minimum cement porch height

lotsofquestions

Is there a minimum height for a step-up porch? I have a walkway that leads to a step-up porch (~7' x 7') at the entrance to my house. I need the porch to be ~2 inches below the house's weep screed, but I don't want the step to be too low, either, because I think people might trip on it if it's too low.

Daniel Holzman

There are very explicit standards for step height (the rise) and step width (tread). There are minimum rise and tread, and maximum rise and tread. Your building inspector should be very familiar with the requirements in your area, I would check with them. In addition to minimum and maximum dimensions for rise and tread, there is generally a requirement that all steps be the same rise and tread, within a narrow tolerance, usually not more than 1/4 inch difference between each step. Again, your building inspector should be able to go over the rules with you.

TRUEPRO

When you walk out of the door, you step onto the "landing" This should be no more then 4" below the finished floor. From there, each "tread" should be 12" and each riser should be 7". Brick steps used to be built at 11"/7" but no they make us build the tread at 12 which doesnt work well for brick. Decks are always built between 6 3/4"-7" riser and 12" tread (2 2x6's)

jomama45

Can't speak for everywhere, but here in WI:

- There is a max. tread height, yet there is NO minimum.

- There is no maximum thread depth on an exterior porch.

- Steps need to all be within 3/8" tolerance of each other, BUT when a landing exists (3' min. equals a landing) between those steps, the tolerance is non-applicable.


To answer the OP's question, the answer is subjective. IMPO, any step less than 4" is what we call a "stumbler". If you only have one from a landing (the stoop) into the first floor, it's certainly less dangerous. That being said, we still try to match riser heights as often as possible.