# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  steps

## dzcook

ok  have  put my  deck /verandah  on the  back of the  house  had the old  steel  framed  steps  ( runners ?)  cut  down  from  4  steps  to  2  and reattached  but  from the ground up  to the 1st  step   is  about  12  inches   ( step  hieght is  about 9 inches )  was  going to  just  do  a cement  slab  so top of cement  slab is 9 inches  below  the  steel  steps  but then that  means that  there is a 4 inch  step  to the  ground  which i  would hate to have some one trip over   
 any  sugestions  for  alternative  way of    doing this  should i   slope the  edges  up   or is the   4 inch  step  a better   idea  ,leads    into garden  which  slopes  away  uphill  from  steps so  one  end  could be made  level  with  the back  yard  but most  people  will  acess from  side  as is  carport    
anyway  hope that  i have explained this ok  thks

----------


## ozwinner

A riser height of 9"(224mm) is way too high, the riser should be about 6" (150mm)high, all the steps should have the same riser hight otherwise there is a danger of someone tripping on them. 
The standards say the risers can vary between 120mm and 180mm but all risers must be the same hight in the flight of stairs. 
From memory the treads can be from 250mm to 350mm, I may be wrong on that.  
Al  :Smilie:

----------


## DJ's Timber

I would cut the steps off the stringers (the correct name for the runners)and re-weld the the steps back on at the correct spacings with an extra step to compensate for the difference in heights. 
The person who built my deck here, didn't know what they where doing and did the same thing that you're proposing to do, cement step of about 3" here and everyone continuously trips on it including me.

----------


## Fossil

If you calculate using the formula of 2r + 1G = >585mm and <625mm you will have a comfortable flight. r being "riser" dimension and g being "going or tread" dimension.

----------


## Blocklayer

Sounds like your'e using the Vietnamese code for stairs, which states that each rise should be equal (or somewhat near equal) , except for the first, last, or any intermediate rise, which must be between 10 and 500 mm  :Doh:   
Try this calculator to work out the dimensions to space them all evenly. http://www.blocklayer.com/stairs
.
.

----------


## pharmaboy2

> If you calculate using the formula of 2r + 1G = >585mm and <625mm you will have a comfortable flight. r being "riser" dimension and g being "going or tread" dimension.

  Ok then, I've got a total rise of about 1690 for my entrance steps (outside obviously) and I get to choose the going.  My question is, using this formula can anyone give me an idea of which is preferable, a rise of 169mm, going 262mm,  OR  riser 153mm, going 294mm. first one is 9 treads, second for 10 treads 
The current ones are anywhere between 170 and 210 risers with 240 - 300 goings!  (thank god they still dont build em like theey did in the old day!). 
All opinions greatfully received and considered.

----------


## silentC

Within the limits I would always go for a higher riser and less treads. I find lower rises feel odd to walk up for some reason. Like you expect the tread to be higher  than it is.

----------


## Fossil

> Ok then, I've got a total rise of about 1690 for my entrance steps (outside obviously) and I get to choose the going. My question is, using this formula can anyone give me an idea of which is preferable, a rise of 169mm, going 262mm, OR riser 153mm, going 294mm. first one is 9 treads, second for 10 treads

  If it were me, I would go with your first option.
You also need to lay back your riser from vertical to get the whole set working comfortably. ie: from the nosing of the tread, lay back the riser about 20mm into the flight. Um...... I know what I am talking about, but I doub't my description is clear to the lay person. I'll try to draw it up and post when I get a chance, unless someone else can get the words out better than me. Haven't had coffee or smokes yet.  :Redface:

----------


## Fossil

Here you go. I hope this makes it clearer.

----------


## ausdesign

Just quickly.
Riser heights must be uniform.
Tread depths must be uniform.
Riser - min 115 max 190
Tread - min 240 max 355.

----------

