How to Build Deck Stairs

Calculating the footstep dimensions, laying out stringers and building a sturdy set up of deck stairs.

Introduction

Sure, building deck stairs tin be tricky. But in this story, we'll make it easy by showing you lot how to estimate step dimensions, layout and cutting stair stringers, and gather the stair parts. And you won't demand any hard math to figure it out (though your calculations must be accurate!). These DIY steps will work for replacing an sometime fix of stairs or building new ones. So grab your tools and let'due south showtime building!

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • 2x12 x 12 ft. (3)
  • 2x6 x 12 in. (ane)
  • 3-in. deck screws
  • Decking for risers and treads

Project step-by-pace (14)

Step ane

Mensurate the Full Rise to the Deck Landing

  • Picture a stair slope in your mind to estimate nigh a 40-degree slope and judge at a landing point.
  • Residuum a straight board on the deck and level over to the landing signal.
  • Mensurate downward to the ground. That'll be the approximate hfeight of the stairs, "X."

Building deck stairs

Step 2

Find the Number of Risers

  • Carve up "X" past 7 inches (an approximate step height) and circular off the remainder, up if it's .5 or more, or down if it'due south less than .v.
  • That will give you an estimate number of risers. The bodily recommended riser height is 6-1/2 to 8-in.
    • If the riser peak is too short, re-split up "X" by 8 and starting time again

Pace 3

Observe the Number of Treads

  • But decrease one from the number of risers.
    • At that place's always one fewer tread than risers, equally you can see in Fig. B.
  • Then multiply past 10-i/four-in., the platonic tread width for two 2x6s, to get the total run.
  • Measure out that distance from the deck to find the exact landing signal. From this point, you can measure the exact stair elevation and determine the stringer and skirt length.

Footstep 4

Detect the Verbal Riser Top

  • Measure out the verbal total rise.
  • Divide the tiptop (X) by your estimated number of risers to find the verbal riser tiptop.
    • The figure volition usually autumn betwixt 6-i/two and 8-in., the ideal range.
    • If the riser acme isn't in this zone, add or decrease a riser and split once again. This volition modify the number of treads and shift the landing indicate, so re-measure the exact height and split again.
  • Draw a sketch to confirm the plan in your mind and lay out the showtime stringer using the verbal riser and tread dimensions and your framing square.

Step 5

Lay Out the Stairs

  • Clamp the stair gauges to the carpenter's square.
  • Apply the narrow part of the foursquare for clamping the riser guess and the wider office for the 10-1/4 in. tread.
  • Lay out the stairs past drawing on the exterior of the square, sliding the square along until it meets the last mark to larn how to build steps.
  • This will create a stair stringer calculator.
    • In your layout, annotation: The acme tread is 3/4-in. shorter than the other treads. The bottom riser is 1-one/2-in. shorter than the other risers.

Building deck stairs

Step 6

Mark the Acme and Bottom of the Stringer to Remove Extra Material

  • Marking the pinnacle of the stringer to remove 3/4-in. of material to allow for the missing top riser.
  • Mark the bottom of the stringer to remove the tread thickness.

Building deck stairs

Step seven

Test Fit the Stringer to Brand Sure Your Stair Rise and Run are On Signal

  • Cut only the top and bottom of the stair stringer with a circular saw.
  • Exam-fit the stair stringer past placing information technology against the deck, and check the tread level with a small level.
    • Exist sure to test-fit the commencement stringer before you cutting the others. If y'all made a mistake, you'll at least be able to salve the other two 2x10s.

Building deck stairs

Step 8

Cutting the Notches Out of the Stringers

  • Cutting the notches with a round saw.
  • End the cuts when you lot reach the corner of the notch and end the cuts with a handsaw to foreclose weakening the stringers.
  • Employ the stair stringer equally a pattern to marker and cut the two other notched stringers.

Building deck stairs

Step 9

Establish a Solid Base at the Landing Point.

  • After you cutting the stringers, use them as guides to position your landing.
  • The base can be a small-scale concrete slab, a modest deck or fifty-fifty a treated 2x12 leveled in over a 6-in. gravel base.

Step 10

Outline the Pattern onto the Skirt Boards

  • Outline the blueprint onto one of the skirt boards.
  • Redraw the height and lesser lines with the carpenter's square and gauges at the original settings.
  • Cut the top off and then information technology will exist even with the bottom of overhanging deck boards and cut off the end of the bottom so it'due south near five inches high.
  • Fasten stringers to the skirts with iii-in. deck screws spaced about every eight inches, alternate from the front end and from the back.
  • Nail 2x4 supports to both sides of the middle stair stringer flush with the bottom for actress support.

Building deck stairs

Step 11

Adhere the Skirt Boards to the Rim Joist

  • When attaching stair stringers, use a level to draw two plumb lines to mark the left and right positions for the skirts and horizontal lines to mark the elevation tread location.
  • Tack the skirts to the rim with 3-in. deck screws.
  • So screw through the back of the deck rim into the skirts with three more deck screws.
  • Center the eye stringer and screw it into the rim with two deck screws.

Building deck stairs

Step 12

Attach 2x6 Supports

  • Screw a 2x6 the width of the stringers to the backside of the stringers with two deck screws into each board.
  • Screw ii upright treated 2x6s to the backside of the rim and into the horizontal 2x6 with four deck screws into the rim and four more into the 2x6.

Building deck stairs

Step xiii

Check the Stair Assembly to Brand Certain information technology's Foursquare

  • Nail on the bottom riser with three 8d galvanized nails into each stringer and foursquare the stairs by "cross-taping" the assembly and shifting information technology dorsum and forth until the measurements are the aforementioned.
    • The lesser riser volition probably need to be ripped to height.

Building deck stairs

Step 14

Add the Risers and DIY Stair Treads

  • Nail on the second riser lath and then screw on the two 2x6 lesser treads, leaving a 1/4-in. gap betwixt the boards.
  • Smash on the next riser, then the adjacent tread so on to piece of work your style to the top of the stairs.

Building deck stairs

Originally Published: June eleven, 2020