how to level stair stringers

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. SET BASE AND TOP LEVELS. The stair stringers were hung from a 2x6 connected to the rim joist with vertical blocking and a combination of structural screws and ThruLok bolts. Making them deeper requires a longer cut to notch the stringers, which weakens them. Stair stringers are most often cut from a single 2x12 stock board. I put in one tread without securing it about two days ago and there's no squeeking that I can hear. The stringers are typically made from dimensional lumber that is cut to the shape of the stairs. If you have the square positioned the wrong way, the rise and run dimensions will be reversed. This helps to keep the stringers aligned, which add stability to the steps you're building. To level existing stairs, remove any baseboard or pull back the carpet to access the underside of the stringers at the floor. The stringers also slope (front is higher than the back). when you pull up the old treads you should be able to see the rough stringers. But you have some freedom in the way you design the tread locations. To extend the stringer below the floor, enter a negative number. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. You might guess it was the walls below the stairs, but actually stairs are self-supporting structures that are held up by their stringers, the long pieces to which each tread is fastened. • Install the risers with a level top edge slightly above the top edge of both the blocking and the stringers. Because of the complicated math involved in making and installing deck stairs, there is a high likelihood that you will need to use plastic shims to get your stairs installed correctly. To find the height, extend a level out across the upper edge of the entry point, and stretch a tape measure from the bottom of the board to the ground. Start by figuring out how high the stairs will climb and how much space there will be between each step, or the intended "rise." Because deck stairs may land on uneven ground or on a wavy concrete pad, the stringers eventually move out of alignment. This is useful for cases where the stringer attaches to the face of a floor opening rather than resting on the surface of a floor. To ensure a precise fit, first clear, and then level the ground where they’ll rest. A total of 8 steps multiplied by 10 (the width of each step in inches) gives you an overall run of 80 inches (200 cm). The stringers are the notched, sloping boards that will go on either side of the stairs to hold the steps and support the weight that’s placed on them. When fashioning them, you’ll need to account for both the height and length of the stairs. They should be stout enough to support the weight of the steps and the people using them. Use stringer hangers even when they are not required. For most sets of stairs, a pair of 5.5 inch (14 cm) deck boards will be just the right size to form the treads of each step. Select your base and top levels. We don't think about what holds stairs up when we walk down them. Set offsets. That gives you an 11″ tread depth – and a starting point for planning your stringers. Divide the height by the approximate rise to determine the total number of steps needed, then take the difference of the height and that number to find the exact rise of each step. • Adhere the blocking to the risers and the stringers using a construction adhesive. Be careful not to left the square shift while you’re drawing your lines. Cut only the top and bottom of the stair stringer with a circular saw. Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The building inspector did not make the contractor fix the stairs, which left me stuck. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Start Gardening Early By Building This Cold Frame, Don't Toss That X-Mas Tree: Let's Make Something, Make a Gift: A Leather Wallet Anyone Will Love, Make a Gift: A Copper Bracelet With DIY Style, This Woman’s Dad Built Her a Peloton Studio. Measuring and cutting stair stringers is a relatively simple process once you understand how it’s done, but it can be easy to make mistakes. References. By using our site, you agree to our. That's a pretty narrow stair at 7" 1/2" is a heck of a lot off level in 7" Can you remove the treads fairly easily or is it a housed stringer? Check across the tread cut … Most steps will have a rise, or step height, of about 7 inches, so you can divide the height by the rise to find the total number of steps you’ll need. Scribe a line with a level across the landing and attach the second stringer in same manner. These can be adjusted to your exact specifications, making it easier to ensure that each angle comes out identical without the need to realign the square every time. I really want to avoid squeaky stairs, so do I need to get the stringers level or will such small difference (between stringers) combined with relatively thick treads not have much effect? There are two ways to attach stair stringers to your deck. Run/Tread: The run or tread is the part of the stairway that a person steps on. Then measure down from the level line to the top of grade. Along with their predictable performance, they also allow the builder to use inventoried products so there’s no need for an extra SKU. Stringers, which are the basic framing and structural supports for staircases sized to meet proper code ordinances, must be added along the edge of the deck to create solid, level steps. To measure stair stringers, start by dividing the height by the approximate rise to determine the total number of steps, and then take the difference to find the exact rise of each step. How we test gear. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Solid stringers can only be used on the outer sides of a set of stairs. Deck Stair Stringers Spacing The load supporting requirements for stair treads are more severe than for the rest of the deck because the force exerted by a person walking downstairs is a more intense blow to the surface than a standard stride across a level surface. Test Fit the Stringer to Make Sure Your Stair Rise and Run are On Point. Measuring and cutting stair stringers for your own DIY deck or porch project may seem complicated, but the process is actually quite simple. