• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Stair structure at VB and 1B

Ryan Schultz

Registered User
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Messages
269
Location
Madison, WI
We have a Type VB (R-2) over a Type 1B (S-2) basement.

We're looking to do the stairs towers with studs.

I would imagine on the VB levels we can do wood studs.

I assume we have to use metal studs at the S-2 level, correct? Or could we use wood studs here, as well?

Thanks, Ryan
 
^^^^YEP...Don't even get a pass on the stairs....

1011.7 Stairway construction. Stairways shall be built of
materials consistent with the types permitted for the type of
construction
of the building, except that wood handrails shall
be permitted for all types of construction.
 
It sounds like a podium building but the IB Construction thru me off, I think it must be IA as required by 2015 IBC Section 510.2. 510.2(3) requires the stair enclosure to be 2 Hour, however the exception allows a 3 Hour enclosure, I have used this exception before to use wood stairs thru-out, the concept being, with the 3 Hour enclosure it is still VB "in" the enclosure in the basement. I have always had good luck convincing AHJ's this meets the intent.

Ken
 
Top