10 would be the length of the run on the stringer. The amount the 2x4 hangs over the end will depend on the height of the deck. As one of the most visible elements of a deck, railings add support, safety and style. From color, railing and deck shape, our Deck Designer tool lets you hand pick every element of your new deck. All rights reserved. Place the stringer up against the deck frame to the proper height of the stair rise and measure this distance. This will be the same measurement as the stair header. Cut the stair stringers out by following the lines drawn in the previous step using a circular saw. The plug is made of the same material to match precisely. Fasten stringers to the skirts with 3-in. This adds strength to the stringers, boxes in the stairs, and closes in the space under the bottom rail to meet building code. A stair rise is the vertical distance from the top of one tread to the top of the next tread. Place the first deck board on top of the stringers flush with each side stringer and tight to the spacers on the deck frame. The riser material would be placed on the front and the back of the tread so it would not be deducted. (Includes 1 Stair Riser), 3-Steps Steel Stair Stringer black 7-1/2 in. Check with your local municipality for code depth and width requirements. Test-fit the stair stringer by placing it against the. The bottom of the stringer will need to be cut down by the thickness of the decking used. Building stairs can often be viewed as a difficult and complex part of the deck-building process, but were here to make it easier. Watch our step-by-step DIY video. Stairs: How to Install Wood Riser Stairs on Your Deck, Stairs: How to Install Wrap-Around Stringer Stairs on Your Deck, How to Install Wood Riser Stairs Your Deck. Stop the cuts when you reach the corner of the notch and finish the cuts with a handsaw to prevent weakening the stringers. Attach the interior stringers to the rim board. tread. The stringers will be placed at each side of the stair header. In this example, there are four rises, and there will be one less tread than rise (since one of the treads on the stairway will be the actual deck). This is pretty strict, so take the time to plan your stringers carefully. Both sides need to be placed at the same distance. To calculate number of stairs and stair rise and run: Deduct 1 or thickness of the kick plate off of the top of the back of the stringer which allows for the front kick plate. A hard, stable surface is required at the end of the stairway; this surface needs to be the complete width of the stairway and run 36 from the end of the stairway. 11 nosing = 10 . x 12 in. Non-Slip Aluminum Nosing, Silver. Remove the stringers and dig the holes for the newel posts. Picture a stair slope in your mind to estimate about a 40-degree slope and guess at a landing point. The total run is the overall horizontal distance traveled by the stringer. Then screw through the back of the deck rim into the skirts with three more deck screws. Deduct the thickness of the decking off of the bottom of the stringer. Place the second deck board tight against the spacer and repeat the pre-drill and fasten. This will give a template of the rise and run needed to mark the stair stringer. Decking pieces are rough and do not trace well, so it is best to use a straight edge to trace the outline. 30 divided by four gives a rise height of 7 for this stairwell. A stair tread is the width (or depth) of a single stair run. For any home project, be certain to follow local code and permitting requirements. Stair rail is installed at 32 to 36 in height on the stairs. Cut the diagonal line with a circular saw. In this case, Trex Enhance Decking can have a span of 9 on center from stringer to stringer, which means from the center of the one stringer to the next stringer cannot be more than 9. Attach the header to the 4x4 supports with two SDWS 5 fasteners into each support post. Check with your local municipality for approved attachments in that area. Use a hammer and place the claw between the fastener and the stringer while the head of the hammer is on top of the rim board. Measure one diagonal and then measure the other diagonal. Now, we can pre-mark the fascia for the stair installation. Find the best deck builders near you and get a quote, By clicking FIND A BUILDER, you acknowledge that you have read Trex's, Get more helpful resources delivered right to your inbox. 