My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:
My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:
My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

I agree with not swinging it over the steps. So swing it the other
way in the kitchen or bifold. I you use a bifold it should fold so
that leaning against the middle of it from the kitchen side does not
open it.

On Mar 30, 3:55*pm, Limp Arbor wrote:
My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

Bifolding door on a rail?

On Mar 30, 11:03*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout


| |
| Kitchen |
|
Doorway1 |
|
_____________ |
Basement | |
Steps | |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2
when open. I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that
probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the folding
door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".

On Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:55:35 -0700 (PDT), Limp Arbor
wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.
A bifold closet door will work but won't likely meet code, as leaning
against what looks like a solid door could dump you down the stairs.
You could always do what I did, the basement door and the garage
access door interfered, the basement is finished, so I just removed
the basement door completely.

If that's not an option (unheated/unfinished basement), close in the
stairway and put the door at the bottom.

On Mar 30, 1:54*pm, Limp Arbor wrote:
On Mar 30, 11:03*am, RicodJour wrote:









On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA..

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout

| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
| * * * * * * * * Kitchen * * * * * * * * *|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
Doorway1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
_____________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
* Basement * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* *Steps * * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2
when open. *I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that
probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the folding
door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. *The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".

I think I understand the situation, but I am actually more concerned
with what else is going on around the doors. Cabinets, clearances,
etc.

If you can hang the door on the other side and that addresses the
problem then it's probably a toss up between that or getting a
bifold. Probably being the operative word.

R

On Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:54:55 -0700, Limp Arbor wrote:
The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side adjacent
to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2 when open.
I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that probably wouldn't
be much better.

Hmm, aside from folding door, is moving doorway2 further along the wall a
possibility?

On 3/30/2011 4:24 PM, Jules Richardson wrote:
On Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:54:55 -0700, Limp Arbor wrote:
The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side adjacent
to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2 when open.
I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that probably wouldn't
be much better.

Hmm, aside from folding door, is moving doorway2 further along the wall a
possibility?


A very small overhead door comes to mind... :^/

--
aem sends...

"Limp Arbor" wrote
My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen.
Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. Takes up an inch or two of the opening, but
blocks nothing.
http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...atalogId=10053

On Mar 30, 1:54*pm, Limp Arbor wrote:
On Mar 30, 11:03*am, RicodJour wrote:



On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA..

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout

| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
| * * * * * * * * Kitchen * * * * * * * * *|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
Doorway1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
_____________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
* Basement * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* *Steps * * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2
when open. *I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that
probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the folding
door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. *The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".


So you need to access ALL THREE openings at the same time ?

Doorway 1 which accesses something else in the house from the
kitchen ? And Doorway 2 which leads to somewhere outside
(garage or direct to outside) ? While also being able to get into
the basement ?

Umm... Hinge the basement door on the opposite side from
where it is now and and rebuild Doorway 2 so that the door
swings into the other space away from the basement stair
area... Remodeling the basement staircase is going to cost
way too much to be feasible when all you would need to
deal with the situation is potentially a new door & frame for
one of the doors and a little bit of patching on the frame for
the basement stairway door frame...

I wouldn't want a bi-fold door anywhere near stairs...

Or you could just use a more enlightened procedure for
unloading and storing the cargoes obtained at BJ's,
bringing everything into the kitchen before moving it
downstairs to its storage position... Then you wouldn't
have to do anything to any of the doors and you would
only need to use one at a time...

~~ Evan

On Mar 30, 10:59*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:
"Limp Arbor" wrote

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen.
Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. *Takes up an inch or two of the opening, but
blocks nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

On Mar 31, 4:03*am, Evan wrote:
On Mar 30, 1:54*pm, Limp Arbor wrote:





On Mar 30, 11:03*am, RicodJour wrote:

On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout

| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
| * * * * * * * * Kitchen * * * * * * * * *|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
Doorway1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
_____________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
* Basement * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* *Steps * * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2
when open. *I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that
probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the folding
door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. *The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".

So you need to access ALL THREE openings at the same time ?

Doorway 1 which accesses something else in the house from the
kitchen ? *And Doorway 2 which leads to somewhere outside
(garage or direct to outside) ? *While also being able to get into
the basement ?

Doorway1 and Doorway 2 are both just pass throughs, no doors.


