building regs and string margins

[almor]

I'm building a deck with a staircase. The string is open. My question is can anybody tell me whether there are regs relating to the distance from the corner of the "going" and "rise" to the base rail. I understand that that gap between balusters can't be bigger than 100mm but what about the open triangle between the go, rise and base rail? Any quick answers much appreciated as we move to Ozzy on Sunday and I need a completion certificate from the lovely building reg man by Friday!

All the best

Almor

 

[JerryD]

The 100mm sphere rule applies to every part of the staircase.

It's to stop small children getting their head stuck (it HAS happened!)

 

[chappers]

cert by Friday you'll be lucky got my last loft signed off 6 weeks ago customer still waiting for the cert.

 

[almor]

Mmmm... So, if the going has to be 220mm at a minimum per the regs, then you'd have to have a rise of less than 110mm to get any where close to making the triangle between the base rail, going and rise impassable to a 100mm sphere. That's a very shallow staircase. The one I'm doing is 240mm going and 160mm rising. I guess that open string deck stairs don't get built much!

The question is what do I do now? The newels are on the outside of the strings (thank God!) so I guess I'll just have to continue the ballusters from the handrail down onto the actual string and screw them into that - doing away with the base rail all together. I guess that will make it nice a firm too.

Is this the only option though (and I've already cut and installed the string and newels)?

Almor

 

[masona]

Any photo ?

 

[the stairman]

Hi i have just been in contact with the building regulations on this point and they say that in BS5395 you can have this triangle left as long as the baserail support is no more than 50mm's away from the pitch line but it also says this applys only if the property is not a dwelling! i have had to question this because in Richard Burbidges latest fusion catalogue they claim to have (building regulations) passed a range of fusion handrail fittings for use on cut string staircases that will leave this triangle.

As a staircase manufacturer i can only say at this point if the gap you have in the triangle lets a 100mm sphere pass through it it should not pass building regulations.