Quote:
Originally Posted by wdfifteen
I've been trying to avoid that because the area under the step will not be accessible for cleaning. Water and dirt will accumulate and rot the step support from the inside out.
I can't use concrete because the building codes won't allow me to pour concrete against the band board.
The steps are both 7 1/2 inches high. I think the reason people tend to step long is that they have to step over the door threshold and the tracks for the sliding door.
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Water and dirt are going to get under there anyway, so do the 2) 2 x 6's or 2 x 8's. Less warp and cupping not to mention better traction.
And you can use concrete or masonry if you place a barrier against the band board. One of the best I've seen is a thin piece of copper backed with bituthane.
I agree that the use of Trex or other composites is the better way to go if you use wood like construction.
Furthermore, Webb is right, something on the order of 24" would be a lot more comfortable for users. If you watch people enter and exit a doorway that has a track or high threshold, they tend to step over it.
At least that's been my observation in over 25 years of installing doors.
About the code: sliders are exempt, but any swinging door must have a step or landing no more than 1" below the finish inside floor. For sliders it is permissible to have the step down as much as 8" providing the stepping distance is equal from the step to grade. So, if it's 15" from the inside floor to grade, your step shall be 7 1/2". This is according to the UBC, the western US code.