Umm... *Hinge the basement door on the opposite side from
where it is now and and rebuild Doorway 2 so that the door
swings into the other space away from the basement stair
area... *Remodeling the basement staircase is going to cost
way too much to be feasible when all you would need to
deal with the situation is potentially a new door & frame for
one of the doors and a little bit of patching on the frame for
the basement stairway door frame...

I wouldn't want a bi-fold door anywhere near stairs...

Or you could just use a more enlightened procedure for
unloading and storing the cargoes obtained at BJ's,
bringing everything into the kitchen before moving it
downstairs to its storage position... *Then you wouldn't
have to do anything to any of the doors and you would
only need to use one at a time...

That is what we do.


~~ Evan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like my only option is to reverse the swing of the basement
door. I was hoping for something really clever like the doors on a
Delorean that would swing up into the stairwell.

On Mar 31, 9:31*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

Sounds like my only option is to reverse the swing of the basement
door. *I was hoping for something really clever like the doors on a
Delorean that would swing up into the stairwell.

Someone already offered that one up:
"A very small overhead door comes to mind... :^/
--
aem"

How about a door that slides down into a pocket in the floor. Yes, it
would be incredibly difficult, time-consuming and expensive to do, but
hey, it's not my trouble, time or money, so you should go for it!

R

Limp Arbor wrote:
On Mar 31, 4:03 am, Evan wrote:
On Mar 30, 1:54 pm, Limp Arbor wrote:





On Mar 30, 11:03 am, RicodJour wrote:

On Mar 30, 10:55 am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings
out into the kitchen. The way the rooms and steps are laid out I
can't put a pocket door at the top of the steps. Conveniently
when this basement door is open it blocks another doorway. Makes
bringing the truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the
basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out
over the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear
how you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout


Kitchen |

Doorway1 |

_____________ |
Basement | |
Steps | |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking
Doorway2 when open. I guess I could hinge it on the other side but
that probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the
folding door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".

So you need to access ALL THREE openings at the same time ?

Doorway 1 which accesses something else in the house from the
kitchen ? And Doorway 2 which leads to somewhere outside
(garage or direct to outside) ? While also being able to get into
the basement ?

Doorway1 and Doorway 2 are both just pass throughs, no doors.


Umm... Hinge the basement door on the opposite side from
where it is now and and rebuild Doorway 2 so that the door
swings into the other space away from the basement stair
area... Remodeling the basement staircase is going to cost
way too much to be feasible when all you would need to
deal with the situation is potentially a new door & frame for
one of the doors and a little bit of patching on the frame for
the basement stairway door frame...

I wouldn't want a bi-fold door anywhere near stairs...

Or you could just use a more enlightened procedure for
unloading and storing the cargoes obtained at BJ's,
bringing everything into the kitchen before moving it
downstairs to its storage position... Then you wouldn't
have to do anything to any of the doors and you would
only need to use one at a time...

That is what we do.


~~ Evan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like my only option is to reverse the swing of the basement
door. I was hoping for something really clever like the doors on a
Delorean that would swing up into the stairwell.

a really big tambour door

On Mar 31, 9:31*am, Limp Arbor wrote:
On Mar 31, 4:03*am, Evan wrote:



On Mar 30, 1:54*pm, Limp Arbor wrote:

On Mar 30, 11:03*am, RicodJour wrote:

On Mar 30, 10:55*am, Limp Arbor wrote:

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen. *The way the rooms and steps are laid out I can't
put a pocket door at the top of the steps. *Conveniently when this
basement door is open it blocks another doorway. *Makes bringing the
truckload of stuff SWMBO buys at BJs down to the basement a real PITA.

Beside the unsafe idea of turning the door around to swing out over
the steps anything else I could do?

Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

A picture of the situation would be helpful.

R

Use fixed font to see layout

| * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
| * * * * * * * * Kitchen * * * * * * * * *|
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
Doorway1 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
_____________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|
* Basement * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
* *Steps * * | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
_____________| Doorway2 ___________________|

The door at the top of the basement steps is hinged on the side
adjacent to Doorway2 and swings out into the kitchen blocking Doorway2
when open. *I guess I could hinge it on the other side but that
probably wouldn't be much better.

A bi-fold might help but as was already posted it would have to fold
towards the kitchen so someone couldn't lean or trip into the folding
door and go down the steps.

I'll have to do some measuring but I could maybe move the steps away
from the door with a landing but I doubt the landing would be big
enough for the door to swing in. *The door is 30" and the landing
could maybe be 36".

