When do stairs need a landing

That means that, as I illustrate in the drawing above adapted from yours , we would measure from the point on the landing that would be touched by dropping a vertical line from the outer face of the ascending and descending tread noses. My basis of support for this view is taken from the smaller and thus more-critical-still area of walking surface on stair treads, also referred to in the direction of travel as the "tread depth".

What is the definition of where a landing for a stair starts? Is it the first and last nosing of a stair? This is a stair in Florida. On - by mod - don't cap stair treads if you get an uneven riser height. A 9-inch stair tread depth is a fall hazard indeed. Take care about capping stair treads - you can't make the nose stick out too far or there's a danger that it breaks off or that it trips up someone going up the stairs; also capping every tread creates a step of different height when you get to the top or bottom landing - another trip hazard.

You are right that Wisconsin permits 9-inch stair tread depth. Is the only trip hazard reduction option new stringers and the whole works? Tony While it's your local building code inspector who is the final authority on what's legal where you live, it seems to me that because there is no step down from that small platform area at the bottom of the steps to the rest of the basement floor past the doorway, you should be able to place a door opening out - it ought not be considered a trip hazard - as long as there is 36" of travel in the direction of walking when descending the bottom step you ought to be ok; There is, however a practical concern if the space at the bottom step is uncomfortably crowded when the door is shut.

You need enough space to stand, including for someone who may be carrying something, at that bottom step or floor area where one stands to open the door. We don't want someone to lean forward from an upper stair tread to reach down to try to open the door due to too little space at the stair bottom.

Also I notice in-passing that the stair tread depths on your stairs may be so small as to be a trip hazard; are those treads less than 11"? If I were to leave it open without a door is there a requirement as to how far my wall must extend past the staircase?

Matthew: apologies I posted an answer yesterday but somehow it was lost. Your question, with the admission that I don't fully understand it, seems to me to be wonderfully packed with trip and fall hazards. Clarify: mm "gap"? Warning: "planning on putting in a door into garage"? Sliding door : you can eliminate part of the hazard of a door that opens out over a step by using a sliding or pocket door provided the whole assembly is fire-rated as most pocket doors are not.

When we open a door that swings out over a step down, our hand on the doorknob guides where we step out and how far. A step "down" is a trip hazard, made worse by having a hand on the knob and thus stepping out further into air.

But the step down hazard remains regardless. Your argument that stair top design justifies stair bottom design : in my OPINION, arguing that the presence of a top landing that fails to comply with building code and safety guidelines as a basis for building a second non-compliant and unsafe landing or door at a stair bottom is a poor one.

We'd simply be doubling the chance that someone falls and is injured. So let's see some photos or sketches one per comment works with this system to better understand the problem and perhaps we an offer something beyond a blizzard of Watch-Out's. I'm on the Board of a condo association.

We are in the process of replacing exterior wood stairs to 2nd story units that are 35 years old. The stairs 90 degree at a landing approximately one-third of the way up.

The original landings were metal with a single post centered underneath and embedded in concrete. A contractor has constructed the first two sets of stairs, with the landings being supported by four 4 x 4 posts embedded in concrete. My concern is the construction details of the landings. The four rim joists of the landing are on the outside of the posts and are only being held up by the fasteners alone.

I view the landings as 'mini decks' and believe the rim joists should be sitting on top of the posts. But the other Board members don't see it that way and believe the landings are fine. I've looked and looked for building codes for exterior stair landings but have only found references to sizes of landings but no construction detail guidance.

If anyone knows of Code references that apply t. On - by mod - risk of moving steps due to frost or water. My opinion is that if the slab is connected to the foundation on the foundation is protected from frost movement then you still could have step movement if water enters under the slab and if the garage area is not hated. However the risk seems pretty small unless you already have some evidence that the slab has settled or heaved or Cracked.

My question is; If I place a staircase inside a garage on the concrete slab to acess the second floor will the staircase also need frost protected footing? Will any walls built to enclose this staircase from the garage area need frost protected footings?

On by RobbyO - 1-inch difference between first step up to an landing and remaining step riser heights. I am accessing an existing basement stairway from the above floor. Is there a code compliance issue that dictates the first set of steps tto a landing can be the 7. If not, can I make the drop from the main floor down 2" - and the make up the two risers down tto the existing stairway?

June 28, John said: Thanks for the response. Raymond Possobly, depending on your country and city. Is it the only entrance? Is the stair exposed to ice or snow? Is it illuminated at night? Are the step and rail and stair guard proper? It's not that it's a "stair" but a door that swings OUT over a step down is a trip and fall hazard and may be a local code violation; You can install a door that swings INTO The bedroom OR you can install a sliding or pocket door to reduce that hazard since then when someone is opening the door its handle won't swing out over open space to lead to a trip.

