Stair with 2 widths

[louis]

Move them together and then click the middle handle.

[Allen42acj]

Tim
That looks perfect.
What do most people set the stair width at?
I cut the stringers at 9",but not sure if they should be drawn at the fininish or the cut size.The over hangs are screwing me up.If they're set for 9" you get a 9' stair well-10" you'd get a 10' opening.
Might be a rookie question.
Allen C.

[frwillia]

Wendy,

Take a look at training video #639! It shows how to create what I think you are trying to create.

Fitch

[frwillia]

Originally posted by Allen42acj
Tim
What do most people set the stair width at?
I cut the stringers at 9",but not sure if they should be drawn at the fininish or the cut size.The over hangs are screwing me up.If they're set for 9" you get a 9' stair well-10" you'd get a 10' opening.

If you are building stairs to the IRC, the minimum stair well width above the railings is 36" (R311.5.1).

The minimum tread depth measured vertically between tread projections is 10" which means the stair stringers have to be cut at 10". (R311.5.3.2) If you tell Chief to lock the tread at 10" it will create the minimum tread depth correctly.

The maximum riser height is 7 3/4" (7" or less is better for older folks). Risers to be the same height within 3/8" in any one stairway.

Note: There are lots of other requirements for stairs in the IRC - especially for winder stairs.

The rules may be different if you are building to a different code, or they may be modified by local ordinances.

Fitch

[Tim O'Donnell]

Originally posted by frwillia
Tim,

I'm feeling pretty S L O W myself - how did you connect the stairs?

I draw two sections but they don't connect.

Thanks
Fitch

as i am only now developing this technique in response to Wendy's question...when i think about it, a single stair run set as a winder will work for this. no need to even use two runs....

[Allen42acj]

Maybe I did.nt explain right.The rough stringer cut is 9",then the finish man uses 10"to 12" finish steps,that way they get the overhang.From what I read so far you set the tread at 10"
.In MA you can have a riser of 8 1/4" but it's very uncomfotable.
If you have 13 risers you get 12 steps=@9" wide a 9' stair well.
Give or take checking for head room.
hope that is a little better.
Allen C.

[WendyWelton]

Allen,

The "tread" that they require by code is measured nose to nose. That means a 9" cut in your stringer gives a 9" tread as defined by the codes. A 9" cut with a 10" finished step and a 1" overhang, is a 9" tread by code.



Wendy

[Allen42acj]

Wendy
If I read that right,lock it at 9" for the way I've been framing them.It passes code.I tryed cutting a basement set 1 time at 8 1/2" for a 2x10 tread with a 3/4" overhang that did,nt pass(the builder wanted that).
I'll look at the way it comes out also on my prints.
Thank you
Allen C.

[WendyWelton]

Allen,

If you make the seat cut in your stringers at least as big as the code minimum tread, you'll be ok. MA allows 9" tread still. Most other states have a 10" minimum.

Wendy

[Allen42acj]

Wendy
Thank you.
It looks like your leaving the temp treads on the stairs .I was very impressed with Tims pitcure,what prigram did you use to make that?I saved it ,and it works as a pitcure save.
I have Sony FlipAlbum that works great for displaying a print.Like a layout .
Allen C.

[repsw]

when I was framing houses if we had les than a 10" run we would (angle) backthe rises a little.

[Allen42acj]

That would be a great way to cut down the lenth.You would have to use a piece of plywood with strapping on it to mark the stairs rather than a framing square and buttons.
No proplem with passing?
I try talking people into adding stairs to attics rather than the pull downs.
Allen C.
This forum and yahoo 1 are great because every one is so helpfull and friendly even when they don't agree.

[WendyWelton]

just trying to save you guys some grief....

No matter how you shape it, the tread depth as required by all the codes is measured from nose to nose I like a shaped riser like this on aesthetic grounds, and it can make a steeper stair more comfortable by making a bigger place for your foot to land, but it doesn't change the actual "tread depth" as they define it in the codes.

If any code officer has passed one on the basis of the tread platform, you got lucky and found a guy who doesn't know his own code!

I've marked on your drawing (somewhat bady, but I haven't had my coffee yet!) where the code measurement is.

Wendy

[frwillia]

Originally posted by Allen42acj
That would be a great way to cut down the lenth.You would have to use a piece of plywood with strapping on it to mark the stairs rather than a framing square and buttons.
No proplem with passing?

The slanted back riser face doesn't create a shorter length stair that will pass an IRC inspection - the only measurement that counts is nose of tread to nose of tread as Wendy illustrated. Other codes may do it differently.

I know fitting stairs into a house takes up a lot of space, but in my opinion the code requirements are a "very" good idea and very well written. I've been in houses here in PA that are less than 5 years old where you almost feel like you need climbing ropes and pitons to get up stairs. They are steep! I call them ENRON stairs - they were designed based on pure greed, the welfare of the occupant wasn't considered. Some of them are downright dangerous.

I mean there are some really STUPID pre-code stair designs (and other things) in this state that are serious injuries just waiting to happen. I was in one house completed just three years ago (but pre-code) where I had to side step up and down down the stairs that lead to a huge 1,500 SF attic game room which is supposed to be a major feature of the house - that stair case is a lavish 4' or 5' wide with treads are 7" deep (!) with 8" risers in one straight run - you fall you won't stop till you reach the bottom - broken bones and all! Try that with trifocals! My wife wouldn't even try to go up them. A ladder would have been better!

My wife has some hip and ankle issues that had me carrying a tape measure with me all the time for a while. If we came to some steps that worked well for her, I measured them. Bottom line is that our house has custom build stair cases that are 4' wide with 11 1/4" tread depth and 6-7/8" rise. Everybody over 40 (which is most of our friends) that tours the house comments on how much they like the stairs.

The stairs from the garage to the house have two risers. They have an 8' wide (bottom step), 5' wide second step, centered on the door with 18" tread depth to make it easy to open the door with an arm full of stuff. Everybody comments on how much they like those steps too. The garage is 26' deep by 36' wide so fitting the steps in there was not an issue.

Fitch

[WendyWelton]

P.S. Some codes allow a steeper stair for an unhabitated space, like the attic. Massachusetts does.

Also to look out for - the IBC (International Building Code) and the IRC (International Residential Code), which is being adopted by more and more states, both don't allow the old style attic door placed tight against the bottom of the attic stairs. They require a landing that's either 3 feet or the width of the stair (I don't remember which, and I still haven't had my coffee!). I've gotten tripped up on that one. Massachusetts still allows that, and I believe in any state still on UBC you're ok. They do still allow a door without a landing at the top, if it swings away from the stair.

PPS - For the code requirements on tread depth - Chief measures them the same way the codes do.

Again, this diagram applies only to states that have adopted the IRC or similar new rules.

Wendy