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  1. #1
    brianmiller's Avatar
    brianmiller Guest

    Default Door Swing into stairway

    Home is 2011, construction almost complete.

    The french doors , both active. swing inwards into the interior. The door nearest the stairway opening will open in such a manner as to block most of the stairway opening. (see my wonderful illustrative drawing!)

    I don't like this configuration because someone could leave the door open and then someone coming down the stairs could falls into it.....small chance I know.....

    ....never-the-less, I can find a code preventing this configuration. Does any one know of one, or is this configuration fine by code?

    Thanks,

    Brian

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  2. #2
    chris mcintyre's Avatar
    chris mcintyre Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Since you say the doors swing inward we can assume these are exterior doors? Is the door closest to the stairs the primary door or the one with the head and foot bolt?

    If the door nearest the stairs is the secondary door that would put the primary door 3' from the stairs (unless it's a mighty small french door, with no casing.....right against the bottom tread) which would be the same width as a required landing.

    Correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know you can have a glass door at the top or bottom of the stairs as long as it is tempered and doesn't swing over the stairs.


  3. #3
    brianmiller's Avatar
    brianmiller Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    THanks Chris.

    The door nearest the stairway IS the primary door, and yes, these are exterior doors. Both doors are tempered. I think this is a bad location, but I don't think there is a code preventing it.

    Any other thoughts?

    B


  4. #4
    brianmiller's Avatar
    brianmiller Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Any other opinions on this strange configuration?

    I appreciate more feedback, thanks!

    Bm


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    249

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    The drawing is a little confusing... as long as there is the required landing width and length, then there is no code violation.

    Randy Gordon, construction
    Michigan Building Inspector/Plan Reviewer

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Posts
    117

    Wink Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Yeah, Have the builder return the doors and get the 'correct' outward swing doors installed as they should have been in the first place.

    RJDalga
    http://homeanalysts.com
    Kalamazoo, MI

  7. #7
    mark tyson's Avatar
    mark tyson Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Quote Originally Posted by brianmiller View Post
    Home is 2011, construction almost complete.

    The french doors , both active. swing inwards into the interior. The door nearest the stairway opening will open in such a manner as to block most of the stairway opening. (see my wonderful illustrative drawing!)

    I don't like this configuration because someone could leave the door open and then someone coming down the stairs could falls into it.....small chance I know.....

    ....never-the-less, I can find a code preventing this configuration. Does any one know of one, or is this configuration fine by code?

    Thanks,

    Brian
    While the design may be less than desirable I'm not aware of any code article that would prevent that installation unless you are prepared to make a case that the open door would obstruct the means of egress but I think that would be a stretch


  8. #8
    Carolyn J Pearson's Avatar
    Carolyn J Pearson Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    If you have ANY out swinging EXTERIOR doors............. The house can be broke into by simply removing the hinge pins..... Why Exterior doors swing IN. Plus the threshold is design to drain outside. I don't think you can even order out swinging Exterior doors, & should not just flip for drainage problems.

    CJP


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Western Massachusetts
    Posts
    536

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Quote Originally Posted by Carolyn J Pearson View Post
    If you have ANY out swinging EXTERIOR doors............. The house can be broke into by simply removing the hinge pins..... Why Exterior doors swing IN. Plus the threshold is design to drain outside. I don't think you can even order out swinging Exterior doors, & should not just flip for drainage problems.
    CJP
    That's not entirely true. I would agree that you shouldn't just turn an in-swing door around to make it out-swing.

    But you'e wrong on the rest of it. There are plenty of out-swing exterior doors, including out-swing french doors. Manufacturers offer security hinges for out-swing doors, which are also available for after market sales.


  10. #10
    mark tyson's Avatar
    mark tyson Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Quote Originally Posted by Carolyn J Pearson View Post
    If you have ANY out swinging EXTERIOR doors............. The house can be broke into by simply removing the hinge pins..... Why Exterior doors swing IN. Plus the threshold is design to drain outside. I don't think you can even order out swinging Exterior doors, & should not just flip for drainage problems.

    CJP
    Carolyn,

    In my area of the country (SE Florida) I would venture too say that 99% of all exterior doors swing out. The door manufacturers must design and test their doors to resist the positive and negative pressures for the wind zone that they will be installed in 140 mph,130,120, etc. there are very few in swinging doors that I am aware of that will meet the testing criteria with out having a threshold too reinforce the bottom edge of the doors.
    These are not in swing doors that are just hung in reverse. The thresholds are a different design and the hinge pins are not removable. To remove the doors from the jamb you would need to have the door in an open position and then remove the screws from the hinge itself


  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    202

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    as long as the door is not opening to allow someone to step on the stairs directly it might be ok. sometimes it is a space issue as the door opening into the interior claims too much space. if the new home owners find it is an issue have them get some doors which open to the inside. the door swinging over the stairs could be a problem for someone going on the stairs and should be pointed out as a possible access issue. as to the hinges as long as they are security hinges they would be acceptable.


  12. #12
    Ron Keeney's Avatar
    Ron Keeney Guest

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Sometimes the answer (or reason) may be simple. What area do the glass doors open to? If it's straight onto an outside deck, most door manufacturers include some means of providing an insect screen across the door opening -- either a sliding screen door like that from a sliding glass door, or an outward swinging pair of screen doors. How else would you keep the bugs out?


  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    No. San Diego Co., CA
    Posts
    562

    Default Re: Door Swing into stairway

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Keeney View Post
    Sometimes the answer (or reason) may be simple. What area do the glass doors open to? If it's straight onto an outside deck, most door manufacturers include some means of providing an insect screen across the door opening -- either a sliding screen door like that from a sliding glass door, or an outward swinging pair of screen doors. How else would you keep the bugs out?

    Hmmm....retracting screen on the inside?


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