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interior door

interior door

New postby careyk on Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:12 am

I have a "restoration" company doing a rebuild after a fire (New Jersey) I have a 3 story townhouse with units along side of me. my question is on codes governing stairway width at top & interror door swings into a hallway/corridor

1) as you walk into my unit there is a stairway going up into unit - at top of stairs what is the minimum maximum width (the space between the handrail & Wall)

2) As you walk in there is a long corridor with a closet a 1/2 bath & a door to basement on the right of this corridor. On the left side is a long kitchen island- My question is on the doors. Is there a code governing the doors. The corridor appears more narrow to me - If the door is open you can NOT fit past it, Im 110lbs - Is there a door "swing" or "projection" code on this issue?


3) Is there a code for width of hallway/corridor?


Thanks
careyk
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 8:44 am

Re: interior door

New postby Jerry Peck - Codeman on Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:56 pm

The following answers and code sections are from the 2006 IRC (but have basically remained unchanged for long long time).

careyk wrote:1) as you walk into my unit there is a stairway going up into unit - at top of stairs what is the minimum maximum width (the space between the handrail & Wall)[=/quote]
- If I understand your question correctly the answer is that the minimum space for fingers/hands/graspability between a handrail and a wall is 1-1/2 inches. (underlining and bold are mine)
- R311.5.6.2 Continuity. Handrails for stairways shall be continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above the lowest riser of the flight. Handrail ends shall be returned or shall terminate in newel posts or safety terminals. Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a space of not less than 1 1/2 inch (38 mm) between the wall and the handrails.
- - Exceptions:
- - - 1. Handrails shall be permitted to be interrupted by a newel post at the turn.
- - - 2. The use of a volute, turnout, starting easing or starting newel shall be allowed over the lowest
tread.

2) As you walk in there is a long corridor with a closet a 1/2 bath & a door to basement on the right of this corridor. On the left side is a long kitchen island- My question is on the doors. Is there a code governing the doors. The corridor appears more narrow to me - If the door is open you can NOT fit past it, Im 110lbs - Is there a door "swing" or "projection" code on this issue?

- See answer to 3) below for the minimum width of the hallway (corridor).
- For residential building, such as your Townhouse, there is no requirement for the maximum width which a door is allowed to block a hallway. Townhouses are constructed under the IRC (International Residential Code), whereas, for example, condominiums are constructed under the IBC (International Building Code) and under the IBC the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *INSIDE* a condominium unit which can be blocked by an open door is not addressed, however, the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *OUTSIDE* the condominium unit and in the common area is 50 percent *of the required width* (as opposed to *of the width*) at any point during its swing, AND, that when fully opened the door does not project into the hallway (corridor) more than 7 inches.

3) Is there a code for width of hallway/corridor?

- The minimum width of a hallway is required to be 3 feet (i.e., 36 inches) finish-to-finish (i.e., paint-to-paint).
- - R311.3 Hallways. The minimum width of a hallway shall be not less than 3 feet (914 mm).
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Re: interior door

New postby Jerry Peck - Codeman on Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:58 pm

The following answers and code sections are from the 2006 IRC, however, these sections have remained basically unchanged for long, long time.

careyk wrote:1) as you walk into my unit there is a stairway going up into unit - at top of stairs what is the minimum maximum width (the space between the handrail & Wall)[=/quote]
- If I understand your question correctly the answer is that the minimum space for fingers/hands/graspability between a handrail and a wall is 1-1/2 inches. (underlining and bold are mine)
- R311.5.6.2 Continuity. Handrails for stairways shall be continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above the lowest riser of the flight. Handrail ends shall be returned or shall terminate in newel posts or safety terminals. Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a space of not less than 1 1/2 inch (38 mm) between the wall and the handrails.
- - Exceptions:
- - - 1. Handrails shall be permitted to be interrupted by a newel post at the turn.
- - - 2. The use of a volute, turnout, starting easing or starting newel shall be allowed over the lowest
tread.

