Building stairs/steps

[Big Barn]

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When I build a deck, I like to make the bottom step concrete and then attach my stringers to the concrete. Makes it easy for mowing and you never have any rot issues.

Terry

 

[dieselcrawler]

Stairs, finish carpentry and oddly enough roof framing were always some of my favorite tasks when I was remodeling for a living. I was/am a math geek and to me math + trades work = fun.

Weird I know but there it is.

I'm in total agreement with you... I also equally enjoy roof framing.

 

[CalG]

I'm not a fan. It makes my head hurt trying to figure it out. I go to this site to do the math for me. Stair Calculator - Plan Diagrams

One of my pet peaves is a stairway without a center stringer. Most seem to be two stringers 26 inches apart with a pair of 2x6's spanning that distance for the step. I treat stringers like floor joists and never go farther then 24 inches. I can't think of a set that I've ever done that didn't have at least three stringers.

Back in CA, where I'm from, a friend's family owns a bunch of apartment buildings. They had a person trip and fall on their stairs and they where sued because there was more then a quarter inch difference in the stair height. When they went and measured, they found that just about every set of stairs in all their buildings where off a little. The lawsuit cost them a fair amount, taking out all their wood stairs and putting in metal ones cost a fortune!!!!

When I build a deck, I like to make the bottom step concrete and then attach my stringers to the concrete. Makes it easy for mowing and you never have any rot issues.

26 inch centers is too much? did you calculate the live load on that? ;-)))

 

[/pine]

Math skills are a must when it comes to some of the finer points of carpentry...IMO> Applying math is the easiest way for those that it does not come naturally to understand it...some of us are lucky enough where if comes easily...
I've built half a dozen or so (residential) circular staircases and more typical stairs than I can remember...
One of the easiest ways for a DYI'er to build a curved etc.staircase is (after the math is done) building each riser individually...it takes a bit more material than some other methods...each riser built like a partition out of 2x10/12...(progressively getting taller) secured and plumbed to a radius is easily finished in many different ways...

 

[/pine]

I also equally enjoy roof framing.

Like stair cases...hip roofs are fun to cut all the rafters for...if you have good measurements/accurate drawings etc. (and can read the rafter tables)...you can cut every common,hip,valley and jack rafter from just a few measurements...great satisfaction...!

 

[CreekyB]

I'm in total agreement with you... I also equally enjoy roof framing.

Makes me giddy in fact

Like stair cases...hip roofs are fun to cut all the rafters for...if you have good measurements/accurate drawings etc. (and can read the rafter tables)...you can cut every common,hip,valley and jack rafter from just a few measurements...great satisfaction...!

IMO there is little to compare with the satisfaction of being able to cut a roof after taking a site level to the foundation and verifying the measurements, do all cuts before nailing the first one. Fun times.

 

[EddieWalker]

26 inch centers is too much? did you calculate the live load on that? ;-)))

Sorry, I meant to type 24 inches, not 26. I was using my phone to reply.

 

[sld]

I have built several stair units around the house. Mainly for the deck but I did just build these. They are for the garage to house entrance.

I had the plywood laying around the garage but the steps are the 5/4's pine from Home Depot. Nice wood for 9 bucks each.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Trying to get motivated, and get the wife and kids schedules figured out... (wife needs to get some shopping done, oldest boy works at the municipal swimming pool later today, 8 of us dont fit in my ext cab truck, have to take 2 vehicles, main road to town closed, have to go back roads around, etc) hope to get this project done today.

I'll try to get some pictures as things progress.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry, I meant to type 24 inches, not 26. I was using my phone to reply.

Just read this again and realized I still got it wrong. I see a lot of stringers 36 inches apart without a center stringer. I feel that is too far apart to properly support the steps and anything wider then 24 inches should have three stringers.