Riser Height on New Deck

T

Turner

New Member
I am finished building my new deck and I have a question about the riser height in Calvert County.

I want to go with an open riser and the code states that a 4" sphere cannot pass through the riser. Does this mean that it has to be a 4" step? That seems really short to me. I am not carpenter or mathmetician so am I reading it wrong? Why can't they just say it has to be less than 4"?

Any help would be appreciated so my deck doesn't fail inspection.
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
Turner said:
I am finished building my new deck and I have a question about the riser height in Calvert County.

I want to go with an open riser and the code states that a 4" sphere cannot pass through the riser. Does this mean that it has to be a 4" step? That seems really short to me. I am not carpenter or mathmetician so am I reading it wrong? Why can't they just say it has to be less than 4"?

Any help would be appreciated so my deck doesn't fail inspection.
Click to expand...
8" is the norm. 4" is way to close (IMO).
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
Turner said:
Currently I have a 7" step with 1" of 5/4 board on the tread...can I have an open riser according to the code? I am confused by this 4" sphere thing.
Click to expand...
I'm confused by it too. You'd have to space the steps less than 4" above each other. That would be hard to climb unless you took two treads at a time...:lol:
 
J

JEB

Member
They think of a 4" sphere as a babys head. No opening that large of larger.
Use a 2x4 (3 1/2") for your guide and for the picket spacing.
Sounds like you need to put a riser on the steps.
By the way the 4" sphere ups to a 6" for the railing/step opening.
 
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O

owenslx3

Member
i think in calvert you cant have open risers.....figure out the overall height the whole set of steps will be then divide by how many steps you want ....21" to ground divided by 3 steps = 7" rises...good luck steps are tricky
 
Baja28

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
owenslx3 said:
i think in calvert you cant have open risers.....figure out the overall height the whole set of steps will be then divide by how many steps you want ....21" to ground divided by 3 steps = 7" rises...good luck steps are tricky
Click to expand...
That won't work if code requires less than 4" between treads.
 
yankee44

yankee44

New Member
Stair riser hight by code has to be no less than 5" and no larger than 7 3/4". In Calvert county they require you to have no more than a 4" opening. The best way to meet this code requrrement is to enclose your risers. If you want an open riser that meets code do what I have done on many decks in Calvert and recess a 5/4 deck board in the top of the riser witch will give you an 1 1/2" gap on a standard 7 1/2" riser to let debris and snow to be swept through.
 
C

CrazyAchmed

New Member
I think what the above user means is to place a 5/4x6 deck board below the tread above creating a gap at the bottom.

How tall are your openings now? Or have you not built the steps yet. Can always make the switch to a 5/4x4 board aswell(this won't be a treated product unless you rip a decking board down)
 
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