Are Open Tread Stairs Legal

Anyone who goes up or down stairs should have plenty of free space without having to shy away. The width of the stairs refers to the lateral distance when you go up or down the stairs. According to IRC, this distance must be at least 36 inches and does not include handrails. British building codes state that no part of a staircase or balustrade can have spaces of more than 100 mm. This is due to the so-called „baby`s head rule“. It tells us that a ball with a diameter of 100 mm should not pass through a space for safety reasons. This includes the spacing of the balustrade posts as well as the spaces between the steps. When installing an open staircase, there are three things to consider. The weight of the child, the worry of falling and slipping. You should be aware of these factors as they are crucial for the safety of open stairs. In a traditional staircase, the crossbeam is the vertical room that connects two steps (the horizontal rooms you walk on).

Floating stairs, in their pursuit of minimalism and to maintain the floating illusion, free yourself from risers and leave the air (what is the difference between open risers and mono-strings?). At the same time, the measurements of the staircase code allow for some flexibility, since most measurements are accompanied by minimum or maximum values. A great example is the standard staircase width. The staircase code states that stairs must be 3 feet or wider. As long as the 3-foot width standard is met, you can extend the width of the stairs as far as you want. The CRI indicates that a staircase must support a concentrated load of 200 lbs. in a square foot without distraction. At Viewrail, our floating stairs have performed 3rd part tests showing that they can support more than 2000 lbs, giving it a safety factor of more than 10x. Critical measurements such as standard staircase width, climb height, and tread depth are not a matter of guessing when renovating or building a home.

Stair measurements are determined by current practice and building codes, which themselves are often shaped by generally accepted practices. These rules aim to make stairs as safe as possible, so they should never be ignored or bypassed. Stair climbs should be deep enough so that much of your foot has enough space to rest on the stairs. The depth of the stair step is more of a problem for the descent than for the ascent of the stairs. In addition, the measurement of the profile of each tread in a staircase should be as close as possible to the same. The greatest profile depth in a staircase should not be greater than 3/8 inch at the smallest tread depth. One step is the flat, horizontal surface you are walking on. Tread depth is the distance between the leading edge or nose (a profile protrusion that protrudes above the riser below) of a step to the leading edge or nose of the next step, measured horizontally.

This distance must be at least 10 inches. However, CCI notes that if the steps have noses and the steps have solid risers and no open risers, the minimum tread depth is 11 inches. Building codes also state that steps must have a cantilever of at least 16 mm, making it more difficult for any object to cross the room. For this reason, it is important that you hire a qualified staircase installation specialist like A&T Carpentry to build the staircase of your dreams. This guarantees a safe and aesthetically impressive result. One solution that offers more traction is to get a grainy, non-slip strip and place it on the front of your tread. This creates a very frictional surface, but it distracts from the natural beauty of the wooden tread. Adhesive tape solutions are common in commercial applications, but can be used in residential projects. There are no specific regulations or requirements for slip resistance on treads, but this is something that needs to be taken into account when young children or frail people use them. Floating stairs can be scary for parents with young children, but they don`t have to. Floating stairs or open stairs are safe for children as long as they are built in accordance with the standards of the International Residential Code (IRC). Make sure there is a strong and tangible handrail to help you go up and down the stairs.

Large handrails can be difficult to hold for small hands and conversely, a handrail that is too small does not give enough contact to grasp firmly. For most homes, a handrail is more than enough to go up and down an open staircase. You may also want to consider installing a metal insert at the front of the tread. Metal creates more friction than natural or polished wood, which provides a better hold. You can place a friction strip on the front of your tread. This will create a very frictional surface, but will undoubtedly divert attention from the natural beauty of the wood. Adhesive tapes are common in commercial staircase applications, but can also be used in households. When contacting IRC, IRC states that a staircase cannot have an open ladder of more than 4.“ So if you have a total increase of 7.25″ (measured by the distance between the top of one floor and the top of the next step), there is only a gap of 3.75″ on a 3.5″ tread. Designed for young children, these codes ensure that any child old enough to climb steps cannot fall through open risers. The regulations state that a stair tread must support a concentrated load of 200 lbs/square foot without distraction. British stairs are also tested to hold over £1000! If the stairs have open risers, the open space between the steps may not be large enough to allow a 4-inch ball to pass.

In other words, the room should be just under 4 inches high. IRC doesn`t have specific requirements for slip factors on treads, but it`s something some people worry about. This code specification is designed to prevent stairs from being too high when they go up or too low when they go down. In addition, the carrying measurement of all treads should be as close as possible to the same. The greatest carrying height in a staircase should not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 inch. A staircase where there is a noticeable gap between the risers is a safety risk. The following requirements of the staircase code refer to straight stairs. Winding stairs and spiral staircases have several different code requirements. You want to make sure that your staircase will be able to support the weight of several people for decades to come. Floating stairs are beautiful, but they also need to be able to transport people from one floor to another.

There are three main things you should learn in terms of stair safety: weight, sagging problems, and slip factors. If you`re looking for a floating staircase, learn about these three factors, as they are crucial for the safety of open stairs. Again, pay attention to the codes that govern the stairs. While your builder or contractor thinks codes are a nuisance, they are there to protect you and your family from serious injury. As long as you build according to these regulations, floating stairs do not pose any more risk to children than conventional stairs. As already mentioned, the profile overhang on the stairs should be at least 16 mm. However, A&T Carpentry recommends slightly increasing its size if you are designing an open staircase for your home where there are young children. This requires a slight overlap between levels for even more security. There is no danger that the little ones will suffer a serious accident due to a slip on the stairs than a conventional closed tread. The first thing you need to make sure is that you have a tangible handrail that supports you as you go up and down your stairs.

A handrail that is too large can be a danger because it can be difficult to hold, while a handrail that is too small does not provide enough surface to hang on. For most people, a handrail is more than enough help to get up and down floating stairs. If you`re still worried about slipping down stairs, consider using Viewrail`s gripping strips on the front of your tread. Metal creates more friction than finished wood and gives you better grip. Steps and landings on all straight stairs must have an artificial light source capable of illuminating steps and landings at least 11 lux (approximately 1 foot of candle). For each staircase with six or more risers, there must be a wall switch on each floor to control the light source. An open riser shall not fit in a 100 mm ball.