Learn about how to build a straight and safe stair stringer for your deck. This guide walks through all of the steps required to create a simple straight stringer, along with variations to allow for interesting curved stair designs such as a helix.
How to build a staircase? A deck staircase not only provides a connection between two levels, but the right design and style can make a big impact on the overall look of your home’s exterior. It’s important to understand how much a deck staircase costs, along with all of the other steps involved in building one. In this article I’ll walk you through the process of building deck stairs. From framing to finishing, we’ll take a closer look at what you’ll need.
How to build a deck stair stringer
If you want to build your own deck stairs, you need to know the right measurements. The most common type of stringer is a 2×6, which is actually 3/4-inch thick. But if your treads are too narrow, they won’t be strong enough to support people climbing up and down the steps. For example, if the rise (the distance from one step to the next) is 8 inches and the run (the horizontal distance) is 11 inches, then each tread needs to be at least 1 1/2 inches wide. If you have any doubts about what will work best for you, check with a building inspector before starting your project.
In addition to the stair stringer calculator above and our how-to article on building stairs for decks, we also have a video on how to build stairs for decks:
Deck stair stringer calculator
This is a free online tool that will help you calculate the length of your stair stringer.
To use it, enter the number of steps and risers in your deck stairway and click Calculate. The app will show you how long your stair stringer needs to be in feet or inches.
You can also use this tool to find out how wide your deck stairs need to be by entering the length and width into the boxes at the bottom of the page.
The calculator will give you an exact answer for both metric and imperial measurements so make sure you select your preferred measurement system before using it.
The stair stringer is built from pressure treated lumber and attached to the ledger board with steel brackets. The stair stringer should be at least 2×6 or larger, depending on the size of your deck.
The first step in building stairs is to build a stair stringer, which is essentially a miniature deck beam that supports the steps and railings.
Step 1: Mark the Stair Stringer Locations
Measure from one edge of your deck to make sure it’s at least two feet away from any structure or other obstructions. Mark the bottom step location with a level line, then measure up 3 inches from each side and mark the top of your stringer. These measurements will vary depending on how high you want your deck stairs to be.
Step 2: Cut out the St#air Stringer
Cut out the stair stringer using a reciprocating saw or circular saw according to your mark. Set up your miter saw and cut each stringer into three equal sections (one for each step). These sections will vary depending on how high you want your steps to be—usually between 12 and 14 inches per step is standard.
Step 3: Attach Steel Brackets
The first step in building a deck stair is to set your first post. To do this, you’ll need to dig a hole for the post and pour concrete.
For most decks, the posts should be placed about every 10 feet or so along the edge of the deck. To determine how long your stringer needs to be, measure the distance between two posts and add an extra foot or two for good measure.
The distance between posts is also important when planning how many stairs you want on your deck. We recommend having at least one stair on each side of your house — this will make it easier to get from one level to another without having to hop down onto the ground and climb back up again./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22144666/Stair_Stringer_CTXCJG.jpg)
If you want a more elaborate staircase with multiple levels and landings, talk with a professional about what kind of materials are needed for that type of project.
When building a deck, one of the most important decisions is where to place the stairs. Your choice will depend on the type of deck you’re building and your personal preferences. However, there are some general guidelines that can help you determine the best location for your stairs.
The safest place for a stairway is on a ledger board attached to the side of your house or in a concrete pad that’s built into the ground. The ledger board should be level with the top of your deck or slightly higher so that water runoff from rain doesn’t collect around it. If you don’t want to attach your stairs directly to your house, you can build them into a concrete pad using pressure-treated lumber and then cover them with landscape fabric and mulch.
When planning where to put your stairs, consider how they’ll affect other parts of your deck design. For example, if you want to install an entertainment center or have extra seating near where people will be walking up and down stairs, you may want to place those items at least 6 feet away from where people would normally walk up or down steps.