My apartment bedroom is slightly raised about 4 inches floor compared to the adjacent living room. Currently, there is a doorway, with no door on it. I would like to put a door, but the landlord is saying it might be against code. Is this true in Pennsylvannia? Is the raised floor considered to be a "stair"? Daniel You ask an interesting question but not one I see explicitly named in model codes - an obstruction into the stairway at that exact location; however in general ANY intrusion into the walking space beyond that permitted for handrailings is likely to be called out by the building inspection or code compliance official.

Hi there. I'm building a stairway with a landing halfway up, then the stairs reverse degrees and continue to the second floor. The landing will be 36 inches deep in the direction of travel, but there is a beam against the wall at about shoulder height that projects 5 inches from the wall. So the landing is the right depth at foot level but slightly narrower where your body would be - is this a code violation? Thank you. Are horizontal pipes a substitute for vertical balusters?

And if so, what size pipe and spacing. On by mod - How much headroom is required from bottom step. How much headroom is required from bottom step to top of door jamb coming from a upstairs bonus room? Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator.

Apologies for the delay. Just ask us! Search the InspectApedia website. Comment Form is loading comments These regulations must account for the safety of every type of person — including children and the elderly.

According to the IBC, stairways with an occupant load of fewer than 50 people must be at least 36 inches wide. Stairs that are higher than 12 feet tall require an intermediate landing in the middle of the stairway. These landings should be the same width as the stairway and extend at least three feet in length.

For open-sided walking surfaces like stairs and elevated platforms, handrails and guards are mandatory. The IBC also dictates the rise and tread measurements for each individual step.

Rise is the vertical height between any two adjacent steps and can be open gap between the stairs or closed a solid piece of material between stairs.

The tread is the depth of the step itself. IBC-compliant stairs must have a closed riser between four and seven inches, and a tread of at least 11 inches deep. If your workplace is open to the public, then all stairways should adhere to these IBC guidelines. Many businesses have private facilities.

Stairs in these environments are not for public use. They can include areas like factory floors and manufacturing spaces where only designated employees to work.

Therefore, they are not bound by the IBC. There is no simple fix for steep stairs, complete remodeling is necessary. How steep can stairs be? Put them together, and that makes the steepest stair allowed by the code. How do you build stairs on a landing? Just follow these seven steps. Step 1 — Measure Rise of Stairs.

Step 2 — Calculate the Number of Steps and the Tread. Step 3 — Determine Height of the Landing. Step 4 — Build the Landing. Step 5 — Cut the Stringers. Step 6 — Complete Bottom Stairway. Step 7 - Attach the Top Stairway.

Which conformation of cyclohexane is least stable? How do I reset my key fob after replacing the battery? One custom builder who made a basement stair that did have a landing and a two-way second flight but only 72" of headroom at the bottom of the upper flight lied through his teeth and said his client's family had built those stairs.

You have people lie to you? Well now I've heard it all! I retype it here to put it to bed. A: The landing would need to be at least the width of the stair and not less than 36 inches measured in the direction of travel per section R The question asks about the landing "before the door" so I guess this puts it to rest. Bronze Member. Joined Oct 21, Messages 48 Location Minnesota. I attended a class a copule of years ago called "What the Coroner can tell you about building code violations", the class was given by the Hennepin County Coroner.

Could be pretty graphic at times, one was a man who slipt and fell down a flight og stairs where the door was right at the bottom of the stairs, no landing. The man was wedged between the door and the stairs. He died from positional asphyxiation. There needs to be a landing there. Would you allow a 30" door to remain open over the landing towards the stairs?

Or a door to swing open from the adjacent wall that would block the bottom landing? The code does not say doors shall not be before a landing at the bottom of the stairs. Until it does; it will be enforced differently by AHJ even though some states and municipalities had amended this section to clarify it is permitted to have a door before the landing.

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 15, The accompanying figure shows a set of steps in a stairwell contained by walls with a landing at the bottom then a door. I believe the door is an outswing but since the swing of the door is not mentioned in the text I suppose that one is still up for grabs. I guess if one wanted to it could be said that the door in the open position couldn't reduce the width of the landing but that is a stretch.

Sifu - you are clearly on the right track. But regardless of what advisory manuals, commentaries or other resource materials say, there are those who will maintain that black is white, and visa versa. Alain Roy Registered User.

Hi, the back door at the back of my house is high off the ground.