Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
(OP)
Can anyone recommend a detail for the following:
One story load bearing cold formed metal stud wall, roof will be accessible and needs a railing. The architect wants the metal stud to form a short curb/parapet (+/-12") with a railing mounted from the interior face of the short stud curb. See attached.
I was thinking of attaching a structural steel angle vertically to the joist below, the angle would be overlapped with the joist below the full joist depth (12"), essentially pushed down to the same top track on the wall below. I'm thinking that there is probably a better detail out there.
One story load bearing cold formed metal stud wall, roof will be accessible and needs a railing. The architect wants the metal stud to form a short curb/parapet (+/-12") with a railing mounted from the interior face of the short stud curb. See attached.
I was thinking of attaching a structural steel angle vertically to the joist below, the angle would be overlapped with the joist below the full joist depth (12"), essentially pushed down to the same top track on the wall below. I'm thinking that there is probably a better detail out there.






RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
My question is why is the architect doing this? I would think this will look like crap, and why not just extend the parapet up to form a barrier?
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
Make it a masonry parapet and this becomes 10x easier.
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
a2 - re: extending the parapet up. When I've done this in the past it has been a curtain wall application where I run past the floor as one member to cantilever, or I've had diagonal kickers/braces back to the floor. Arch doesn't want braces. Can you develop parapet wind loads and/or railing loads by any attachment detail through just cold formed? I'm not too comfortable with CF, it seems very flimsy to me.
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
Then all you have to worry about is a good connection at the base.
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
I think continuous studs up and past the roof, to whatever dimension the arch is showing, is your best option. Then between those vertical studs, run two horizontal studs, parallel to your top track, one at each of the two anchor locations you have shown. No idea if the forces are manageable, just a thought.
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
RE: Railing on Metal Stud Parapet
I would balloon frame that top level up to the top of the parapet, and top that with a structural channel, toes down, and well fixed to every stud. This, so that at every handrail attachment you brought three or five studs into place w.r.t. the 50 and 200lb. railing loadings. At each post attachment you should reinforce that stud, and you should tie all the studs back into the fl. jsts. and fl. diaphragm. The detailing for load distribution, and against water penetration gets kinda fussy, but the Arch. wants what he/she wants and can pay for it to be done right, or adjust their wants.
You could put ledger beam (CF channel) on the inside of the studs to pick up the jsts., but the Arch. probably won’t like that even though his want forced this detail. You could line the studs up with the fl. jsts., so that the jst. rested against the back side of the stud web. Then put a seat angle under the jst. as well as attaching the jst. directly to the stud web. You might also need fire blocking at this level, which could be part of the jst. support system. Look through USP’s & Simpson’s catalogs for various hardware choices.