How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
Do stair tread edges have to be rounded?
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
There is no requirement for the leading edge of a stair tread to be rounded, but a number of good reason why it should be. Most stair residential stair treads are wood and rounding reducing the incidence of splintering of the edge. Also, a square edge does not hold a finish well and may be more likely to catch a dragging heel.
A maximum radius is specified in the code, however, for any stair nosing (extension of the tread past the face of the riser below). The International Residential Code (IRC 311.7.5.3) states that “the radius of curvature at the nosing shall not be greater than 9/16 inch."
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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about STAIRS:
• What do home inspectors check when inspecting stairs?
• Is a landing always required at the top and bottom of stairs?
• When is a railing required at stairs?
• What is the building code for the minimum height of stair steps (risers)?
• When is a nosing required on a stair tread?
• What is the building code requirement for receptacle outlets at stairs and stair landings?
• Are open stair risers acceptable?
• What is the steepest residential stair allowed?
• Why is a single step dangerous in a house?
• Do I need stairs at all exit doors from a mobile home?
• The stairs feel too steep. What's the building code?
• What is the longest stair run allowed?
• What is the lighting requirement for stairs?
• A light is required over a stair after how many steps/risers?
• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?
Visit our STAIRS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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