Help with handrail

[Jerry Bruette]

I'd like to put a handrail going down my basement stairs, half of the wall is drywall over studs and the other half is the concrete basement wall. Would it be okay to screw the brackets to the studs through the drywall or should I put some type of backer on to of the drywall to help strengthen the wall.

I'm concerned with a possible slip/fall and the bracket digging into the drywall and becoming loose.

[Mel Fulks]

Sure, just go through the dry wall. And into a stud!

[Gordon Eyre]

Just go through the dry wall and into the stud. Never had a problem in doing it that way.

[Dave Zellers]

99.9% of all handrails are screwed through the drywall. Just make sure to locate the center of the stud so all three screws bite into it.

[Lee Schierer]

Going through the dry wall is acceptable, just make sure that all the screws go into the studs and are long enough to give proper grip in the wood.

Note that code now requires hand rails to be returned into the wall at the top and bottom so that loose clothing, purse straps etc. cannot get behind the railing and cause a person to be thrown off balance or impeded from going up or down in an emergency.

[Jerry Bruette]

Thanks for the advice, good to know about the returns on the top and the bottom.

[Mel Fulks]

Good to be informed about the returns ,but many put in obviously temporary and crude stuff to get CO then put in the good rail. I could not live anywhere with handrail that looks plumbing.

[Lee Schierer]

Good to be informed about the returns ,but many put in obviously temporary and crude stuff to get CO then put in the good rail. I could not live anywhere with handrail that looks plumbing.

I never gave it much thought but just this past week I was running a little late and was hurrying down our stairs to the basement that have an old style handrail with out returns. I cut the corner pretty close because I was in a hurry and my coat which was unzipped caught on the hand rail and very near caused me to lose my balance and fall. I was stopped in my tracks instantly and turned to the side at the same time. This hand rail is over 45 years old and I have never had this problem since we bought the house in 1977.

[Mel Fulks]

Glad you're ok Lee.....but that's what happens when the Feds retroactively make your hand rail unsafe. What a waste of money!