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 top tread location. Mark the rise side and the run side of the template against the 2x12. x 10-1/4 in. Use trim at least 3 inches wide and make sure it is completely secure. Nail 2x4 supports to both sides of the middle stair stringer flush with the bottom for extra support. So you're ready to get started? x 1.125 in. Be sure that stringers are spaced no more than 16 inches apart. x 30 in. Measure from the line drawn on the stringer up 1. In this case, the total height of the stairway was 30. Make sure the outside stringer is flush with the outside of the stair header. Verify the stringer is correct by putting it against the deck to measure the rise at the top and check that it sits level on the bottom surface. Repeat for each step, so that the tread starts where the rise below ended. Use a 2x2 material to make the support block. Despite these minimum requirements, we recommend that stairs should be at least 48 inches wide so they dont feel cramped. Now, some common code requirements, along with our recommendations: Learn how to build a set of box platforms to act as stairs for a low deck. Next, place a piece of the riser material on the front of the stringer and trace all risers. Which is 7 x 4 risers = 30. Nail on the bottom riser with three 8d galvanized nails into each stringer and square the stairs by cross-taping the assembly and shifting it back and forth until the measurements are the same. Divide the total number by the number of risers that the stairway will have from Step 3. Mark around the 4x4s at the bottom of the stringers with marking paint. Clamp a long 2x4 to the top of the deck so that it overhangs the edge of the stairs. In this case, a fastener with a plug-on top application was used to hide the fasteners. Two deck boards 5 + 5 + for spacing = 11 . Stair treads are the horizontal boards that you step on. A 2x8 cedar trim board is fastened to both outside stringers just above each piece of riser trim. Repeat the process on both sides. Cut only the top and bottom of the stair stringer with a circular saw. Stair stringers are cut from 2x12 lumber. This will be used as a measuring reference to help determine the height of the deck at the end of the stairway. In this example, there will be two pieces of 5 decking on each tread, and the two pieces of decking will be spaced apart, which gives each tread a total depth of 11 . Divide the height of the string by 8. The piece of fascia can now be cut and installed. These need to be long enough to support the header being installed but not longer than the width of the header. Clamp the stair gauges to the carpenter's square. To create composite deck stairs, use the same construction techniques described for standard stairs. This document covers building procedures for a straight-run utility stairway, typically used on porches and decks. 2022, DIY Deck Plans. The rim board will also have to be the same height as the bottom stair rise. To support this newel post, 5 Simpson Strong Tie SDWS Timber screws need to be placed through the rim board and into the stringer. The following instructions are intended as general guidelines only, and local requirements should be your primary guide. Trace along the squares outside corner to mark a v notch with one angle of the V being equal to the tread, and the other equal to the rise. To make sure the space stays even for the newel post to slide into, place a small piece of 4x4 in between the stringers to hold the spacing while the fasteners are attached. You'll be redirected to Trex.com, our composite decking website. Once the number of stringers is determined, use the first stringer as a template to mark out all the other stringers. In addition, it should have a bevel of 32 to 38 degrees on the backside. of material to allow for the missing top riser. Install the riser board with the approved fasteners. Level the form front-to-back and side-to-side. You don't need to cut stair stringers. For harder soils (rocky, clay soil, etc. Remember, if the front deck board will be overhanging the riser by and the riser is , then the fastener needs to be an inch away from the edge of the stringer to avoid cracking. Position them so that the top end rests against the bottom of the deck boards, with one flat face against the inside of the rim joist, or deck face plate. Cut the ends of your stringer at 90 degrees to the top tread, and the bottom rise, sot that the bottom will set flat on the ground and the stop will rest flat against the drop block. Cut the top off so it will be even with the bottom of overhanging. Clamp small pieces of 4x4 material to both ends of the stringer. Place two pieces of decking on top of the stringer treads and trace the top of the decking pieces. CODES. Then, treat all cut ends of the stair stringers to prolong their life. Local store prices may vary from those displayed. Trace the bottom of the stringer where the stringer contacts the concrete. That'll be the approximate hfeight of the stairs, X.. In this document you will find information about: 2) 40-1/2" divided by 7" per riser = 5.78 risers, 3) Round 5.78 up to 6 risers, then 40-1/2" divided by