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Make sure you leave at least 7 inches (18 cm) inches at the head of the board for the final riser, which you can trim to fit later. Angle the top of the ledger on the table saw so that it fits tightly between the stringers … Don’t do any rounding here. If your calculations leave you with an extra half step, round down and adjust the rise for slightly shallower steps to make sure they’re in compliance with the IRC. The minimum allowed by most codes is 10 inches, and that’s a good size to use. • Never nail into a block from either a tread or a riser. Attach a cleat to the hypotenuse and use it to mark the stringer. Prior to drafting up a set of detailed plans, review the International Residential Codes (IRC) for building stairs. For larger projects, it may be necessary to adjust the measurement for the stairs’ overall run to account for one or more landings. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Also attach the stringer to the legs of the third landing. Be sure to test-fit the first stringer before you cut the others. They support the treads and provide the structural support of the stairway. Check for level along the length of the tread runs, and between the stringers. For deck stairs, the tread depth and the run are generally givens, because treads are often built of three 2 x 4s, with a 1⁄4″ gap between each board. The slightest movement could throw off the measurements of the finished stairs. … Pressure-treated lumber is the best choice for outdoor stairs that will be exposed to the elements, like those leading up to decks, porches, sheds, and barns. Check across the tread cut on each stringer using a level, and be prepared to shim the foot of the stairs to bring the stringers into alignment. Triangular Plywood Guide – One option to mark the cuts is to cut a piece of plywood into a triangle, with one edge the rise and another the run. This should be more than enough for most types of structures. In order for your stairs to be consistent (and to avoid a cumbersome head or foot step) it’s important that the distance between each step be as precise as possible. Desired Stair Height will … The insulated floor raised the floor level and made the bottom step of my stairs short – a violation of the code. The Terror of Russia's Nuclear Submarine Graveyard, The Most Promising and Exciting Tech at CES 2021, How Biden's Peloton Could Be a Security Risk, Secret New Fighter Jet Uses F1-Style Engineering. 1. There are a few things that you must do before you install stair stringers. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Know Your Stuff: The 110 Best DIY Tips Ever, Planing Thin Stock: Master-Level Woodworking Tip, How to Build a Backyard Pergola: Simple DIY Woodworking Project, 5 Pro Painting Tips Every Amateur Should Know: DIY Guy. http://stairs4u.com/how_to_do_it_yourself.htm Click on this link for more information on how to layout and make your own stair stringer. This will tell you exactly how high the new stairs will reach. To learn how to draw out the plans for your stairs on paper, keep reading! The other number you need to lay out stringers is the tread depth, also called the run. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. You use a framing square to draw the stair’s notches on the stringer, then you cut them out. Take a piece of 2x4 and sister it to the existing stringer. % of people told us that this article helped them. If you’re unsure whether your finished stairs will turn out as exact and structurally sound as they need to be, it may be better to leave it to a professional. Monolithic Stairs : Specifies that the stairs … This document contains strict guidelines dealing with the required dimensions of stairs for different types of structures. Instead of cutting wedges the whole width of the tread, it would be better to level it off at the stringers, not the treads. Because deck stairs may land on uneven ground or on a wavy concrete pad, the stringers eventually move out of alignment. Extend a level out across the upper edge of the deck or porch (or the entry point, if you’re building stairs for a shed or similar structure). Almost exactly six years ago, I wrote a poston a carpentry hack that resolved a problem I had with a stairway after a contractor installed an insulated floor in my basement. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 103,933 times. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Clamp a stair gauge on the inside edge of the leg so it won’t interfere with the marking. That way, you can avoid ending up a little bit off and being forced to start over. Its length is measured … LP® SolidStart® LSL & LVL Stair Stringers 2 PREDICTABLE PERFORMANCE LP SolidStart LSL and LVL Rim Board and Framing Lumber is straight, uniform, and won’t split like traditional lumber when notched. Test-fit the stair stringer by placing it against the deck, and check the tread level with a small level. Stretch your tape measure from the bottom of the board to the ground. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcrf_llYL-M&feature=youtu.be&t=4, http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/a2145/4224738/, https://www.familyhandyman.com/decks/how-to-build-stairs-deck/view-all/, http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2014/11/05/laying-out-basic-stair-stringers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcrf_llYL-M&feature=youtu.be&t=50, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Keep your plans more or less to scale so it will be obvious how everything is supposed to fit together. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Measure-Stair-Stringers-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Measure-Stair-Stringers-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Measure-Stair-Stringers-Step-1.jpg\/aid9657256-v4-728px-Measure-Stair-Stringers-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"