Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

• HOME
• AIR CONDITIONING
• ELECTRICAL
• EXTERIORS
• HEATING
• HOME INSPECTION
• INTERIORS
• PLUMBING
• ROOFING
• SEPTIC SYSTEMS
• STRUCTURE
• WATER SUPPLY

• ENERGY SAVINGS
• ENVIRONMENT
• INDOOR AIR IAQ
• INSULATION
• MOLD INSPECT TEST REMOVE
• NOISE
• ODORS
• SOLAR ENERGY
• VENTILATION
• EXPERTS DIRECTORY
• CONTACT US

Stair & railing inspection guide: this document provides building code specifications, sketches, photographs, and examples of defects used in inspecting indoor or outdoor stairs, railings, landings, treads, and building access ramps as well as related conditions for safety and proper construction.

Our page top photograph shows an exterior stair extravaganza that looked beautiful. On closer inspection we found that this exterior stairway was not securely supported on the steep rocky hillside over which it had been constructed.

For a complete list of articles on stairs, railings, and ramps, their inspection, trip hazards, and good design, see STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS - INSPECTIONS, CODES. Also see Building Safety Hazards Guide. Here we include references to key documents on building codes and stair and railing safety.

© Copyright 2012 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

Catalog of Common Stair & Railing Specifications, Stair & Rail Defects & Trip Hazards

Stairway, Railing, Landing Basic Dimensions & Rules

• Attic stairs are often non-standard, steep, missing railings; attic folding stairs or pull-down stairs have special requirements for securing, fitting, etc.
• Balusters & Railing Enclosures (vertical posts comprising the barrier in guards and railings)
• BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS explains what causes cupping and rot and how to avoid it by putting the right side of boards "up"
• Basement stairs and basement walkout stair covers
• Books on Stair Construction, also see the references at the end of this page
• Checklist for Stair Inspections - Form for stair inspections is provided here
• Codes: building codes for stair construction are similar but not identical, as we compare in some notes

• Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs and Deck & Porch Railings discuss special stair requirements for decks and porches
  
  Our photo of collapsing and open-railing exterior stairs shown at left was taken on Hogback Mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When building a deck or stairs on a sloped hillside, as you can see from our illustration, extra care needs to be taken with supporting posts and footings.
• Exterior stairs may present additional non-standard tripping hazards
• Fire stopping is required on interior stairs in some constructions
• Guards (railings on landings and open hallways, porches, screened porches, balconies that are more than 30" above floors or grade)
• Lighting: shall be provided over stairs, with switches at top and bottom
• Railings: required on any run of any continuous run of steps comprising 4 or more risers
• RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH - construction details
• Stairway headroom, height, width width and stair dimension specifications
• Stairway landings are required depending on stair total height or in other conditions
• Step riser specifications for height, angle, etc.
• Step stringer defects such as rot, loose connections, bending, loss of tread connection
• Step tread specifications for width, depth, uniformity, & examples of defects
• Stair tread nose requirement on some treads, shape and angle requirements
• Winder stairs Separate specifications are provided for circular stairs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about exterior or interior stairs, landings, & railings

Question: is a handrail needed for stairs of just three risers? how about stairs of seven risers?

I have a set of exterior steps on my commercial project in PG county Maryland. Thee stairs consist of seven risers. Do these steps require a handrail? - Robert Traylor

Reply:

Robert:

Beginning at STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS and in detail at Codes for Stairs you'll find specifications on stairs and railings including when railings are required. You don't specify the total rise, and in some communities a total rise of 3 ft or less can be excluded from handrail requirements. But with 7 risers I suspect that a rail is needed.

My OPINION is that even if the rail were not strictly necessary, it would be a smart safety improvement to install one. Someone can be injured even on a small fall, and you note that this is a commercial property - which to me means more responsibility on the property owner and more risk as well.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about exterior or interior stairs, landings, & railings: code, construction, safety, inspection, & repair.

Share this Article      

...