Check with your local municipality for code requirements before getting started. Then multiply by 10-1/4-in., the ideal tread width for two 2x6s, to get the total run. Simpson Strong Tie 3 SDWS Framing screws will be used in this situation. Trace the rise side of the template onto the fascia. Hold a speed square against the 2x12 and run a circular saw against it. In this case, the decking is 1 thick. Install the treads first in this instance. The end of the tape must be placed in the same orientation on each diagonal measurement. If the dimensions of the treads are designed by taking away all the measurements of the nosing and riser thickness, then the treads will go on first. All Rights Reserved. This will allow the strap tie to follow the contour of the stair stringer. Mark the top of the stringer to remove 3/4-in. Learn how to measure the height of your deck and use our Decks.com Stairs Calculator to determine your stair stringer lengths. Simply subtract one from the number of risers. In the other case where the risers were to be installed first, the measurement of the riser would not be removed from the equation. Plus, you can download a blueprint of your custom deck design for permit requests and to guide your deck build. Then, be sure the story pole is straight up and down and place it on top of the hard surface. Fit the Stringers so that the back angle of the top fits flush against the face of the stair stringer you installed. Local building codes regulate the width and slope of a staircase,
If not, adjust the position of the stake. This is the total height of the stairway. This will be the bottom of the stringer. The header should be the same width as the stairway, and the height of the header should be the same as the distance from below the frame to the angle of the stringer. Place the outside stringers against the stair header. Mark the bottom of the stringer to remove the tread thickness. Low maintenance decking and cladding can also be used for almost maintenance free stairs. We recommend our users to update the browser. Our How-to Team will take you step-by-step through what you need to know, from determining your rise and run to critical installation details. Use a Simpson Strong Tie SD Connector screws to fasten one fastener into the strap tie near the bevel of the stair header. Place the template against the 2x12 with the run side closest to the end of the 2x12. Cut along the marks to remove the v sections. To support the stringers vertically a mechanical attachment is necessary, meaning that some type of hanger or strapping is necessary. Raise the form to the correct height and place a shim under the form to hold it in place. 42 hand rail was required on the landing for this high deck. All rights reserved. Repeat this step on all stringers. Learn about the code requirements and construction tips with images. Pre-drill a hole and place a screw in the material to make it quick and easy to fasten the stringers when they are put in place. x 30 in. The total rise is a stairways overall change in height, from the landing pad to the top of the decks decking. Cut the rest of the stringers needed for the stairway using a circular saw and jigsaw. Attach the triangular template to a piece of 2x4 that is no longer than the side of the triangle and fasten the 2x4 to the long side. This landing has been used to change direction of the stairs. Stringers must be securely attached to the deck at the top end. Home Outdoors Yard & Garden Structures Deck & Patio. Use the same measurements and place an X on the side of the mark that the stringer needs to be placed. I've had no issues. Repeat this process for the other side of the stairway. http://www.putfile.com/jeffaah/images/107329. There will be a overhang of the decking, called a nosing, and the fascia material used as a riser is thick. Lay the fascia on a table or sawhorses with the finished side down. Keep the two pieces of fascia tight together while the tracing is done. Starting from the outside corner of the square, find the mark that indicates the dimension of your tread. Make sure the form is square by measuring diagonally across the form. Use a color-matched composite fastener to attach the deck board. For any home project, be certain to follow local code and permitting requirements. Place the fascia material on a table or sawhorses finished side down. Measure the end of the pole to the mark that was just made. Leave the fastener up off the stringer approximately . Stair risers are cut from 2x8 material. Fasten the stake to the form with a wood screw. gap between the. 7 is less than the maximum 7 which keeps this stairway within code. Complete the line to the other side of the fascia. The support block is temporary and will be removed later. Allow for light boxes if riser lights will be installed. Non-Slip Aluminum Tread, Brown, 2.75 in. In this case the two deck boards are 5 + 5 + for spacing = 11 . The fascia fastening system will come with a pre-drill bit to drill the appropriate size hole for the plug. [URL="http://www.train2rebuild.com"]www.train2build.com[/URL]. Use a couple of pieces of scrap decking to lay on top of the deck frame, then clamp the 2x4 in place. Nail on the next riser, then the next tread and so on to work your way to the top of the stairs. Tack the rim board in place with a 3 exterior wood screw. Always make sure that you have a first aid kit nearby. The stair stringer dimensions will dictate whether the treads get put on the stringers first or the risers get put on first. Avoid trim on the sides or rear of treads. Outline the pattern onto one of the skirt boards. The figure will usually fall between 6-1/2 and 8-in., the ideal range. Then, with a straight edge connect the lines and mark the diagonal, creating a triangle. 