Exterior Stairways: Guide to Outdoor Stair, Railing, Landing Construction & Inspection InspectAPedia® -
Exterior or Outdoor Stair, railing, guardrail, landing, tread, and step specifications & codes
Exterior Stair & railing inspection form
Outdoor Stair & railing safety hazards, photos of defects
Sketches of exterior stair design requirements
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This document provides building code specifications, sketches, photographs, and examples of defects used in inspecting indoor or outdoor stairs, railings, landings, treads, and related conditions for safety and proper
construction. Also see Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs.
A stair inspection checklist provided in this document outlines information to collect during a field investigation
of the condition of an interior or exterior stairway for safety defects. Having investigated cases of severe
injury related to falls and railing collapses we developed this field data collection checklist.
We also include references to key documents on building codes and stair and railing safety.
Exterior Stair Code Specifications & Falling or Tripping Hazards
While in general the building code specifications for exterior stairs, landings, and railings are the same as for indoor star is, we often see special trip hazards at exterior stairs and walks, conditions that do not occur indoors, and details which may escape some building inspectors.
And some stair design requirements, such as stair treads that will not hold water, naturally pertain principally to outdoor stairways. We add some more subtle warnings about outdoor stairs and stair construction, and tips or tricks of carpentry and masonry to avoid problems with stairs.
Photo Guide to Examples of Trip Hazards on Exterior Stairs
Landscape-tie or railroad tie steps and walks
It's common for gravel, dirt, or asphalt to settle inside of the step perimeter made of landscape ties such as shown in our photo. When the wood projection is 1/8" or more above the other walking surface (asphalt in this photo) it's a tripping hazard that should be corrected.
Landscape tie stair edges raised above brick or stone interior - trip hazard (photo at above left)
Landscape tie stair components rotted, especially at the nose edge of the steps
Landscape tie or railroad tie steps abutting a building are an invitation to insect damage and rot as we found at this Connecticut condominium belonging to an aide to Henry Kissinger. The owner spent enough time traveling that s/he did not notice the roof spillage at the front entry (note the exposed gravel in the left photo), and the builder did not consider that bringing the vinyl siding into ground contact gave a protected and inviting path for insects to enter the structure. The right-hand photo shows the rotted and carpenter-ant demolished rim joist in the basement of this structure just inside the exterior stair.
Defects in Masonry Steps and Landings Outdoors
Masonry stairs frost-damaged, pitched (photo, Justin Morrill Smith Historic Site, Strafford VT). These stone steps are more than 100 years old and have been left "as is" for historic reasons. They are a tripping hazard.
Special Construction Tips for Outdoor Steps, Stairs, Railings, Newell Posts
Proper exterior stair tread drainage: Outdoor stairs should be designed so as not to accumulate water on the tread surface Wet stair tread surfaces become slippery from water, ice, or algae and fungal growth.
Wooden stair treads should be installed with the end grain curve "up". Notice the end-grain of boards to be used as stair treads, and make sure that when building a wooden outdoor stair tread you place the tread boards with the "bark side" up - the wood grain visible at the end of stair tread boards should arc upwards. That determines the natural curvature of the tread board as the wood dries, and it makes for the best stair tread drainage and the minimum cupping or or holding of water on the stair tread. If a board misbehaves and cures with a cup, drill small drainage holes in the center of the cupped board. Make sure the drain holes won't catch a high-heeled shoe by making them small or locating them out of the walking path.
Clean slippery stair treads with a power washer;
Use anti-slip additive in paint on outdoor stair treads, landings, and entry porches, such as a fine-ground sand powder which is mixed in with the paint. Anti-slip stick-on plastic tread covers are also available.
Masonry stair treads should be slightly pitched away from the riser in order to drain water away from the riser side of the step - you don't need much pitch to drain, 1" in 45" of run is sufficient and won't violate building code. Good drainage on a masonry stair (or walk) also reduces damage from frost-related surface spalling and cracking.
Masonry stairs should be protected from frost heaves by proper gravel, backfill, drainage, and other construction details
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
"The Elimination of Unsafe Guardrails, a Progress Report," Elliott O. Stephenson, Building Standards, March-April 1993
"Are Functional Handrails Within Our Grasp" Jake Pauls, Building Standards, January-February 1991
Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Second Edition, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen,A. S. Hyde, Jon R. Abele, ISBN-13: 978-1-933264-01-1 or
ISBN 10: 1-933264-01-2,
available from the publisher, Lawyers ^ Judges Publishing Company,Inc., www.lawyersandjudges.com sales@lawyersandjudges.com and also from the InspectAPedia Bookstore (Amazon.com)
The Stairway Manufacturers' Association, (877) 500-5759, provides a pictorial guide to the stair and railing portion of the International Residential Code.
The following stair books and other books on stair history, design, and architecture can be purchased at our Amazon-Supported InspectAPedia Bookstore
Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
The Staircase: History and Theories, John Templar, MIT Press 1995
The Staircase (two volumes), John Templar, Cambridge: the MIT Press, 1992.
"The Dimensions of Stairs", J. M. Fitch et al., Scientific American, October 1974.
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
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