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i am in calif . at jlc live a comment on stair nosing length has me searching the codes but i am not finding anything telling me a min. or even that i need one . anyone help me with this . joseph
We do nosing on all wood and stone treads, but I thought (and I may be wrong) that originally nosing was used to accomodate carpet, back when carpet was used a lot on stairs. I recently used tile on treads and we did no nosing.
Here, there are many finished wood stairs still in use which were built back in the 1800's (before carpet) and they all have nosings. The way I learned it was that the nosing is a feature that makes the stair more comfortable to use.
"If you only have a hammer, all problems look like nails"
The only reason I know ANYTHING about this is because I've 'sat in' on Jed Dixon's seminar so many times. Without the nosing, you toes hit the risers and you can trip walking up the steps, and your heels hit the risers on the way down, with the same result.
Gary
I use 1 1/4" for a nosing depth. The self-returned treads I use for open staircases have 1 1/4" applied returns. I use the 1 1/4" reveal to the skirt and to the riser. The mitre for the 5/8" X 3/4" cove and the mitre for the tread return line up perfectly in this configuration. Also, the top of the 5/8" cove moulding ends right at the springline of the nosing radius. It looks sharp.
-Greg
R311.5.3.3 is the 2003 IRC. This is requirement is unchanged from R314.2.1 in the 2000 IRC. (R314.2 and R314.2.1 were combined and moved to R311.5.3.3 for 2003)
Exceptions:
1. A nosing is not required where the tread depth is a minimum of 11 inches (279 mm).
1995 CABO 1&2 Family Dwelling Code Section 314.2.1`is the same as 200 IRC R 314.2.1.
I thought Chicago used an amended version of BOCA.
1996 BOCA
1014.6 Treads and risers:
Exceptions:
8. In occupancies in Use Group R-3, within dwelling units in occupancies in Use Group R-2 and in occupancies in Use Group U which are accessory to an occupancy in Use Group R-3, the maximum riser height shall be 7 3/4 inches (197 mm) and the minimum tread depth shall be 10 inches (254 mm). A nosing not less than 3/4 inches (19 mm) but not more than 1 1/4 inches (32 mm) shall be provided on stairways with solid risers where the tread depth is less than 11 inches (279 mm).
Congratulations on actually researching the code, and your research is correct, California has no requirement for nosings (but they are a good idea for the reasons expressed by Gary).
"The only communists left in the world are in American Universities."
>>I thought Chicago used an amended version of BOCA<<
I think they pulled a few things from BOCA, but most of it is based on city ordinances passed over the years.
There is an incredible variety of built environment here that is not understood by people living elsewhere, and therefore a generalized code would really not work here. For example (just pulling out my code book and thumbing through for examples):
Chapter 13-204 Men's Cubicle Hotels
"Mens cubicle hotels shall include all lodging houses exclusively maintained for men, containing sleeping stalls the separating partitions of which do not reach the ceiling" and goes on to specify what is required.
Chapter 15-28 Article XIV defines and sets requirements for lumber drying kilns
Chapter 13-108 Article II sets requirements for airplane hangars
etc.
"If you only have a hammer, all problems look like nails"
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