Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Trying to 'Fix up' an Old Deck...

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7528/26482400192500.jpg

I believe the deck I have is original to the house, since it seems to match many of the neighbors houses - but I'm guessing it's been neglected for quite some time.

It's not very big - all I wanted to do was replace the hand-railing as it was rotted in some places and the steps because they'd broken in half.

When I went to the lumber store (Home Depot), all of the wood in their decking/outdoor section said that it need to be supported by joists every 16" for non-diagonal use (whatever that means).

The kicker is - my stairs are supported (I don't know what to call it) on each side, and there is nothing in the middle. The steps themselves are 36" wide?!

So, none of the wood at the store was labeled as being 'for use' when you have joists every 36".

I really hope this makes sense, if not, I can take pictures.

My problem is - what do I do now? Obviously, the old stairs did pretty good for the last X number of years - but now all of the new lumber says every 16".

There was some redwood that was 2" (on the label, it's actually much less) and some Thompson treated stuff that was even less thick (5/4). Both of them said every 16".

I ended up buying the Thompson stuff, the old wood I had was the 2" size.

My questions are....

1.) If I use the 5/4's wood to make 36" wide steps - will that be safe and sturdy?

2.) I was told that 36" is too wide and is NOT up to 'code' by the people at the Home Depot. Is this true? If I replace the steps do I have a legal obligation to make it 'up to code'

3.) If the 5/4s aren't good enough, I can return them and get the thicker 2" redwood. Would that be enough?

I'm hoping this would be a simple cosmetic sort of change...what do you all think I should do?

EDIT: To Clarify - the steps broke in half horizontally. So, they have a crack in the middle and feel 'loose' but they are still there and can support the weight of a person without any trouble. They just 'look' bad, IMHO

Those frame members supporting the sides of your treads are called stringers. Kind of like a joist, only for steps, instead of a floor or landing.
You could add another one of those in the middle of your steps to satisfy the span requirements.

Or, you could add a toe-kick underneath each tread, or is it called a riser? Anyway after you pry off the old treads you would nail a board (1" thick and exactly as wide as the height of each rise) to the vertical rises of your stringers. When you place your new treads onto the stringers they will also land on the edge of those boards with an overlap at the front edge. The backs of the treads will butt against the bottom front surface of the riser above it.
Treads are nailed from the top into the stringers and top edge of the riser below it.
Back surface of the risers are nailed into the back edge of each tread below it. Use finish nails when nailing into or through the risers, and don't you forget to countersink 'em.
The front of the very bottom tread can be supported by jamming a can of pork and beans vertically between it and the concrete, or by using a skinnier riser recessed inside the stringers. (it doesn't have to touch the ground) Whichever you think will look best in the long run.
I had to leave you some measure of creative control. After all it's your project!

You have to add an additional stringer (center support on an angle).

Adding risers will not cut it, unless you rebuild and dado everything like an interior set. Then it would all have to be special pressure treated lumber.

Yes, you are liable for injury and your Insurance may not cover you if you don't bring the rest up to minimum safety code.

They are so old, the current code (riser max.-tread min.) has changed, that they may have to be completely rebuilt. The picket spacing, the handrail size, the open risers, etc., are also wrong.

Here is current code for stairs: Stairway Manufacturer's Association - SMA: Codes and Standards (http://www.stairways.org/codes_standards.htm)

Click on: the 2006 or 2003 codes for visual interpetation. Be safe, G

Thanks for all the posts everyone.

I'm not exactly sure what I should do...I called my City to ask them directly about the permit situation and, it sounds like, anything I do would require bringing the entire deck up to code.

Sadly, I think that is out of the budget for me. I'm still waiting on a call back from the more official 'permit guy' but I was told by the lady answering the phone that she *thought* anything I did to the deck would require that all of it go up to code and I think that would mean replacing most all of it.

I could be wrong though.

The cost of the permit depends on how much 'value' they think the improvements would bring my home - so I'm going to try and figure out how much $$$ we're talking. But I think it's going to be too much.

I was hoping I could get by with just adding risers - but no dice :(

Hehe, gotta love laws. Instead of replacing old, rotten steps....I guess I'll just paint it and call it a day? I'm not sure how that is any safer, but it is more legal :)

Thanks for the advice all. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think, but I'll find out when the guy calls me back.

Well so much for creative control!
Funny thing is, I have a wooden porch in my garage that leads up to the house. And the steps are constructed exactly like yours. 36" w with no mid-span support and no risers. I was able to let an old cast iron bathtub down them on a hand truck, and pull a new one back up.