Technical Reviewers & References

• InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
• InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
• Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
• Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS

• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
• "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. [copy on file as http://www.stairways.org/pdf/2006%20Stair%20IRC%20SCREEN.pdf ] -
• The following stair books and other books on stair history, design, and architecture can be purchased at our Amazon-Supported InspectAPedia Bookstore
• Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
  "Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "
• Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen, Jon R. Abele, Alvin S. Hyde, Cindy A. LaRue, Lawyers and Judges Publishing; 2 edition (April 2006), ISBN-10: 1933264012 ISBN-13: 978-1933264011
• Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
• The Staircase, Ann Rinaldi
  
• Common Sense Stairbuilding and Handrailing, Fred T. Hodgson
• The Art of Staircases, Pilar Chueca
• Building Stairs, by pros for pros, Andy Engel
• A Simplified Guide to Custom Stairbuilding, George R. Christina
• Basic Stairbuilding, Scott Schuttner
  
• The Staircase (two volumes), John Templar, Cambridge: the MIT Press, 1992
• The Staircase: History and Theories, John Templar, MIT Press 1995
• Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
• "The Dimensions of Stairs", J. M. Fitch et al., Scientific American, October 1974.
• ...

Attic & Basement Stair Inspection & Safety Concerns

We've had several reports of severe injury involving collapsing attic stairs, including involving home inspectors as well as occupants. Attic & Basement stair defects can be grouped by the stair type as we describe just below.

Basic information is just below. See Attic stairs for full details of this topic.

Conventional or home-made attic or basement stairways

Attic Folding Stairs or Pull-Down Attic Stairs

Watch for these common folding attic stair or ladder defects:

• Loose or missing bolts or hardware securing the attic folding stair hinges
• Loose or missing bolts securing the stair or ladder treads to the attic stair stringers or sides
• Attic folding stairs cut too long, causing a pressure point at the folding hinge, leading to split or broken attic folding stair stringers or sides
• Attic pull-down or folding stairs cut too short, perhaps not reaching the floor, leading to an unsafe "hanging" attic stair
• Attic folding stairs installed over an existing building stairway such as to a lower floor, attic folding stairs folding down onto or into the lower stairwell (unsafe to enter or exit)
• Attic pull down stair spring and hinge bent, loose, broken - risk breaking spring or hinge parts striking users pulling down the stairs
  
• Attic stair frame not properly secured to the ceiling rough opening

Balusters

Basic information is just below. See  Balusters & Railing Enclosures for full details of this topic. For more details about balusters (vertical spindles in railing construction) see details at Railings for a discussion of safety barriers along stairs, and Guards (railings on landings and open hallways, porches, screened porches, balconies that are more than 30" above floors or grade).

As our photo shows, a toddler (in this case very carefully held and supervised) can easily fall through open landing balusters or open balusters on a stairway.

We often see guards and railings enclosed using horizontal members or mesh or link fencing materials. Because a toddler can easily climb these materials, they are not safe for guard or railing enclosures and should not be used.

We also often see decks and porches more than 30" above ground level with no rail whatsoever, perhaps relying on the placement of plants or furniture to discourage people from stepping too close to the edge. Where building code enforcement was absent or lax we found a deck eight feet above ground with no railings at all. A local inspector opined that because the deck was not attached to the house (it abutted the house) it was exempt from building code enforcement.

Our opinion was that code exemption did not do much to reduce the falling hazard and that guards and railings should be provided regardless.

Exterior Stair Trip Hazards

We also often see trip hazards at exterior stairs and walks, details which may escape some building inspectors. 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
• Masonry stairs frost-damaged, pitched (photo at above right, Justin Morrill Smith Historic Site, Strafford VT)
• Outdoor stairs should be designed so as not to accumulate water on the tread surface (Wet stair tread surfaces become slippery or icy)

Stair Guardrail, Newell Post & Baluster Specs & Defects

Guards or guard rails referred to in stair codes and specifications refer to the safety barrier placed along the open sides of a horizontal walking surface such as a landing, balcony, deck, or porch. The equivalent safety barrier placed along a stairway itself is discussed at Railings.