So you need to access ALL THREE openings at the same time ?

Doorway 1 which accesses something else in the house from the
kitchen ? *And Doorway 2 which leads to somewhere outside
(garage or direct to outside) ? *While also being able to get into
the basement ?

Doorway1 and Doorway 2 are both just pass throughs, no doors.





Umm... *Hinge the basement door on the opposite side from
where it is now and and rebuild Doorway 2 so that the door
swings into the other space away from the basement stair
area... *Remodeling the basement staircase is going to cost
way too much to be feasible when all you would need to
deal with the situation is potentially a new door & frame for
one of the doors and a little bit of patching on the frame for
the basement stairway door frame...

I wouldn't want a bi-fold door anywhere near stairs...

Or you could just use a more enlightened procedure for
unloading and storing the cargoes obtained at BJ's,
bringing everything into the kitchen before moving it
downstairs to its storage position... *Then you wouldn't
have to do anything to any of the doors and you would
only need to use one at a time...

That is what we do.



~~ Evan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like my only option is to reverse the swing of the basement
door. *I was hoping for something really clever like the doors on a
Delorean that would swing up into the stairwell.


LOL...

DeLorean doors inside a house ?

On kitchen cabinets maybe...

If this situation is so unbearable have you thought about a solid wood
door cut down the middle and hinged on both sides of the opening...

Sort of like the 8' wide double doors only much less wide -- one side
would be the passive leaf with flush bolts either in the edge of the
door
or on the "inside" face of the door surface mounted... The active
leaf
would be drilled and crossbored for the lockset as normal...

~~ Evan

"Limp Arbor" wrote

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. Takes up an inch or two of the opening,
but
blocks
nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

I suggested what works, not what looks elegant. I've seen them installed
in a couple of houses in Philly that had a tight layout. You question is
answered, you choice what to do with it.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:29:22 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Limp Arbor" wrote

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. Takes up an inch or two of the opening,
but
blocks
nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

I suggested what works, not what looks elegant. I've seen them installed
in a couple of houses in Philly that had a tight layout. You question is
answered, you choice what to do with it.

They sorta "work" but they do NOT meet code at the top of a stairway.
Dangerous at the top - OK at the bottom.

On Mar 31, 11:08*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:29:22 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"









wrote:

"Limp Arbor" wrote

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. *Takes up an inch or two of the opening,
but
blocks
nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. *First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

I suggested what works, not what looks elegant. * I've seen them installed
in a couple of houses in Philly that had a tight layout. *You question is
answered, you choice what to do with it.

They sorta "work" but they do NOT meet code at the top of a stairway.
Dangerous at the top - OK at the bottom.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen an accordion door at the top of a
stairway, but I don't know of any code prohibition. There are
prohibitions about doors swinging over a landing and such, but an
accordion doesn't infringe on a landing.

R311.5.4 Landings for stairways.
There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each
stairway. Exception: A floor or landing is not required at the top of
an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed garage,
provided a door does not swing over the stairs.

That's the only code reference I'm aware of for an interior stair and
a door. What's the code reference prohibiting an accordion door at
the top of a stairway?

R

On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:20:59 -0700 (PDT), RicodJour
wrote:

On Mar 31, 11:08Â*pm, wrote:
On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:29:22 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"









wrote:

"Limp Arbor" wrote

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. Â*Takes up an inch or two of the opening,
but
blocks
nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. Â*First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

I suggested what works, not what looks elegant. Â* I've seen them installed
in a couple of houses in Philly that had a tight layout. Â*You question is
answered, you choice what to do with it.

They sorta "work" but they do NOT meet code at the top of a stairway.
Dangerous at the top - OK at the bottom.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen an accordion door at the top of a
stairway, but I don't know of any code prohibition. There are
prohibitions about doors swinging over a landing and such, but an
accordion doesn't infringe on a landing.

R311.5.4 Landings for stairways.
There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each
stairway. Exception: A floor or landing is not required at the top of
an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed garage,
provided a door does not swing over the stairs.

That's the only code reference I'm aware of for an interior stair and
a door. What's the code reference prohibiting an accordion door at
the top of a stairway?

R
I cannot give you any reference, but I just suspect something that
looks like a door but acts like a blanket might not be considered
safe. I should have said I DOUBT they meet code. I sure wouldn't want
to have them - better by far no door at all so everyone KNOWS it is a
hole.

