Adding stair - can one tread be on other side of door?

Posted by the_tool_man on August 20, 2008, 12:12 pm

Hi all:

I've been planning a bonus room addition to my house for years. This
will require the installation of a stairway from the first floor to
the new room. When I designed the addition several years ago, our
building code specified a minumum tread depth of 9 inches. I was just
able to fit the stair into the plan with about 10 inches to spare.
Construction is about to commence, and I just learned that we have
adpoted the 2006 code, which specifies the minum tread depth at 10
inches. Now my stairs won't fit in the space allotted. I cannot move
the top of the stair more than the 10 inches because there is a
structural beam in the way. The bottom of the stair ends at an
interior wall which will get a new door. Can I place one tread on the
other side of the door, moving the door opening up by the height of
one riser? Do I need a landing? I hope not, because the foyer on the
other side of that wall is not big enough. I'll put a call in to the
inspector this afternoon, but I'm curious as to how others have solved
this.

Thanks in advance,
John.

Posted by the_tool_man on August 20, 2008, 12:55 pm

I guess it was implied, but the stair will have 12 treads, requiring
12 more inches of total run - more than I have. Would an inspector
really fail a stair with 9-13/16" treads?

Regards,
John.

Posted by Steve Barker DLT on August 20, 2008, 9:41 pm

yep, and they all have to be within 3/8" of being the same. both vertically
and horizontally.

s

>I guess it was implied, but the stair will have 12 treads, requiring
> 12 more inches of total run - more than I have. Would an inspector
> really fail a stair with 9-13/16" treads?
> Regards,
> John.

Posted by the_tool_man on August 21, 2008, 6:24 am

The original plan calls for a kneewall on one side of the stair in the
bonus room. There is no room for a landing or turn in the stair.

So it looks like my options are:

1: Leave the door out completely.
2: Fully enclose the stair at the top so that a door can be installed,
swinging into the bonus room.

Either way, the lowest stair tread will protrude into the foyer.

Thanks for all the replies. If I've missed a potential soluiton,
please let me know.

Regards,
John.

Posted by PeterD on August 21, 2008, 9:36 am

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:24:14 -0700 (PDT), the_tool_man

>The original plan calls for a kneewall on one side of the stair in the
>bonus room. There is no room for a landing or turn in the stair.
>So it looks like my options are:
>1: Leave the door out completely.

Personally I think this is the only option...

>2: Fully enclose the stair at the top so that a door can be installed,
>swinging into the bonus room.

If you can get that past the building inspector (I'm not saying you
can't!) it would be one awkward door. Odds are the inspector will want
a landing at the top even if the door swings into the room. (and a
larger landing if it swings towards the stair.)

>Either way, the lowest stair tread will protrude into the foyer.
>Thanks for all the replies. If I've missed a potential soluiton,
>please let me know.
>Regards,
>John.

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