Balusters for Guards & Railings

Stair Railing Specs & Defects

Railings in stair codes and specifications refer to the safety barrier along steps or stairs. Also see Guards for details about safety railings on landings and open hallways, porches, screened porches, balconies - horizontal walking surfaces.

Stair Handrail Dimensions & Shape

Examples of Stair & Landing Railing Defects

Stair Stringer Defects

The stair stringer is the diagonal supporting structure that carries the weight of the stair assembly as well as people using the stairs. You can see a stair stringer along the upper-edge of the set of stairs lying on their edge in our photo at above-right, after the stairs fell from the stair opening (our photo at above left) during a building renovation project. The stair stringer is secured to the structure at stair top, stair bottom, stair sides, depending on where there are building surfaces present.

Some common stair stringer defects we've found include:

• Stair stringer poorly secured to the top landing of exterior porches and decks
• Stringer loose, rotted, damaged, bowed, not secured to the building side wall where it should be, indoors or out
• Stringer improperly cut, deep notching, under-strength (see photo at Stair Riser Specifications & Defects)

Rotted stair treads or stringers: watch for rot in wooden stairs, especially at exterior entrances and decks. Where the stair stringer is mounted against a building wall water is often trapped, leading to hidden rot and sudden collapse.

Our photo shows rotting basement stair treads; from the stair top we could see that the entire stairway was twisting and in danger of sudden collapse. The sketch, courtesy Carson Dunlop, predicts stair rot exactly where it's found in our photograph.

Stair Riser Specifications & Defects

Bad Deck Stair Example: Nothing is right about the exterior stairs shown in our photo from a 1991 home inspection:

• This stair stringer is too-deeply notched and could split;
• The stair risers are too high, as our client is showing with our tape.
• The stair treads are too narrow.
• There is no railing and the height above ground is more than 36".
• The deck and platform railing is open with no balusters.

Stair Tread Specifications & Defects

Stair Step Treads

• Step tread depth (=> 10") (measured 12" from smaller side of irregular stair shapes such as triangular treads on curves or spirals)
• Step tread depth uniformity (<= 3/8" variation)
• Stair tread depth for winder stairs (>= 6" at smallest point)
• Stair tread uniformity for winder stairs at the 12" walk-line (<= 3/8" variation)
• Stair tread slope (out of level on walking surface) - (slope or "rise" must be <= 1 in 48) -- Source: IRC

Another Stair Code Example - Source BOCA 2001.

• Stair riser heights shall be 7 inches (178 mm) maximum and 4 inches (102 mm) minimum.
• Stair tread depths shall be 11 inches (279 mm) minimum. The riser height shall be measured vertically between the leading edges of adjacent treads. The stair tread depth shall be measured horizontally between the vertical planes of the foremost projection of adjacent treads and at right angle to the tread's leading edge.

Stair Step Tread Nose

• Tread nose projection past vertical riser below (3/4" to 1 1/2") required on stairs with solid risers (exceptions are below)
• Tread nose projection uniformity (<= 3/8" variation)
• Tread nose curve radius (=< 9/16")
• Tread Nose not required if tread depth is => 11"
• Tread Nose not required on open stair treads (open riser

Another Stair Code Example - BOCA 2001.

• Stair tread nose projection missing or wrong dimension: (falling hazard on descending) or tread nose extends out too far over tread (risk splitting off or trip on climbing up). Example: A nosing not less than 0.75 inch (19.1 mm) but not more than 1.25 inches (32 mm) shall be provided on stairways with solid risers where the tread depth is less than 11 inches (279 mm). - BOCA 2001.

Examples of stair tread defects

Stair Platform or Landing Specs & Defects

Common Stairway & Railing Specifications, & Trip or Fall Hazards

Stairs that are Curved or Angled, & Winder Stairs

Notes Comparing Building Codes Specifying Stair & Railing Requirements         

Sample excerpts of sources which a building code compliance inspector would be expected to cite in support of requiring a properly-designed, properly-secured guard rail include but are not limited to the citations below.

