Stair Steps Question

jeff9353 · 02-12-2010, 09:44 AM

I' wanting to make my daughters steps bigger than the normal 8" step. There is no way to remove the stringer without tearing a wall out going up the stairs. I would like to add adding to the steps. Is there a easy way to add wider steps ,without taking out the whole stair stringers, Afraid of the grandkids and mother falling down. Thanks.

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2010, 09:51 AM

Stair design is spelled out in the building code as to what you can & can't do
Size required for treads, min/max etc & rise, head room:

http://www.arcways.com/pdfs/IRC2006.pdf

Do you mean the tread that you step on ?

jlhaslip · 02-12-2010, 10:32 AM

I'm confused by the information in the opening post of this thread.
Can you re-word the issue?
Thanks.

tpolk · 02-12-2010, 10:38 AM

i'm guessing like my old farm house 8" treads.mine stopped 2' from front door

Ron6519 · 02-12-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff9353

I' wanting to make my daughters steps bigger than the normal 8" step. There is no way to remove the stringer without tearing a wall out going up the stairs. I would like to add adding to the steps. Is there a easy way to add wider steps ,without taking out the whole stair stringers, Afraid of the grandkids and mother falling down. Thanks.

It sounds like you will need to replace the staircase entirely. Putting in traditional 11" treads will enlarge the footprint of the staircase significantly. You won't be able to enlarge the treads in your current structure.
Ron

tpolk · 02-12-2010, 11:09 AM

you will also prob have head clearance issues if it passes under part of the second floor

Scuba_Dave · 02-12-2010, 11:15 AM

The problem is you can only have so much tread overhang the next step
3/4" to a Max of 1 1/4"

So if you do not have any overhang you could put in 9 1/4" max treads
If you want larger then that you would need to modify every step
This becomes problematic as you proceed to each step
If you added 10" treads (3/4" beyond code) the next step/riser must be moved out further to meet code

So 2nd step is 1 1/4 out, 3rd is 2" out, 4th is 2.75", 5th is 3.5", 6th is 4.25"
& so on...basically any more then a few steps & you need to rebuild the entire support/stairs & stringers
And you must have a 3' landing at the bottom

jlhaslip · 02-12-2010, 12:35 PM

Now I'm really confused...

jeff9353 · 02-15-2010, 10:04 AM

Thanks everyone for all the input, I think I'll just leave it with the way it is. It's will create a lot more work than I expected. I have the house all done and just thought about changing the stairs treads. My Son-in-law and daughter sold there house and moved in with us and she's pregant and ready to have the baby so I need to get them in as soon as I can.
Thanks again every one for your help....