is not “approved” by any building code - no more than is a 2x4 or a nail. The post anchor is a component that can be used to secure wood posts to wood, concrete or other hard surfaces. These posts can be useful in many structures; some of these structures may be railing systems that are or are not subject to the guard rail requirements of the building code because they are less than or more than 30” above grade; they can be support posts for deck structures; single posts for light standards. There are many possibilities.
If a railing system is 30” (24” in Canada) or more above grade the building code for guard rails will apply and the railing system must meet minimum point loads and sustained loads along the top rail and certain dimensional requirements.
A railing system can be made up of many components such as wood posts, metal posts, balusters, top and bottom rails, screws, nails, bolts, glass panels, wire, top and bottom rail connectors, post anchors and more.
What does “approved” mean?
People get this confused a lot. There are two organizations in the US and Canada that building product companies can submit their product to, if they choose, and ask them to conduct specific tests on the product when it is used in very specific ways.
These organizations provide their opinion on whether a construction product or system complies with the requirements of the building codes either as an acceptable solution or an alternative solution or a combination of both. Acceptable solutions are those that comply with the code's applicable requirements.
The biggest organization is the International Code Council (ICC) in the US and the Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) in Canada.
The post anchor would fall under the category of testing a “system” which is made up of other components and building materials. So it depends on how the “system” is built that determines whether the resulting “system” complies with the building code, of which the post anchor would only be a single part.
These organizations are more than willing to conduct various tests on various systems constructed in as many different ways possible. Their basic testing services, technical reporting plans and related services can easily surpass $20,000 in Canada and as much as $50,000 or more in the US.
Why is the post anchor not “approved” by the building code?
Railing systems can be built in many different ways – proper or improper. For example if someone spaces wood posts at 10 feet apart there is almost no way the resultant railing system will withstand the minimum point loads for a guard rail application. So it is not the post anchor itself which needs to be “approved”, it is the way in which a railing system is built with the product that matters.
The post anchor as it currently exists solves a big problem for a large number of people. That is to say it provides one of the very best combinations of strength, post longevity, improved appearance because of the internal anchoring mechanism and ease and speed of installation.
However, it is not a “silver bullet”.
It is not all things to all people. But, what it does is marry strength and great aesthetics very well.
R&D is a huge component of Titan Post Anchor Systems and we are continually developing and testing new designs which will inevitable continue to raise the performance level of the product. You will see these results posted on our website as they emerge.
Has the 4x4 Titan Post Anchor been tested by an independent lab?
Yes. We hired Act Materials Testing Lab in Ancaster, Ontario to determine what kind of loads the post anchor can handle using a 42” unsupported post.
In addition, we continue to test new prototypes and designs which will continually be posted on this site as time goes on.
Why did you only test a single unsupported post?
There are many different ways in which wood railings and combinations of wood and other component materials such as iron, aluminum, vinyl and fiberglass can be used together to create a railing system. Each test is expensive to conduct and the test result speaks only to that specific combination of materials and configuration.
Our engineers recommended starting any tests first by focusing on the product. We wanted to know with as much confidence as possible how the specific component (the post anchor and resulting wood post connection) would perform when isolated outside of a railing system. This would allow us to understand the characteristics of this single part of a wood railing system and allow users to reasonably extrapolate or determine how a railing system using it would perform.
The post anchor is but one element of many others which in combination work to create a railing system that may, depending on the elevation of the deck be subject to the building code standards.
How did you set up this test?
They administered a horizontal load at the 42” height of a 4x4 post connected to a fixed point at the base and measured the force required to pull out the bolts from the post and develop a crack in the wood.
This was not a test for a railing system but rather a test to isolate the performance of the post and anchor working together outside of a railing.
According to the Acceptance Criteria of Handrails and Guards – AC273/ASTM D 7032 three different tests are applied. One of these tests is a concentrated load test which is applied at critical locations; top rail mid span between posts, top rail adjacent to a post and top of a single post at the end of a railing span. Deflection is measured once the applied load reaches 200 lbf and post/rail movement must be within certain maximum limits based on post spacing or rail length and post height.
What were the results of the test?
A single unsupported 42” wood post required 0.89 KN or 214 lbs of horizontal force to push it far enough that the inside bolts were stripped from the wood and a crack began to develop. This was approximately 12” from vertical. The metal base was deformed and a crack appeared in the post. It did not pull the tube or post off of the anchor.
Can I see the test report?
Yes. Click here to download a pdf copy.
Can I build a wood railing system with the post anchor that will meet the building code?
It is possible to construct wood railings with surface mounted posts so that the resulting guardrail meets the building code but depends on how you design and build it. It is not necessarily the individual components of the railing themselves which are subject to the building code but the performance of the guardrail system itself.
You should consult your local building authority or engineer to determine if your wood railings are subject to the building code and if so, whether your designs will be acceptable.
How high does a guard rail have to be?
Guard rails must be at least 36” high if the surface is 30” above grade. They must be at least 42” if the surface is 5’10” (1.80m). Any railing that is less than 30” above grade does not have to meet the guard rail standards in the building code.
California changed their building code so that any guard rail 30” or more above grade must be 42” high. This is the only state that prohibits 36” railings.
You should obtain a copy of your applicable building code to ensure that these stipulations above are still valid as codes to change from time to time.
How much lateral force along the top rail must a guard rail system withstand?
A guard rail system must withstand a 200 lbf concentrated load at any point along the top rail. This value is 225 lbs in Canada as they use a metric value (1.0KN). Safety factors are also applied in different jurisdictions and can range from 1.5 to 2.5 for testing purposes. A 42” high railing will experience greater leverage than a 36” high railing.
A guard rail system must also withstand a uniform load of 125 plf applied vertically and horizontally along the top rail. You should consult your local building authority or engineer if you any doubt about your particular railing in question.
What is a guard rail as opposed to just a railing?
All guard rails are railing systems but not all railing systems are guard rails. To be a guard rail the railing system must be used in situations where the deck surface is 30” or more above grade and must meet the minimum requirements as stated in the building code.
How does post spacing affect the strength of a railing?
When force is exerted against a railing it is distributed to the various components of the railing system; the posts, the balusters and railing sections, the top and bottom rails and the deck surface and joist structure below.
A railing system is made up of a plurality of posts and railing sections connected between each post. Each post shares a percentage of the load against the railing system. The more posts over a specific distance and the more rigid the railing sections between the posts, the less force each post absorbs and thus the stronger the railing system.
The stronger a single post is in its overall role and function within a railing system, the farther apart these posts can be spaced and still provide a certain degree of lateral resistance. If weaker posts are used, they may be spaced closer together in order to increase the resultant strength of the railing system and thus potentially still meet the minimum code requirements.
Can I connect the post anchor directly to deck boards?
Yes. However the post to deck connection is only as strong as the deck boards. Blocking should be placed under the deck boards so the fasteners have more material to connect to.