Stringer support

[tbz]

That's just ugly!The stair loads should be (at least) equal to whatever the floor loads are supposed to be. It's up to the designer owner or builder to provide the info needed so the inspector can verify.

If they claim to need more time, I can get them that too....

Both the IRC and IBC have requirements for loads on stairs and they do exceed floor requirements.

One area were you could see them put in to effect is on outside deck stairs fabricated from composite type decking. For many years just with treated lumber many times stair stringers were made with just the pair. With the introduction of composite materials that seemed to move a lot inspectors questioned these stairs and then the material manufactures started publishing spacing requirements and you started seeing 3 and 4 stringers being installed on a single stair flight.

My point was that many times these are often over look unless the stairs feel unsafe when the inspector walks up them. If they move on the inspector they take a deeper look, but if not seems rare to see inspectors go further during inspections.

People always seem to look at me funny because I always take a look at the structure I am going to walk up before I do. My family calls me crazy because if something looks shady to me I always take a look under before going up.

I ask you all this, if you go to a party at a home you have never been to before, do you check out the deck attachments before spending time on it???????

Call me crazy but I do......

 

[mjesse]

From 2006 IRC, R301.5

c. Individual stair treads shall be designed for the uniformly distributed live load or a 300-pound concentrated load acting over an area of 4 square inches, whichever produces the greater stresses.

mj

 

[DRP]

Ever see the holiday photo with the entire family arranged on the stairs?... and with some of our families that can be quite a load. To compound the fracture, the basement set is stacked right under that.

 

[GHRoberts]

Ever see the holiday photo with the entire family arranged on the stairs?... and with some of our families that can be quite a load. To compound the fracture, the basement set is stacked right under that.

While I agree about the possible loading. The code, not usage, gives us the design and inspection requirements.

 

[Architect1281]

Ah yes we all force these poor contstructors to aspire to provide the worst possible job.

using the most minimal of materials assembled in the least compliant manner.

and yet?

we are at fault

if only we could lower our standards to meet them halfway.

 

[Yankee]

I ask you all this, if you go to a party at a home you have never been to before, do you check out the deck attachments before spending time on it???????

Call me crazy but I do......

I do too . . . . . .

 

[JBI]

@ tbz & Yankee - Not me. I'm hoping for the fall... I could use the money!

 

[KZQuixote]

Ah yes we all force these poor contstructors to aspire to provide the worst possible job. using the most minimal of materials assembled in the least compliant manner.

and yet?

we are at fault

if only we could lower our standards to meet them halfway.

Been there, experienced that, 35 years ago!

There are two possibilities here:

This is a new contractor in need of some serious experience.

OR

Similar behavior has been passed consistently in recent history.

As you can expect, I'll not blame the carpenter, rather I'll look to the system that allowed such an inexperienced carpenter to get into such deep Do Do!

Frankly, I'll ask the original poster to affirm that this is a contractor whom he's never encountered before?

I'm not suggesting that the contractor is not responsible, at least on the surface, but I'm wondering how similar situations could be avoided in the future.

Bill

 

[mjesse]

KZ, this is the first time I've seen this carpenter on a job.

The rest of the framing job looked pretty good.

Many of the carpenters in this area have come up through the ranks building tract homes where roofs are trussed and stairs are factory built. They have evolved to become "installers" rather than craftsman. There are very few here who can cut roofs or stairs, not because they are new, but because the industry has allowed them to build hundreds of homes without ever having to do the most technical portions.

When I was building custom homes here, I had to teach or re-teach several experienced carpenters the basics of roof and stair construction. I'm fortunate to have spent my carpentry years on many complex "stick-built" homes, and comparatively few panelized and trussed "installations".

mj

 

[GHRoberts]

Ah yes we all force these poor constructors to aspire to provide the worst possible job. using the most minimal of materials assembled in the least compliant manner.

and yet?

we are at fault

if only we could lower our standards to meet them halfway.

It might be better to simply accept that their standards are just as legal as yours.

 

[Architect1281]

Electrical Bob our current inspector says it differently.

"Hey I don't write this stuff its just my job to rub your nose in it"

GHR when thier standards are published and accepted in my enforcement library then and only then can they do it thier way.

cause then it will also be my way.

 

[GHRoberts]

Electrical Bob our current inspector says it differently."Hey I don't write this stuff its just my job to rub your nose in it"

GHR when thier standards are published and accepted in my enforcement library then and only then can they do it thier way.

cause then it will also be my way.

I think the standard was given earlier - 300 pounds over 4sqin. Very simple to test. No need to take pictures. Just cart a 300 pound test weight around.

While I don't like the construction shown in the original pictures, only the 300 pound test weight gives an accurate answer.

 

[timh]

I think the standard was given earlier - 300 pounds over 4sqin. Very simple to test. No need to take pictures. Just cart a 300 pound test weight around. While I don't like the construction shown in the original pictures, only the 300 pound test weight gives an accurate answer.

any recommendations on what to use as a 300 lb weight with a 4 sq. in footprint?

 

[TimNY]

2 guys and a pogostick?

 

[High Desert]

A 300 pound inspector with a peg leg.......

 

[DRP]

40 psf uniform will test the stair assembly harder, I've got a set on the computer with a roughly 60 sf footprint, 60x40=2400 lbs. Each flight to the mid landing is ~20sf or 800 lbs. The 300# point load is a tread test IIRC