[Thoughtless]

I'm planning a deck built on an existing concrete slab that currently serves as the back porch. This deck surface is currently planned to be about 7" under the bottom of the doorway. There is a concrete step there and I want to box it in and make it a bit bigger and have it split the difference in height. I was all fine and had it planned to be 3 trex boards + spacing deep at about 17" but someone said there was code about that step being at least as deep as the door swing but it seems silly to me to make this step more than 3' deep. I understand that is definitely something pertaining to stairways but I don't know if it applies to a single step on a large deck. Thanks

 

[Nealtw]

I'm planning a deck built on an existing concrete slab that currently serves as the back porch. This deck surface is currently planned to be about 7" under the bottom of the doorway. There is a concrete step there and I want to box it in and make it a bit bigger and have it split the difference in height. I was all fine and had it planned to be 3 trex boards + spacing deep at about 17" but someone said there was code about that step being at least as deep as the door swing but it seems silly to me to make this step more than 3' deep. I understand that is definitely something pertaining to stairways but I don't know if it applies to a single step on a large deck. Thanks

If it's a landing it has to be 3 ft, so you want it to fit code for stairs.
If your deck is less then 8" below the door you don't need anything.

 

[Thoughtless]

Ok, so am I OK to have say an 18" deep 3.5" high step there? Or will I have to break out the concrete step that is there and make it all deck?

 

[Thoughtless]

Also Thank you. Where are my manners?

 

[Nealtw]

Also Thank you. Where are my manners?

That would fail where I am, the deck should be 7" below the floor inside. So here you would not need anything. :wink2:

 

[Thoughtless]

That would fail where I am, the deck should be 7" below the floor inside. So here you would not need anything. :wink2:

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I see, I think I will have to break it out then:crying:. I'm now waiting for a call from local building dept but I'm sure they will tell me the same. Thank you again!

 

[Nealtw]

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I see, I think I will have to break it out then:crying:. I'm now waiting for a call from local building dept but I'm sure they will tell me the same. Thank you again!

Given the situation I wouldn't do it with concrete anyway I would just add a step later, a wood box with a bag of sand inside. :wink2:

 

[Thoughtless]

Given the situation I wouldn't do it with concrete anyway I would just add a step later, a wood box with a bag of sand inside. :wink2:

Unfortunately the concrete is preexisting and its either box it in or break it out. I never would have thought of a freestanding weighted step, I may use that in the future, thanks.

 

[3onthetree]

Also Thank you. Where are my manners?

LOL, well, you are "thoughtless" :biggrin2:

but someone said there was code about that step being at least as deep as the door swing

I don't follow how the concrete step interacts with the new deck over top. Won't it be covered by the deck, so you just step down 7" onto a flat wood surface? You didn't say how many steps the concrete is. Also, if you are setting the post support on top of a patio slab that is another discussion.

Regardless, I'll just give you the gist of the IRC code and you figure out what you need and any local AHJ amendments:

- If it is the (1) designated egress door (usually the front door), it requires a 36"min deep landing, allowing a 7 3/4"max step down as long as the door does not swing out over this landing.

- If it is a door other than the designated egress (like the back patio door), then you are allowed to have (2) steps down without a top landing, as long as the door does not swing out over these steps. The steps need to follow the requirements for tread and riser sizes.

 

[Thoughtless]

I don't follow how the concrete step interacts with the new deck over top. Won't it be covered by the deck, so you just step down 7" onto a flat wood surface? You didn't say how many steps the concrete is. Also, if you are setting the post support on top of a patio slab that is another discussion.

Regardless, I'll just give you the gist of the IRC code and you figure out what you need and any local AHJ amendments:

- If it is the (1) designated egress door (usually the front door), it requires a 36"min deep landing, allowing a 7 3/4"max step down as long as the door does not swing out over this landing.

- If it is a door other than the designated egress (like the back patio door), then you are allowed to have (2) steps down without a top landing, as long as the door does not swing out over these steps. The steps need to follow the requirements for tread and riser sizes.

Thanks for the Info!



The Concrete as it is about 10" below the door, then there is a 7" high, 80" wide, 10" deep concrete step, very annoying as it is.

I wanted to build a treated 2x4 frame to sit on the slab and throw composite on top, but that leaves me 2.5" below the top of the concrete step. Even with a 2x6 frame It wasn't tall enough to hide the step.



The homeowner was wary of breaking it out at the time, so the plan was to build a 4" or so tall "box" to make the step deeper and attach that to the rest of the frame and then rip some boards down and attach them to the top of the concrete step so I had something to attach the decking to.



The city called me back today, told me I should just break the step out and make the deck continuous. I figure I'll build a step like Neal described after I'm done.

 

[3onthetree]

Resting a wood framework on the concrete slab will just lead to accelerated rot. You need airflow under there.

 

[Thoughtless]

Resting a wood framework on the concrete slab will just lead to accelerated rot. You need airflow under there.

Yeah, I definitely agree. the slab isn't quite flat so there would not be a lot of direct contact and they are going to be slightly elevated(1/4") spacers anywhere there would have been contact then more where the concrete slopes down, also about 4" overhang for at least a little room for air to get in.


Also I live in a rather dry area so extended periods of moisture are pretty rare.

 

[3onthetree]

Resting on the concrete allows you to use the 2x4 framework, but unfortunately raising it for airflow would then not be adequate structurally. If you have 10" to door sill, have you thought about 2x8s and raising it above the concrete, creating a flush step out, that gives you like 2" or 3" air? Although I don't know what that does for footings in your jurisdiction.

 

[Thoughtless]

I had thought about it some, starts to push the cost well beyond what they want though. Lot more to do to pull that off. I may not be able to take this one on.