On Mar 31, 9:24*am, Limp Arbor wrote:
On Mar 30, 10:59*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

"Limp Arbor" wrote

My basement steps lead up into the kitchen where the door swings out
into the kitchen.
Maybe a bi-fold door?

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. *Takes up an inch or two of the opening, but
blocks nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. *First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

Accordion doors have taken a beating, and for the most part deservedly
so, but that reputation is due to the fact that the only residential
accordion doors people have ever seen are the cheapest pieces of crap
imaginable. There are far better quality accordion doors available.
Security, acoustic, quality veneers, etc.
http://www.accordiondoors.com/woodfo...diondoors.html

The sticky wicket in the mix is that having high quality with a lot of
moving parts makes it difficult to get it even close to the price of a
standard door option. There's nothing ruling out an accordion door in
your application, other than possibly price and your sense of
aesthetics. Your house, your money, your call - but it might be
worthwhile to update your accordion door knowledge and get some
pricing.

R

On 4/1/2011 4:24 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 21:20:59 -0700 (PDT), RicodJour
wrote:

On Mar 31, 11:08Â pm, wrote:
On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:29:22 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"









wrote:

"Limp wrote

If any of you have solved this annoying problem I'd love to hear how
you did it.

An accordian type folding door. Â Takes up an inch or two of the opening,
but
blocks
nothing.http://www.homedepot.com/Doors-Windo...oors-Accordion...

Ed, I'm surprised you would suggest and accordian door. Â First it is a
house, not a trailer and second it is at the top of stairs.

I suggested what works, not what looks elegant. Â I've seen them installed
in a couple of houses in Philly that had a tight layout. Â You question is
answered, you choice what to do with it.

They sorta "work" but they do NOT meet code at the top of a stairway.
Dangerous at the top - OK at the bottom.

I'm not sure that I've ever seen an accordion door at the top of a
stairway, but I don't know of any code prohibition. There are
prohibitions about doors swinging over a landing and such, but an
accordion doesn't infringe on a landing.

R311.5.4 Landings for stairways.
There shall be a floor or landing at the top and bottom of each
stairway. Exception: A floor or landing is not required at the top of
an interior flight of stairs, including stairs in an enclosed garage,
provided a door does not swing over the stairs.

That's the only code reference I'm aware of for an interior stair and
a door. What's the code reference prohibiting an accordion door at
the top of a stairway?

R
I cannot give you any reference, but I just suspect something that
looks like a door but acts like a blanket might not be considered
safe. I should have said I DOUBT they meet code. I sure wouldn't want
to have them - better by far no door at all so everyone KNOWS it is a
hole.

Assuming the stairway is pretty enough for company (or can easily be
made so), I think the suggestion to enclose the bottom and put the fire
door down there, and turn the top into a jambed archway, is probably the
best one.

--
aem sends...

wrote
I cannot give you any reference, but I just suspect something that
looks like a door but acts like a blanket might not be considered
safe. I should have said I DOUBT they meet code. I sure wouldn't want
to have them - better by far no door at all so everyone KNOWS it is a
hole.


Thanks for the clarification on your OPINION, rather than facts. As for
acting like a blanket, you can buy them made from vinyl, wood, aluminum, and
in varying thickness. Some are fire rated. Have you looked at any
recently?

On Fri, 1 Apr 2011 23:27:13 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


wrote
I cannot give you any reference, but I just suspect something that
looks like a door but acts like a blanket might not be considered
safe. I should have said I DOUBT they meet code. I sure wouldn't want
to have them - better by far no door at all so everyone KNOWS it is a
hole.


Thanks for the clarification on your OPINION, rather than facts. As for
acting like a blanket, you can buy them made from vinyl, wood, aluminum, and
in varying thickness. Some are fire rated. Have you looked at any
recently?
I've looked at a few. The plastic plank ones looked almost acceptable
to me, but I'd be looking real close at the construction of the
"hinges". Have not seen any yet that I'd trust at the head end of a
stairway. Have not seen aluminum ones available for residential use
that would be anything close to cost effective and strong enough.The
fabric style would not meet my approval for sure. I know there are
some that are used as room deviders in large meeting rooms and
gymnasiums but they are hellish expensive and some tend to be quite
troublesome. The ones installed at a church I used to attend were far
from cheap, but certainly not trouble free, and no-one involved with
them would ever recommend or use them again.