10 = 10. (Includes 1 Stair Riser), 5-Steps Steel Stair Stringer black 7-1/2 in. Keep in mind, the stairway will land on the hard surface, which may be slightly higher than the ground. As these stringers are not attached to a newel post they do not need the 5 fasteners that were used on the end stringers. Use a post level to plumb the post and ensure that it is straight up and down. Pre-drill the decking 1 in from the end of the board and 1 in from the edge of the board. Measure from the bottom of the 2x4 clamped to the deck frame to the top of the hard surface. Review the code requirements for stair construction. This will change the number of treads and shift the landing point, so re-measure the exact height and divide again. Make sure the post is tight in the corner of the stringer and rim board. Mark the line on the straight edge through the backside of the 2x12. Place the end of the strap tie even with the top of the stair header and bend the strap tie at the bevel of the stair header. x 30 in. Wanting to know what others are using for exterior stair risers? This action will be done later but the planning is needed now. If the dimensions of the treads were designed by taking away all the measurements of the nosing and riser thickness, then the treads will go on first. Pry on the handle of the hammer and raise the stringer into place so that it is flush with the top of the rim board. Times may vary based on the complexity of the shape and features of the deck. Pre-drill the rim board and the stringer so the fastener does not split the lumber. Measure from the string to ground level at the base of the stake. An open stringer has notches that you can see, while a closed stringer is a solid board with cleats for the treads, or an open stringer with a solid board attached to the side. The heel of the stringer can sit on the 2x4 by about a and the rest of the stringer will be supported by the concrete. Make sure the rim board is flush with the top and sides of the stringers. To determine the number of stringers needed, divide the width of the stairway by the length that the decking can span in stair applications (in this case, a stringer will be needed every 9, minimum, forTrexEnhance Decking). Add blocking as needed below stair treads to prevent sagging. Fasten the support block in place. Attach risers to the front of each notch. By choosing your country, you acknowledge that you have read Trex's Privacy's Policy, By choosing YES or NO, you acknowledge that you have read Trex'sPrivacy Policy. Wood or metal stakes can be used. The fascia will be attached once the stairway has been completed with treads and risers. We routinely use #1 cedar for risers on the exterior stairs we build. Copyright 2022 Trex Company, Inc. All rights reserved. This brings the total tread count to three. Watch our how-to tutorial before you start your build. Layout the stringers by marking where they will go on the support block. Mark that across the stringer and cut the line. Low maintenance stairs are built similar to wood stairs, A kick plate of decking or trim is used rather than 1 Cedar, A wood filler the same thickness as the maintenance free kick plate supports the front edge of the tread and is covered up by the stair trim, Stringer cladding may be one or two pieces wide depending on the width of the material, Overall rise (35) divided by maximum rise (8) = 4.375 = 5 stairs, Overall rise (35) divided by 5 stairs = 7 step rise, Landing is 3 treads/ 4 risers (4x7) below deck level, Run is always 2 boards wide on stringer stairs, Run (11 ) x 3 stairs = 33 Front faceplate to kick plate of last step, We recommend that the landing extends 12 under the bottom step, Total run (33 ) 12 support of landing under step = 21 , Front faceplate of deck to back edge of landing = 21 . Measure this distance and rip the board to the same measurement. x 10-1/4 in. Attach a piece of 2x6 horizontally along the bottom edge of the rim joist across the width of the stairs. Fasten the stake to the form with wood screws. Always measure at the end of the stairway instead of up against the deck as the ground may slope away from the deck and give a different measurement the further the stairs go away from the deck. After you cut the stringers, use them as guides to position your landing. Repeat this process for the number of treads that are needed. This will create a 90-degree angle on the end of the 2x12. Line the stringers up with the marks and make sure the stringers are flush with the top of the rim board. Please note that the JLC forums are now displayed read-only. When the stringer and the deck frame are touching the speed square on all sides, the stringer is at the correct 90-degree angle. All rights reserved. Position the square with that mark on one long edge of the 2x12 and the corner of the square on the board. To determine how far away from the deck the stairway will end, the depth of the treads will need to be determined. If 5/4 decking or composite decking is used, they should be 12 inches or closer. Measure from the top of the form to the bottom of the 2x4 (which represents the top of the deck). Use a framing square to mark stringers. Replace the treads and risers with composite material. Tap the strap tie tight against the bottom of the stringer and fill all holes in the strap tie with Simpson Strong Tie SD Connector screws. The fascia may need to be in two pieces to accommodate the width of the stringer. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. The riser material would be placed on the front and the back of the tread so it would not be deducted. x 48 in. Place a stake on each side of the form to hold it in place and to the correct height. The only exception is the bottom rise that ends the stairway. Fasten the stringer in place and remove the 3 exterior wood screw. (Includes 1 Stair Riser), Connector for Steel Stair Stringer black (Includes 1 Connector for Stair Riser), 3.75 in. Before you begin any DIY project, make sure to wear the appropriate personal safety equipment. Use the following table to determine the width of the treads, depending on your riser height. Finalize the cuts in the corners with a jigsaw. The plug will also come in the kit. That method will be covered later in these instructions (see Chapter 11). Make a template of the rise and run using a scrap piece of material. Nail on the second riser board and then screw on the two 2x6 bottom treads, leaving a 1/4-in. This step can be done after the stringers are attached if you prefer. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), 2 in. In the instance that the fascia needs to be wider, a second piece can be added to the bottom of the stairway. Place the stringer tight against the deck frame and support block. 11 nosing = 10 . Estimate includes newel post attachment, tread, riser, and fascia installation. (Includes 1 Stair Riser), 6-Steps Steel Stair Stringer black 7-1/2 in. The second set of fasteners was moved slightly so they will not hit the other fasteners that are attached in the front. In this case, it is 7 . If a stairway will not be used often and the lawn is flat, a landing pad can sometimes be omitted. I generally will use Cortex plugs at the top of the riser and then screw the bottom to the back of the tread. Three treads at 11 gives a total of 33 ; this is the distance the stairway will end away from the deck. If the riser height isn't in this zone, add or subtract a riser and divide again. A stringer is a wide board, usually a 2x12, that runs at an angle from the landing pad to the deck framing and supports the treads. Stringers should be spaced close enough to adequately support the treads. Landings are supported by their own post, beam, joist structure. This indicates how many times there will need to be a step going up to the deck. (Includes 1 Stair Riser), 4-Steps Steel Stair Stringer black 7-1/2 in. 10 for the riser fascia = 10 as was determined earlier. ), a metal stake may be easier to drive into the ground. Composite shims are recommended as they will last longer and are more stable. Hold the story pole up to the deck ensuring that the pole is touching the ground and count the number of spaces that are on the pole (in this case four). Stair treads may be made of a single 2x12, but are often made of two decking boards or 2x6s. Hammer Drill vs. Impact Driver: Whats the Difference? Make one stringer for each 16 inches of stair width. Once the top tread has been drawn on the 2x12, use the straight edge and place it against the rise side of the template. The tallest run that is allowed by the IRC (International Residential Code) is 7 . The support block is 1 thick, and the stringers will attach to the bottom of the support block, so the bottom needs to be at 7 down from the top of the frame. It does not have another piece of decking to equal the stair rise. The decking is 5 so two pieces together will be 11. Attach the two outside stringers by placing them tight against the bottom of the stringer block and screwing the fastener in place. Disclaimer: Instructions provided by Trex are based on the build specifications that Trex demonstrated in the Trex Academy video series and are not universal to all homeowners projects. Trace the top of the stringer where the stringer contacts the deck frame. Eye protection, ear protection, gloves, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and reinforced toe shoes are recommended. Risers are often made of 1-by material, fascia board or decking. Make sure to only cut up to where the lines intersect and do not cut past the line. In this case, the two deck boards will be put together with a gap between them. Pre-drill all holes to reduce the chances of splitting the lumber. For a lower deck of up to 48 it would be 4, while for a higher deck of up to 8 it would be 12. Pre-drill the riser material at every stringer location: two fasteners in each stringer 2 from the top of the fascia and 2 from the bottom of the fascia. Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Lay out the stairs by drawing on the outside of the square, sliding the square along until it meets the last mark to learn how to build steps. There will be a stringer on each end and a stringer on the inside of each newel post.