# Minimum Landing Depth for Garage Exterior Door?



## fj80 (Nov 13, 2017)

2012 Virginia Residential Code (basically same as 2012 IRC)

Here's the simplified version of my question: Does the code require a minimum dimension for the depth of a landing on the exterior side of a "man"-door for a garage?

The code talks about minimum landing depths within the section on egress doors, but I don't think a door out of a garage is considered an egress door, right?

Here's more detail:
I'm designing a house with a detached garage (although it's connected to the house with a porte cochere so the owners can walk out the side door of the garage and over to house while under cover of roof.) For the exterior door out the side of the garage I need to go down three risers to get to grade. I'd like to have one riser right at the threshold of the door, then a 2'-6" deep landing, and then two more risers. Is this acceptable? Or does the code require a 3'-0" deep landing?


----------



## steveray (Nov 13, 2017)

Here is how we address it....

(Amd) R311.3.2 Floor elevations for other exterior doors. Doors other than the required egress
door shall be provided with landings or floors not more than 8¼ inches (209.5 mm) below the top
of the threshold.
Exception: A landing is not required where a stairway of three or fewer risers, including
the top riser from the dwelling to the top tread, is located on the exterior side of the door,
provided the door does not swing over the stairway.

But if you need a landing, it needs to be 36"


----------



## JBI (Nov 13, 2017)

R311.3 *Floors and landings at exterior doors*, is not specific to the 'required egress door' and applies to _all_ exterior doors. 
Sub-section R311.3.1 is specific to the 'required egress door'. 

For the record, in a detached garage the side hinged 'man door' would be the required egress door from that detached accessory building IMHO.


----------



## Francis Vineyard (Nov 13, 2017)

Instead of rectangular could have a curved landing but it will still be 36 inches wide at both ends.

*R311.7.6 Landings for stairways.* There shall be a floor
or landing at the top and bottom of each stairway. The
minimum width perpendicular to the direction of travel
shall be no less than the width of the flight served. Landings
of shapes other than square or rectangular shall be
permitted provided the depth at the walk line and the total
area is not less than that of a quarter circle with a radius
equal to the required landing width. Where the stairway
has a straight run, the minimum depth in the direction of
travel shall be not less than 36 inches (914 mm).


----------

