Replies

1. 
   Joe_Fusco_ | Nov 05, 2000 04:46pm | #1

   *

   P.D.,

   Nothing would matter much until you either brought someone up there and they fall and broke something or if you were going to sell your home.

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   "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."

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1. 
   splintergroupie_ | Nov 05, 2000 07:42pm | #2

   *I drew up shop plans with a loft storage area above accessible by exterior stairs for the Building Dept., but was denied as i had a slab and they said it constituted a two-storey structure requiring footings below frost line. I asked why all that cardboard stored at ground level could weigh any more if stored eight feet in the air, but you can guess where i got with that. The inspector, after he passed me, said something curious on his way out, however: "I'll never know what you did after the doors were shut."Next it'll be tree forts and swingsets...

1. 
   Pete_Draganic | Nov 05, 2000 09:22pm | #3

   *P.D. Kat,To answer your question, in keeping with code, your stairs to a storage area are no different than your stairs to any other place. There are different codes for interior and exterior stair set though.Pete

1. 
   P.D._Kat | Nov 05, 2000 10:46pm | #4

   *This is where it all gets confusing. I could put in a pull-down ladder if the common wall between the house & garage is 5/8" fire wall, but a permanent stairs has to be to certain dimensions?By the way, how wide DOES it have to be?(AND, since the house & garage are at right angles to each other, there IS NO common wall on the second floor!)

1. 
   splintergroupie_ | Nov 05, 2000 11:50pm | #5

   *You need to talk to your Building Dept. for local code, PD; no way around it if you want to be legal. (You can approach them with a "hypothetical" situation...) My guess is that they won't let you get away with permanent stairs, inside or out, of any width, without a whole lot of other stuff happening (there are also rules about headroom and sidewall heights and egress and on and on). In my case, i used my discretion, which i lose no sleep over as it is by no means the most illegal thing i've done. Cheers!

2. 
   Gabe_Martel | Nov 06, 2000 12:49am | #6

   *Hi PDHave you considered adding an exterior set of stairs as the "legal" main egress from your craft/storage room above your garage?The secondary interior stairs would serve you as the everyday access.To advise anyone to bypass the local codes is not in the best interest of this post.In the event of a fire, that exterior staircase could save a life.Gabe

3. 
   Mike_Smith | Nov 06, 2000 01:09am | #7

   *go with the pull-down stair... get the heavy duty model... and install the fire code required...ask your bulding inspector for advice on complying with the fire-seperation.. here in RI.. in single family residence .. the seperation is now 1/2 inch sheetrock

4. 
   Steve_Turner | Nov 06, 2000 02:32am | #8

   *Look here for a quality pull-down... the one-piece type beats the flip-flop folding variety: Good luck, Steve

5. 
   P.D._Kat | Nov 06, 2000 04:33am | #9

   *Thanks everyone for the input!Gabe;Thanks for the advice but the ubiquitous exterior stairs is what I'm trying to avoid. It would cross the middle of a 6' window behind my workbench.Steve;Beautiful stairs, but a bit pricey, eh? Not sure I'd have the clearance but I do like not losing floor space.Thanks once again!

2. 
   P.D._Kat | Nov 06, 2000 04:33am | #10

   *
   The space above my attached garage is not accessible from inside the house and I really just want to use it as a storage/craft area.

   If I was actually telling anyone (wink, wink) about its existence, would stair width & rise codes apply if just leading to a storage area?
   (I'm in CT)

   I'll have 2-3 treads running up to a small landing then the rest running up the gable end, but I can only allow about 28" max tread width.