Open tread stairs usually don't have any risers. The
picture below provides you with a perfect example of a set of stairs
that's using a single stair tread, without any risers. There are plenty
of different stairways that have been designed over the years with open
stair treads, but that might not be the case in the future.
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Building Code Problems With Open Stairs
Most of the building codes used today in the United States require most
stairs to have closed treads. I built an industrial stairway that
required 2 x 6 risers to be installed, specifically for fire protection.
This isn't the only case I've ran into, where open tread stairs wouldn't
be permitted. While I was building stairs, I ran into a variety of
different situations. The architect would draw the stairs, I would build
the stairs and then the building inspector would make the necessary
building code changes.
This didn't happen often, but when it did, it could be a nightmare.
According to most building codes, you're not allowed to pass a 4 inch
sphere through any part of the stairway or protective handrail. I would
imagine, that it wouldn't be difficult to pass a 4 inch round ball, in
between the stair treads, in the picture above.
Special Note To Do-It-Yourselfers: If you're going to build a set of
stairs, it wouldn't be a bad idea to familiarize yourself with stairway
building codes. These building codes are designed for safety and to
reduce the amount of accidents that people have, while occupying
buildings or using stairs.
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