Search the forums

Loading
Home › Forums › Breaktime › General Discussion

Landing and stairs

prairiescl's picture

Landing and stairs (post #207034)

prairiescl on Sun, 11/04/2012 - 11:38
in

 

Hello,
I am building a stairway and landing from the back yard to the back porch. I have attached 2 drawings
of the floor plan view. I intend to make it a self-supporting structure, using 4x4s that run from the
foundation to the handrails. A 2x6 rim joist let-in 1" to the posts will support the floor. The poured
concrete basement stairwell wall will make up the left side of the foundation, while three 8x48" concrete
piers make up the left side. The driveway angles into the yard, forcing the stairs to be set at angle.
This requires a fifth pier and post to support fifth edge of the landing.
 
I have a few questions before I start digging holes:
 
1) Do I need a full concrete slab below the stairs? It probably would be more neat than dirt below, but
   also more work.
 
2) Assuming I do have a full slab, do I need expansion joints between the piers and slab?
 
3) Do I need rebar/remesh?
 
4) Assuming I do have a full slab, I assume that I will need to pour the piers one day then, once
   cured, firmly backfill the pier holes before pouring the slab. Otherwise I would have settling
   below the slab.
 
5) What is the maximum height between the landing and the finish floor height of the porch? Or is
   the measure to the top of the threshold? Can this be a full stair (7.75") high?
 
Thanks
-A +A

To answer question 1, no.  (post #207034, reply #1 of 1)

by DanH in reply to prairiescl [original] on Sun, 11/04/2012 - 12:22

To answer question 1, no.  You do need to support the bottom end of the stair, though.  Could use posts/pillars of some sort.

And note that the support does not need to be at the very bottom of the stair -- could be back 2-3 feet, with the last few steps cantilevered by the stringers.  Eg, you might use the bottom posts of the handrails to support the stair.


Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.  --Herman Melville