The standard way to build deck stairs is with 2x12s. That size of lumber is available at home centers and lumberyards. The stringers are cut to length, then the tread and riser boards are attached to them with screws.
Cutting the Stringers
First, determine the rise and run for the stairs. For example, if your deck is 8 feet high, your stairs will be about 3 feet long with a 12-inch rise. You could use an online calculator to figure this out, or simply use our calculator below.
Once you know your rise and run measurements, use our free deck stair stringer calculator (above) to determine how many pieces of 2×12 you’ll need for each stringer. For example: If you want a 36-inch-high stairway with a 10-inch rise, you’ll need two 36″ stringer pieces and one 10″ stringer piece in order to make all three stringers for one flight of stairs (one on each side).
*Note: If you’re using pressure-treated lumber or cedar lumber that’s been treated with an oil finish rather than paint, add 1/8 inch to each dimension so that your finished product will be thicker than normal (and thus
The DIYNetwork.com experts show you how to build deck stairs and railings.
Learn how to build deck stairs and railings with do-it-yourself instructions from the experts at DIY Network.
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build deck stairs with wood or composite materials. After watching this video, you will know how to measure and cut the stringers for your deck stair construction project, as well as assemble the stringers into a stairway decking system that is suitable for use on exterior decks.
Building Deck Railings
Watch this video tutorial to learn how to build deck railings with wood or composite materials. After watching this video, you will know how to measure and cut the posts for your deck railing construction project, as well as attach them together using post caps, then attach the rails onto the posts using lag bolts (or other fasteners) so that they can be used as railings on your exterior decks
How to Build a Deck Staircase. Building a deck staircase is a little more involved than just building a straight set of stairs. You have to take into account the width of the stair treads and risers and make sure that each step is level with the one above it.
The best way to do this is to use a string line. This is a long piece of string that you can put between two points on your deck railing and then measure across from one end of the string to the other. If your measurement comes out even all the way across, then you know that your deck stairway will be level.
Once you have your string line up, use it as a guide for placing one of your steps into position. Then hammer in some nails at each end of the step where it will touch down on another board below it (or onto concrete). This will keep it from slipping off when you start hammering in nail after nail to secure it into place permanently.
How to Build Deck Stairs: a DIY Guide
Building deck stairs is pretty simple. You’ll need to know a few things before you get started, but the steps are pretty straightforward. This page will give you all of the information you need to build deck stairs that are safe and sturdy.
Before we get started, here’s a quick video on how to build deck stairs:
The Basic Steps of How to Build Deck Stairs
1) Gather Materials and Tools
You’ll need plenty of materials for this project. Here’s what you’ll need for each set of stairs:
4×4 Pressure Treated Wood (or 2×6 Treated Pine) – You’ll need one piece for each stair tread and another piece for each stair riser. The size will depend on how wide your steps are; see our guide below for more info!
2×4 Pressure Treated Wood (or 2×6 Pressure Treated Pine) – You’ll need one piece per stair stringer (the side pieces on either side of the stair treads). The size will depend on how wide your steps are; see our guide below for more info!
How to Build Deck Stairs
A deck stairway is a great way to add value to your home. When you build the stairs yourself, you can customize them to match the rest of your deck. You can also save money by building your own stairs instead of paying someone else to do it.
Building deck stairs is not difficult if you have some basic carpentry skills and take your time. This article will show you how to build a set of stairs that are safe and durable.
Before starting work, prepare your foundation by laying out stakes in an X-shape on the ground where you want the steps to go and then connecting them with string or twine (Photo 1). The X should be as wide as your finished stairway will be, so use a tape measure to measure from point A on one stake to point B on the next stake, then mark off this distance on all four stakes. Then measure from point B on one stake back down toward point A on another stake and mark off this distance as well (Photo 2). Mark these points with paint or chalk so that they’re easy for others to see. Cut a piece of 2×4 lumber into two pieces so that each piece measures from point A