[Steve Neul]

Generally as a rule and in some places it's code that stairs have a rise between six and seven inches. Eight inches is a little steep however you may not have room for a more normal stairway.

With an overall rise of 95 3/4" I get a little less than 7 23/32" rise per step using 11 risers but with 11 risers you should only have 10 treads. The eleventh should be the floor level. .

 

[Steve Neul]

Hi Steve, thank you for the reply. Yes you’re right I miss typed its 11 risers 10 treads and 11th is kitchen level. It’s 95.75 less the floor of .25”. So 95.5/12=7.96”. I cut the risers to 8” could that small difference be why there is a slight gap at the top of the stringer when placed near the headboard?

I read in NY state the riser can be up to 8 1/4”, 8” is the best I can do given the space I have available. Tread overhang is .5” I’m thinking but I’m not seeing any code or regulation on that either

Sometimes you just have to work with what you have. If you don't have enough run then the only choice is to make the stairs steep. It's just the steeper the stairs are the more likely someone is to fall is the reason why it's preferred to have them low.

When you figure space between treads, shelves or anything you have many of them a little difference makes a lot. Like you came up with a figure 7.96 and cut them 8 that would be .04 difference but you multiply that times 11 and you have .44 inches total which is close to 7/16".

 

[Steve Neul]

Right completely understood.
But that confused me because I’m seeing a gap at the top of the header and stringer meaning I cut off too much material from the bottom potentially. If I were to cut more material off the riser of .44” in total I would be left with a shorter riser and a larger gap at the top header?

OK, now I follow you. I'm not there so all I can go by is the numbers you are providing. It may be the floor where the stringer sits is lower than straight down from the kitchen. If all you have is a 1/4" difference in the overall height of the stringers I would just tack a 1/4" strip to the bottom of them and go with it. If though you want to remake the stringers I would do like others have suggested and lengthen the run and put the first step flush with the front of that sheetrock column. I think you might have between 75" and 76" headroom. Unless you are over six feet tall that shouldn't be a problem. .

 

[Steve Neul]

The women and children of my family are over 6ft. 😂
But we work with what we have. None of my 3 steps have 6ft of headroom vertical, one of the idiosyncrasies of living in a 150 yr old house. Can't say that I've ever smacked my head either.

Might put some padding on the headspace just in case. That can really knock you off your balance when you hit your head. I was walking through a customers attic onetime and someone put a collar tie just about eye level and I was looking down watching the rafters. When I hit that collar tie I ended up falling through their kitchen ceiling all the way to the floor. Fortunately I was suppose to remove the popcorn texture anyway so it wasn't that big of a deal.

 

[Steve Neul]

I can't find where Steve was recommending a 6" riser? I had posted a photo of my 7" riser, maybe was that it?

You probably missed it because I wrote out the words instead of using numbers. It was post 2 where I recommended between six and seven inches.

 

[Steve Neul]

In case they missed the bottom paragraph, which is excellent advice. JMO.
Quoting:
In an old home that is fine. When doing a renovation if you leave the existing staircase and it does not meet code, but met code when built, you will usually be grandfathered in. If you replace a stair case it must meet the new codes. All is good until you try to sell your home and it can't get c/o or someone gets hurt. I would do whatever needed to meet code, even if it is my house and I am not pulling a permit.

The only problem is where he lives the 8" rise is within code. If it were me I would make the stairway more comfortable even if the stairs extended past the sheetrock column. Not being there it's difficult to say what other problems might arise from doing that though. I know there wouldn't be enough headspace but that could be removed and replaced with a smaller steel member which would allow for more headspace.