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11-02-2007, 05:03 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: dust in the wind
Posts: 157
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Exterior Door Landing
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Last edited by dan orourke : 12-26-2007 at 10:24 AM.
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11-02-2007, 05:09 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Columbus GA
Posts: 393
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Dan
I don't have the IRC at home, but from memory. The interior swing door is not required to have a landing outside.
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Rick Cantrell
Columbus GA
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11-02-2007, 05:28 PM
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Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Dan,
No photo?
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11-02-2007, 05:31 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by dan orourke
The agent said the rear door NEEDED a landing, I said it did not as the door opened inward AND there was a landing for the front entry door for emergency exit.
If I ignore the rest, I think I get what you are saying from the above.
First, a "landing" is needed, sometimes, but, define "landing".
The ground outside can serve as a "landing".
So, the question becomes, are you referring to a landing level with the interior floor, or a landing one step down? |
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11-02-2007, 05:39 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Columbus GA
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Jerry
I gotta say, you think beyond the obvious.
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Rick Cantrell
Columbus GA
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11-02-2007, 05:46 PM
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Rick,
Well, you certainly do not want to step out into a black hole and step out the other side in China, do you? 
So, 'how far down' is that step Dan and the agent are talking about? Could it be one and the same?  |
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11-02-2007, 05:55 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Columbus GA
Posts: 393
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Thats what I mean. I read it and think, inswing door no landing needed(stop). Whereas you read it and think, inswing door, what is (or is not) out there.
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Rick Cantrell
Columbus GA
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11-04-2007, 10:47 AM
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by dan orourke
I'm refering from the threshold to the first step below the threshold, I don't think a landing is needed there, am I correct?
"am I correct?
Nope.
But there are more problems there than just that. |
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11-04-2007, 10:53 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
(bold and underlining are 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 73/4 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 73/4 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.
There are three (3) risers at that stair, which means it does not meet the exception and landing is required.
The risers are of different heights and exceed the allowable variation between riser heights.
I doubt that handrail will withstand the loads it is required to withstand. Plus, the lower end juts out and is not returned properly.
That should be a pretty good start. |
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11-04-2007, 11:18 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Memphis TN.
Posts: 1,623
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Dan,
In your picture what is that rectangle in the corner at the foundation ?
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It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie!
Billy J. Stephens HI Service
Memphis TN.
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11-04-2007, 12:03 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Memphis TN.
Posts: 1,623
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by dan orourke
I didn't go under the house as there was a zillion ants under there
Dan,
I'm with you on not going under. We have fire ants in our area. If you are in a confined space with those it could cost you your life.
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It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie!
Billy J. Stephens HI Service
Memphis TN.
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12-10-2007, 05:05 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman
however, I consider the foundation "ledge" to be a tread that is less than 8 inches which is a defect. Am I correct in my assessment?
Looks like that 'ledge' is the same level as the floor inside, hence not a 'tread' ... but not a 'landing' either (actually, it is a 'landing', just not a 'code landing').
Not sure I like it, but not sure I would write it up either - is the floor inside the same level? |
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12-10-2007, 05:39 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman
would you not want a vertical offset to prevent water from getting in?
"would I want" versus "is it required"? |
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12-10-2007, 06:50 PM
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Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman
Ha!
Is it "required"?
If not required, would you recommend?
No and no, it is way too late on an existing house. For new homes under construction, I always recommended it (seldom was done, though). |
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12-11-2007, 06:33 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman
Jerry,
Why wouldn't you consider the ledge to be a tread?
There is no riser above it. Thus, if anything, it would be a landing, and, as long as the door swings in, no landing is required there, so it is just (for lack of a better term) 'floor'.
What would you say if the door was set back 2" or so like most doors are instead of about 8"? Would that be a tread? |
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12-11-2007, 06:56 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Jeff Eastman
Interesting!
Would you consider it a riser , though?
A riser goes up, it 'rises' from one tread to the next, so I'm not following that question.
Are you asking about the second riser up, from the tread to the floor above? If so, yes, that is a riser, and a riser goes from landing to landing (one riser), landing to tread (for two more risers), tread to tread (for two more risers), or tread to landing (for two more risers). |
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01-28-2008, 11:15 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,166
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
House with no "front door", rather two exterior doors, one on each side, both exiting to walkways along their respective sides of the building.
Both exterior "landings" are walkways at grade.
Door A is off living room.
Door B is off kitchen.
The tops of both thresholds are 2.5" above their landings.
Have I got this right:
1) Door A is the "required exit door".
2) The 2.5" from top of threshold to landing height of the required exit door is non -compliant with R311.4.3 (too high).
3) Door B is "other than the required exit door".
4) As "two or fewer risers" are located on the exterior side door B, it falls under exception 1, no "landing" is required, and the 1.5" maximum does not apply.
5) However, at door B, the distance from the top of the threshold to the walkway must be less than or equal to 7.75" .
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01-28-2008, 11:22 AM
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Location: Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
I think you have it down pretty good.
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01-28-2008, 07:20 PM
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Re: Exterior Door Landing
Originally Posted by Michael Thomas
Door A is off living room.
The tops of both thresholds are 2.5" above their landings.
Have I got this right:
1) Door A is the "required exit door".
2) The 2.5" from top of threshold to landing height of the required exit door is non -compliant with R311.4.3 (too high).
You've missed Exception 2 (assuming the door swings inward and not outward).
From the 2006 IRC. (bold and underlining are 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. |
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