Minimum Tread For Exterior Stairs Going To Private Deck Per Crc

[dshall]

I have an exterior set of stairs in front yard going up to a second floor deck.  This is a private residence.

 

Minimum tread is 10" if that includes a 1" nosing,  if no nosing the minimum tread depth is 11".........  for stairs inside the house

 

For public stairs the  minimum tread depth is 11"...  period,  cannot be 10" even with nosing.

 

Would you consider my stairs public or private,  and if private,  should I be able to get away with a 10" tread if I have a  1" nosing.  

The stairs will be open riser so I get the nosing by default.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

 

(CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE)

[DRAWZILLA]

I would say private (single family)

[rlackore]

Private if it's a single-family dwelling on a privately owned lot (but I don't live in California).

[Richard_Morrison]

Scott,

Just FYI, unless the stairs are going to be 30" or less in height, open risers are no longer permitted. Check the Code.

[dshall]

Scott,

Just FYI, unless the stairs are going to be 30" or less in height, open risers are no longer permitted. Check the Code.

That's what I thought, but I was just reading the code, and it said they were allowed as long as a 4" sphere could not pass thru. I will double check.

[DRAWZILLA]

her is the code in Cali.

[DRAWZILLA]

I read the code to say if the stairs are 30" or less then you can have open

risers and open risers are permitted with the sphere test

[Richard_Morrison]

I read the code to say if the stairs are 30" or less then you can have open

risers and open risers are permitted with the sphere test

Well, if you are using 2X treads, then you have to kind of fill in the gap unless the steps have a riser height of less than 5.5", otherwise you don't pass the sphere test. So you need SOMETHING on your riser, but I would be afraid of using a partially closed riser. Seems like it would be a good way to get a toe caught in there during a fall. If the stairs have a total height of less than 30", then you can use open risers, of course.

[dshall]

I read the code to say if the stairs are 30" or less then you can have openrisers and open risers are permitted with the sphere test

Ha! Thanks P., I thought that is what I read. I can have open risers if I pass the sphere test. It is so important to read and understand the ifs ands or buts.

[DRAWZILLA]

Well, if you are using 2X treads, then you have to kind of fill in the gap unless the steps have a riser height of less than 5.5", otherwise you don't pass the sphere test. So you need SOMETHING on your riser, but I would be afraid of using a partially closed riser. Seems like it would be a good way to get a toe caught in there during a fall. If the stairs have a total height of less than 30", then you can use open risers, of course.

I would put the 4" or so blocking on the top of the tread so it would stop your toe. On the bottom could be a toe catcher.