code for landings on exterior stairs?

[Orionrising]

I have been trying to figure out if a landing is required for a secondary entrance stair.

I can find various references that seem to indicate if the door opens inward it is not.

(took failing deck off back door last year, have plenty of patios, don't need to replace deck, just 5.5 Ft stair to door)

Would like to just poor a landing pad and run stair right to door without screwing with footings for a 3x3 landing.

 

[robertlynk]

Lets look at it from a common sense approach. Your hands are full you walk up the stairs and the door is locked . Now you have to go back down the stairs put something down and find my keys go back up unlock the door etc. All the while cussing that you should have put a landing in

 

[Orionrising]

Its a secondary exit to a fenced in pool area.

I guess I could cheat on the footings, code ones would be stupid.

(full frost depth here would be like 5 + feet.... the house foundation only goes to 2.5..) and its all on well drained sand fill.

I cannot find a prescriptive code for frost

previous deck was 5 feet tall... on shed blocks with no footings.

 

[Commendatore]

The stairs from my attached garage into the house have no landing. The door opens inward, but it's still a PITA. I would avoid that if possible.

 

[slidehammer]

I have been trying to figure out if a landing is required for a secondary entrance stair.

I can find various references that seem to indicate if the door opens inward it is not.

The International Residential Code requires landings on both sides of exterior doors. Only interior flights of stairs are permitted to have no landing at the top, provided of course the door doesn't swing over the stairs.

R311.3 Floors and landings at exterior doors.
There shall be a landing or floor on each side of each exterior door. The width of each landing shall not be less than the door served. Every landing shall have a minimum dimension of 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel. Exterior landings shall be permitted to have a slope not to exceed ¼ unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent).

Exception: Exterior balconies less than 60 square feet (5.6 m2) and only accessible from a door are permitted to have a landing less than 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel.

 

[Joemctag]

Apparently, here in NC, it’s allowed to do it, so they give you that on manufactured homes, that is, double-wides. It’s cheaper, but you’ll see the problems if you go that way: First the storm door opens outward. Second, what previous poster said. Also not safe at all when you’re going out . You’ll get used to it, but what about your guests?

 

[gabeancounter]

The only exceptions that I am aware of are entrance from a garage or basement stairs to main level.
Spend the extra $300 for the landing for safety and to meet code.

 

[Bill Bowman]

Why would someone avoid a code requirement? To save a few bucks? Really? For gosh sakes, at least build it to satisfy minimum code.

 

[larry4406]

Not sure how this 2016 post woke up again, but I will play..

Keep reading the exceptions for Exterior Doors:
R311.3.2:
Exception: A landing is not required where a stairway
of two or fewer risers is located on the exterior side of
the door, provided the door does not swing over the
stairway.

Attached is a picture showing such an exempted condition with 2-rise. Not sure how many risers the long gone OP had to contend with but if it was 3 or more he is/was SOL without a landing.