International Building Code 2000 (BOCA, ICBO, SBCCI)

1003.3.3.4 Stairway landings. There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway. The width of landings shall not be less than the width of stairways they serve. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension measured in the direction of travel equal to the width of the stairway. Such dimension need not exceed 48 inches (1219 mm) where the stairway has a straight run.

1003.3.3.11.3 Handrail grasp ability. Handrails with a circular cross section shall have an outside diameter of at least 1.25 inches (32 mm) and not greater than 2 inches (51 mm) or shall provide equivalent grasp ability. If the handrail is not circular, it shall have a perimeter dimension of at least 4 inches (102 mm) and not greater than 6.25 inches (159 mm) with a maximum cross-section dimension of 2.25 inches (57 mm). Edges shall have a minimum radius of 0.125 inch (3.2 mm).

100333.11.4 Continuity. Handrail-gripping surfaces shall be continuous, without interruption by newel posts or other obstructions.

1607.7 Loads on Handrails, guards, grab bars and vehicle barriers

1607.7.1.1 Concentrated Load. Handrail assemblies and guards shall be able to resist a single concentrated load of 200 pounds (0.89kN), applied in any direction at any point along the top, and have attachment devices and supporting structure to transfer this loading to appropriate structural elements of the building.

1607.7.1.2 Components. Intermediate rails (all those except the handrail), balusters and panel fillers shall be designed to withstand a horizontally applied normal load of 50 pounds (0.22 kN) on an area not to exceed one square foot (305mm2) including openings and space between rails.

BOCA National Property Maintenance Code 1993:

PM-305.5 Stairs and railings: all interior stairs and railings shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair.

Commentary: Handrails, treads and risers must be structurally sound, firmly attached to the structure, and properly maintained to perform their intended function safely. During an inspection the code official should inspect all stringers, risers, treads, and handrails.

PM-305.6 Handrails and guards: Every handrail and guard shall be firmly fastened and capable of supporting normally imposed loads and shall be maintained in good condition.

Commentary: This section provides for the safety and maintenance of handrails and guards. See Section PM-702.9 for additional requirements.

PM-702.9 Stairways, handrails and guards: Every exterior and interior flight of stairs having more than four risers, and every open portion of a stair, landing or balcony which is more than 30 inches (762mm) high, nor more than 42 inches (1067mm) high, measured vertically above the nosing of the tread or above the finished floor of the landing or walking surfaces. Guards shall be not less than 30 inches (762mm) high above the floor of the landing or balcony.

Commentary: Handrails are required on all stairs more than four risers in height. Handrails cannot be less than 30 inches nor more than 42 inches above the nosing of the treads (see Figure PM-702.9).

Guards are required on the open side of stairs and on landings and balconies which are more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below. The guard must be at least 30 inches above the floor of the landing or balcony. Guards are to contain intermediate rails, balusters or other construction to reduce the chance of an adult or child from falling through the guard. If the guard is missing some intermediate rails or balustrades, it is recommended that the guard be repaired to its original condition if it will provide protection equivalent to the protection it provided when originally constructed.

Stair Inspection Checklist & Form

Notes to Table of Stair & Railing Defects/Checklist

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS - INSPECTIONS, CODES
  Attic stairs
  Balusters & Railing Enclosures
  BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS
  Basement Stairs & Walkout Covers
  Books on Stair Construction
  Checklist for Stair Inspections
  Circular & Curved Stairs
  Codes for Stairs
  Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs
  Deck & Porch Railings
  Exterior stairs
  Fire Stopping for Stairways
  Guardrails on Balconies & Landings
  Lighting over Stairs
  Railings on Stairways
  Ramps, access
  Stair dimensions: width height &c
  Stairway headroom
  Stairway landings
  Step riser dimensions
  Step stringer defects
  Step tread dimensions
  Stair tread nose dimensions
  Winder stairs

• Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen, Jon R. Abele, Alvin S. Hyde, Cindy A. LaRue, Lawyers and Judges Publishing; 2 edition (April 2006), ISBN-10: 1933264012 ISBN-13: 978-1933264011
• Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
  "Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

