Thread: A Tread

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Jeff,

I responded to a similar question by William Siegel a couple of days ago. According to the 1997 UBC, it is fine. UBC excepts screen and storm doors opening out over step. However, I am not up to speed on the IRC. I would assume that it has similar provisions.

Jeff,

From the IRC. (bold is mine)
- R311.4.3 Landings at doors. There shall be a floor or landing on each side of each exterior door. The floor or landing at the exterior door shall not be more than 1.5 inches (38 mm) lower than the top of the threshold. The landing shall be permitted to have a slope not to exceed 0.25 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent).

- - Exceptions:

- - - 1. Where a stairway of two or fewer risers is located on the exterior side of a door, other than the required exit door, a landing is not required for the exterior side of the door provided the door, other than an exterior storm or screen door does not swing over the stairway.
- - - 2. The exterior landing at an exterior doorway shall not be more than 7

3/4 inches (196 mm) below the top of the threshold, provided the door, other than an exterior storm or screen door does not swing over the landing.
- - - 3. The height of floors at exterior doors other than the exit door required by Section R311.4.1 shall not be more than 7 3/4 inches (186 mm) lower than the top of the threshold.
- The width of each landing shall not be less than the door served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel.

A "tread" is not an option. It must be a "landing".

Gunnar, my guess is that the UBC is worded similarly.

Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman

Jerry, maybe i'm misreading the code....

Why is a landing needed here ? Isn't this tread okay?

Riser height <7 3/4" and the tread is at least 10 inches.

Jeff,

The code states:
From the IRC. (bold is mine)
- R311.4.3 Landings at doors. There shall be a floor or landing on each side of each exterior door.

Thus, no, a "tread" is not allowed.

One does not need to walk out the door and fall because they were 'expecting' a sufficiently large enough surface to step out onto without dropping to another level (the landing give two steps out, so you are now 'out of the door and standing outside on a level surface; a tread gives you one step out with one foot still back in the doorway, the next step you take puts you down another step to the ground - in the case of your photo - without first actually exiting the door to a level surface first before descending).

Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman

Jerry,

I'm still not getting it:

(slaps hand against forehead)

Oops. *I AM* the one "not getting it".

Doesn't this exception exclude the landing? Thus that individual tread is okay.

"Where a stairway of two or fewer risers is located on the exterior side of a door, other than the required exit door, a landing is not required for the exterior side of the door provided the door, other than an exterior storm or screen door does not swing over the stairway."

Yep, it does. I kept skipping over that and going on to Exception 2 because I was thinking 3 risers. I went back and looked at your photo and, sure enough, there were only *2* risers.

Okay, another question, based on looking at your photo again ... are the two risers the same height (or within 3/8" of the same height)? The bottom riser looks shorter than the top riser.