Standard Stair Riser Height Requirements OSHA 1910.25(c)(2) requires standard stairs to have a maximum riser height of 9.5 inches (24 cm). IBC 1011.5. 2 requires that stair riser heights shall be 7 inches (178 mm) maximum and 4 inches (102 mm) minimum.

What should the rise be for outdoor steps?

By: Garden Gate staff





It’s important to have the right ratio of tread to rise to make going up and down safe and easy. In general, the smaller the rise, the bigger the tread. You can choose what’s comfortable for you but generally outdoor steps have a rise of 5 ½ to 7 inches and a tread of 12 to 18 inches.

What is the legal height of a step in Australia?

The Australian Standard contains detailed advice on steps, stairs, landings, guard rails and so on: Rises and goings: All rises (R) and all goings (G), in the same flight of stairs, shall be of uniform dimensions within a tolerance of +/-5mm. For each rise: minimum 130mm, maximum 225mm.

Is an 8 inch step too high?

Building codes in many areas define maximum step height and minimum tread width, but in areas where it is not defined, Council of American Building Officials and International Code Council both recommend the rise to be no more than 7.75 inches and runs to be no less than 10 inches.

What is a comfortable step height?

Rule one says that rise plus run (r+R) should equal 18 inches. Why? That’s what most people find to be a comfortable stride on most stairs. You can cheat a bit up or down, but below 17” and more than 19” will result in steps that require strides either too big or too small for most people.

What is maximum step height?





Standard Stair Riser Height Requirements

OSHA 1910.25(c)(2) requires standard stairs to have a maximum riser height of 9.5 inches (24 cm). IBC 1011.5. 2 requires that stair riser heights shall be 7 inches (178 mm) maximum and 4 inches (102 mm) minimum.

How steep can stairs be in Australia?

20° to 45°

Staircases must slope at an angle of 20° to 45°, but between 30° and 38° is recommended. Minimum headroom is generally 2 metres. Stair treads need to be slip resistant and extend across the full width of the stairway. The edge of treads should be visible against the background.

How steep can stairs be?



OSHA regulations for industrial stairs allow a maximum of 45 degree stair slope. IBC requirements for egress stairs allow up to a 32.4 degree angle for the stair slope.

What is the standard rise and run for deck stairs?

The maximum allowable stair rise is 7 3/4 inches, and the minimum stair rise is 4 inches. For recommendations on rise-run combos, see the tip below. The difference between a stair’s longest and shortest riser height or stair depth should be no more than 3/8 inch.

How many stairs do you need to go up 12 feet?

As per thumb rule and various building code or IRC, assume standard design, for 12 feet height of staircase, you will need approximately 21 stairs and for 10 feet height you need 19 stairs to go up.

How tall are deck steps?



An ideal riser height is 7 or 8 inches. The optimal tread width (from front to back) is 10 inches. Treads should never be less than 9 inches, nor more than 11 inches. Begin by measuring the total rise of the stairs, that is the distance from the ground to the top of the deck.

What is code for steps on decks?

The IBC code for structural design has some very specific requirements for deck stairs: Stair rails on decks should be between 34 inches and 38 inches high, measured vertically from the nose of the tread to the top of the rail. Treads must be at least 10 inches deep, measuring from front to back.

Do deck stairs need risers?

Most high-end deck projects use closed risers to finish the stairs. Open risers sometimes appear cheap and unfinished. They also are often in violation of IRC code for decks over 30″, which maintains that they meet the same requirements as guardrail infill.