Stair Height Variance

1chip1 · July 22, 2009, 08:05 PM

I want to put 3/4" T & G oak planks 3-1/4" wide in the living room. The house is a split foyer style. At the front door there is a 6' X 6' entry area and a half flight of stairs up to the living room. I plan to put matching flooring in this entry area. Since the stair treads are oak, I plan to finish them (instead of covering them with flooring) and paint the pine risers white.

I pulled up the carpet and padding in the living room and on the stairs. The entry area was cover with 3/4" tongue and groove hardwood flooring, that I have removed as well. In all cases, the new flooring will be going perpendicular to the joists.

The living room subfloor is 1/2" plywood covered with 3/4" OSB underlayment. The entry area was 1/2" plywood covered with 3/4" particle board underlayment. I pulled up the particle board and was planning on replacing it with OSB or plywood, but I do not know what thickness I should go with? Before I started this project, the rise of bottom step was only 6-3/8".

The rise of the six steps, currently, going up to the living room are 7-7/8" (bottom), 7-3/4", 7-5/8", 7-3/4", 7-3/4" and 7-1/2" (top). (This is without any 3/4" T & G added and without any subfloor in the entry area). If I put the flooring directly on the 1/2" plywood subfloor, in the entry area, this reduces the rise of the bottom step to 7-1/8". When I add the flooring to the living room, the rise of the top step will increase to 8-1/4". Is this too much variation in rise of the steps? What is the best way to proceed?

sunshine · July 28, 2009, 09:45 AM

Sounds like the living room surface needs to be taken down a half inch.

rgfloor · July 28, 2009, 03:48 PM

1chip1 said

I want to put 3/4" T & G oak planks 3-1/4" wide in the living room. The house is a split foyer style. At the front door there is a 6' X 6' entry area and a half flight of stairs up to the living room. I plan to put matching flooring in this entry area. Since the stair treads are oak, I plan to finish them (instead of covering them with flooring) and paint the pine risers white.

I pulled up the carpet and padding in the living room and on the stairs. The entry area was cover with 3/4" tongue and groove hardwood flooring, that I have removed as well. In all cases, the new flooring will be going perpendicular to the joists.

The living room subfloor is 1/2" plywood covered with 3/4" OSB underlayment. The entry area was 1/2" plywood covered with 3/4" particle board underlayment. I pulled up the particle board and was planning on replacing it with OSB or plywood, but I do not know what thickness I should go with? Before I started this project, the rise of bottom step was only 6-3/8".

The rise of the six steps, currently, going up to the living room are 7-7/8" (bottom), 7-3/4", 7-5/8", 7-3/4", 7-3/4" and 7-1/2" (top). (This is without any 3/4" T & G added and without any subfloor in the entry area). If I put the flooring directly on the 1/2" plywood subfloor, in the entry area, this reduces the rise of the bottom step to 7-1/8". When I add the flooring to the living room, the rise of the top step will increase to 8-1/4". Is this too much variation in rise of the steps? What is the best way to proceed?

Where are you at, in other words what does your building code say.

Some require you to be within a variaance of no more than 1/2 inch overall. Others are within 1/4 inch per step. Yours may vary.

Floorguy · July 29, 2009, 04:26 PM

rgfloor said

Where are you at, in other words what does your building code say.

Some require you to be within a variaance of no more than 1/2 inch overall. Others are within 1/4 inch per step. Yours may vary.

Once a home is built, and the building inspector has OK'ed the structure and the home becomes occupied. No building inspector is going to be laying a tape measure to the staircase, unless it involves another permit being pulled for an interior remodel, that involves rebuilding the staircase.

Building codes on staircases are checked and verified, in the rough framing stage of building. They are not rechecked once flooring goes in. Especially carpet floor, to a wood staircase, where you can lose an inch or more.

rgfloor · July 29, 2009, 04:41 PM

In Ohio the Final Inspection is the tough one. They DO check the rise and run on a staircase. Also the headroom clearance. I have seen them have to tear out a finished staircase to correct a problem that should have been caught on rough inspections.

Daris Mulkin · July 29, 2009, 04:48 PM

On final inspections I have had to go back and tear the pad out to meet the requirements on the bottom step. After the inspection was redone then after move in we went back and put the pad back in.

Daris

Ken · July 29, 2009, 05:41 PM

Here in Michigan the final inspection is done when the house is done, Like Daris said, I have removed the pad on the bottom step, used 1/4inch pad on steps. etc etc. just to pass the inspection and get the C of O for the closing.
then the builders call ya and you reinstall them back to normal.
I have had one case where the homeowner called the city in, and they re-inspected the home, and the stairs were off. They had to cut out the treads and reinstall them. the bird cages looked like hell, the treads on some steps had to be dropped over 1/2 inch left the cages and spindles higher that the carpet on the treads.

1chip1 · July 31, 2009, 11:48 AM

Thanks for the help

1chip1 · July 31, 2009, 11:55 AM

I am not going to remove the subfloor in the livingroom. Besides being too much work, it will create height issues with the floors in other rooms.
In my county, you do not need a permit to put down flooring, so I am not concerned about codes and inspections.
When the job is done, I don't want to look back and say I should have done... That is why I am asking for others opinions on what I should do. How should I approach this job to get the best results?
Thanks,
Chip

Stair Height Variance