• "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
• Access Ramp building codes:
  • UBC 1003.3.4.3
  • BOCA 1016.3
  • ADA 4.8.2
  • IBC 1010.2
• Access Ramp Standards:
  • ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Public Law 101-336. 7/26/90 is very often cited by other sources for good design of stairs and ramps etc. even where disabled individuals are not the design target.
  • ANSI A117.4 Accessible and Usable buildings and Facilities (earlier version was incorporated into the ADA)
  • ASTM F 1637, Standard Practice for Safe Walking Surfaces, (Similar to the above standards)
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Supply Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Supply_Vent.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11880?print
• "Energy Savers: Whole-House Exhaust Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Whole-House_Exhaust.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11870
• "Energy Savers: Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Natural Ventilation [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Natural_Ventilation.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Energy Recovery Ventilation Systems [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Energy_Recovery_Venting.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11900
• "Energy Savers: Detecting Air Leaks [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Detect_Air_Leaks.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• "Energy Savers: Air Sealing [copy on file as /interiors/Energy_Savers_Air_Sealing_1.pdf ] - ", U.S. Department of Energy
• Falls and Related Injuries: Slips, Trips, Missteps, and Their Consequences, Lawyers & Judges Publishing, (June 2002), ISBN-10: 0913875430 ISBN-13: 978-0913875438
  "Falls in the home and public places are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the United States, but are overlooked in most literature. This book is unique in that it is entirely devoted to falls. Of use to primary care physicians, nurses, insurance adjusters, architects, writers of building codes, attorneys, or anyone who cares for the elderly, this book will tell you how, why, and when people will likely fall, what most likely will be injured, and how such injuries come about. "
• Humidity: What indoor humidity should we maintain in order to avoid a mold problem?
• 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. [copy on file as http://www.stairways.org/pdf/2006%20Stair%20IRC%20SCREEN.pdf ] -
• What Mold and Allergens Look Like: mold identification photos to help identify mold - choosing what to sample in buildings
• How to Clean Moldy Wood Framing & Sheathing How to clean/seal mold from/on exposed lumber or plywood subfloor or roof sheathing indoors - some suggestions based on our field and laboratory research
• Lighting, proper use of: proper aiming of a good flashlight can disclose hard to see but toxic light or white mold colonies on walls.
• Mold spores in the Home - a Photo ID Library for detection and identification of mold allergens.
• How to Find and Test For Mold in buildings A "how to" photo and text primer on finding and choosing the right spots to test for mold in buildings
• Stuff that is not mold but is often mistaken for it - things you may not want to test. Also, not all "black mold" is toxic - here are examples of harmless black mold.
• Simple Adhesive Tape Sampling of Moldy Surfaces - how to send a mold sample to our lab
• Mold Sampling Methods in the Indoor Environment - In-depth article: detailed critique of popular mold testing methods - Is your mold test kit worth the bother?
• Mold-Resistant Building Practices, advice from an expert on how to prevent mold after a building flood and how to prevent mold growth in buildings by selection of building materials and by anti-mold construction details.
• Slips, Trips, Missteps and Their Consequences, Gary M. Bakken, H. Harvey Cohen, Jon R. Abele, Alvin S. Hyde, Cindy A. LaRue, Lawyers and Judges Publishing; 2 edition (April 2006), ISBN-10: 1933264012 ISBN-13: 978-1933264011
• Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
• The Staircase, Ann Rinaldi
  
• Common Sense Stairbuilding and Handrailing, Fred T. Hodgson
• The Art of Staircases, Pilar Chueca
• Building Stairs, by pros for pros, Andy Engel
• A Simplified Guide to Custom Stairbuilding, George R. Christina
• Basic Stairbuilding, Scott Schuttner
  
• The Staircase (two volumes), John Templar, Cambridge: the MIT Press, 1992
• The Staircase: History and Theories, John Templar, MIT Press 1995
• Steps and Stairways, Cleo Baldon & Ib Melchior, Rizzoli, 1989.
• "The Dimensions of Stairs", J. M. Fitch et al., Scientific American, October 1974.
• "Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
• Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
• Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
• ...