walkway steps
walkway steps
(OP)
I am replacing walkways from homes to sidewalks at back of street curbs. We lowered the roadway and some walkways need steps.What is the minimum landing distance for each step?
8 3/4" is max for the rise of each step. Most are two and three steps. These are not stairs and I think 8 and 12" landings are too short. Any advice or specification would be appreciated. Thanks
8 3/4" is max for the rise of each step. Most are two and three steps. These are not stairs and I think 8 and 12" landings are too short. Any advice or specification would be appreciated. Thanks





RE: walkway steps
I think 8 3/4" is too high for an external riser.
One rule of thumb commonly used by landscapers is: 2R+T=26.
Thus, for a 6" riser, use 14" tread, for 7" riser, use 12" tread. These are comfortable for walking.
RE: walkway steps
RE: walkway steps
Gait research and numerous trip and fall lawsuits have borne these numbers out, so it would be prudent to stay in that range.
RE: walkway steps
Call the local building permits department. Describe the situation and they will tell you exactly what the requirements are. If it has to include railings, they have to be between specific heights and the railing itself has to have a certain thickness, etc.
You can buy the residential code for your state from the website www.iccsafe.org. Depending upon what you want, they run about one hundred dollars. NY State puts it online but it is very difficult to find anything and/or navigate through it. If you are in a different state, it may be online and easier.
Good luck.
RE: walkway steps
RE: walkway steps
I usually follow the 7-11 rule = 7'' up - 11'' wide... Usually works - BUT check!! After three steps - usually need handrails....
RE: walkway steps
using 6" rise and a 14" tread. We have roughly 300 homes
in the neighborhood and 50+ having steps.
Here is a photo of steps being formed.
Thanks
Randy
RE: walkway steps
RE: walkway steps
RE: walkway steps
RE: walkway steps
But moot point...apparently you are on with forming steps!
RE: walkway steps
That is a driveway on the farside of the steps.
Remember Im working in a neighborhood and every homeowner is differant in what they want. Some want steps and some dont.The more the slope is the more soil around the walkway has to be removed and reshaped. No pay item for hand rails.
I had one resident complain who had 2 steps and we installed 1 step back because the new roadway elev. was raised by 5". Others had no steps and we installed 2 or 3 steps.Another resident didn't want steps but a sloped walkway 2'-6" rise in 18 LF. I dont like steps myself.
Thanks again
RE: walkway steps
Check the code, but I believe that the rise has to be within 1/4" step to step, within 3/8" over the entire flight of stairs.
I was involved with a project years ago where concrete stairways were an absolute disaster. We made the contractors tear them all out & replace them because they were so bad.