2) As you walk in there is a long corridor with a closet a 1/2 bath & a door to basement on the right of this corridor. On the left side is a long kitchen island- My question is on the doors. Is there a code governing the doors. The corridor appears more narrow to me - If the door is open you can NOT fit past it, Im 110lbs - Is there a door "swing" or "projection" code on this issue?

- See answer to 3) below for the minimum width of the hallway (corridor).
- For residential building, such as your Townhouse, there is no requirement for the maximum width which a door is allowed to block a hallway. Townhouses are constructed under the IRC (International Residential Code), whereas, for example, condominiums are constructed under the IBC (International Building Code) and under the IBC the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *INSIDE* a condominium unit which can be blocked by an open door is not addressed, however, the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *OUTSIDE* the condominium unit and in the common area is 50 percent *of the required width* (as opposed to *of the width*) at any point during its swing, AND, that when fully opened the door does not project into the hallway (corridor) more than 7 inches.

3) Is there a code for width of hallway/corridor?

- The minimum width of a hallway is required to be 3 feet (i.e., 36 inches) finish-to-finish (i.e., paint-to-paint).
- - R311.3 Hallways. The minimum width of a hallway shall be not less than 3 feet (914 mm).[/quote]
Jerry Peck - CodeMan
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Construction Litigation Consultant - Retired
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Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:06 pm

Re: interior door

New postby Jerry Peck - Codeman on Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:59 pm

The following answers and code sections are from the 2006 IRC, however, these sections have remained basically unchanged for long, long time.

careyk wrote:1) as you walk into my unit there is a stairway going up into unit - at top of stairs what is the minimum maximum width (the space between the handrail & Wall)

- If I understand your question correctly the answer is that the minimum space for fingers/hands/graspability between a handrail and a wall is 1-1/2 inches. (underlining and bold are mine)
- R311.5.6.2 Continuity. Handrails for stairways shall be continuous for the full length of the flight, from a point directly above the top riser of the flight to a point directly above the lowest riser of the flight. Handrail ends shall be returned or shall terminate in newel posts or safety terminals. Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a space of not less than 1 1/2 inch (38 mm) between the wall and the handrails.
- - Exceptions:
- - - 1. Handrails shall be permitted to be interrupted by a newel post at the turn.
- - - 2. The use of a volute, turnout, starting easing or starting newel shall be allowed over the lowest
tread.

2) As you walk in there is a long corridor with a closet a 1/2 bath & a door to basement on the right of this corridor. On the left side is a long kitchen island- My question is on the doors. Is there a code governing the doors. The corridor appears more narrow to me - If the door is open you can NOT fit past it, Im 110lbs - Is there a door "swing" or "projection" code on this issue?

- See answer to 3) below for the minimum width of the hallway (corridor).
- For residential building, such as your Townhouse, there is no requirement for the maximum width which a door is allowed to block a hallway. Townhouses are constructed under the IRC (International Residential Code), whereas, for example, condominiums are constructed under the IBC (International Building Code) and under the IBC the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *INSIDE* a condominium unit which can be blocked by an open door is not addressed, however, the maximum width of a hallway (corridor) *OUTSIDE* the condominium unit and in the common area is 50 percent *of the required width* (as opposed to *of the width*) at any point during its swing, AND, that when fully opened the door does not project into the hallway (corridor) more than 7 inches.

3) Is there a code for width of hallway/corridor?

- The required minimum width of a hallway is 3 feet (i.e., 36 inches) finish-to-finish (i.e., paint-to-paint).
- - R311.3 Hallways. The minimum width of a hallway shall be not less than 3 feet (914 mm).[/quote]
Jerry Peck - CodeMan
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Construction Litigation Consultant - Retired
Construction and Code Consultant - Semi Retired
User avatar
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Posts: 1199
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:06 pm


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