Fire resistance on under side of stairs.. residential

[bigdog]

2 story home built in 2008 Boynton Beach. The wooden stairway to the 2nd floor is boxed / drywalled in under the stairs. There is a small door that accesses this area and is being used for storage currently. The wooden stairway inside this area is exposed. I believe this now requires the under side of the stair structure to be drywalled....am I right?

David

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

David,

From the 2004 Florida Building Code, Residential
- R311.2.2 Under stair protection. Enclosed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under stair surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board.

From the 2007 Florida Building Code, Residential
- R311.2.2 Under stair protection. Enclosed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under stair surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch (13 mm) gypsum board.

From the 2010 Florida Building Code, Residential, that section was moved to here:
- R302.7 Under-stair protection.
- - Enclosed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under-stair surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board.

From the 2014 Florida Building Code, Residential )in the 2014 edition:
- R302.7 Under-stair protection.
- - Enclosed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under-stair surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board.

Now, let's go back to the 2001 Florida Building Code:
- The 2001 Florida Building Code (the Building and Residential code were one and the same) exempted out stairways in dwelling units from under stair protection.
- - 1006.1.1 Enclosed stairways
- - - (blah, blah, blah)
- - - - Exceptions:
- - - - - 1. Stairways serving and contained within a dwelling, dwelling unit, or hotel suite.
- - 1006.1.4 There shall be no enclosed, useable space within an exit enclosure, including stairs.
- - - (blah, blah, blah)
- - - - Exceptions:
- - - - - 2. Protection is not required for those stairways exempted from enclosure in 1006.1.
- - 1007.1.3 Interior stairs constructed of wood, except those with open risers, shall be fireblocked as specified in 705.3.
- - - (blah, blah, blah)
- - - - Exception: Protection is not required for those stairways exempted from enclosure in 1006.1.1.
- - 1007.1.4 The underside of interior stairways, if of combustible construction, shall be protected to provide not less than 1-hour fire resistance.
- - - (blah, blah, blah)
- - - - Exception: When located within a dwelling unit.

[bigdog]

Thanks for the info Jerry!