Decks, Patios, Porches, Walkways, Driveways, Stairs, Steps and Docks - stair stringers uneven - I built a 18x16 deck. Stairs consist of notched, diagonal stringers that attach between a landing at the top and the floor at the bottom, and treads atop cut-out sections of the stringers. Cut a 48 inch piece of 2-by-4 lumber to use as a splint. If you run into a problem or need advice your Membership includes unlimited email questions to me through our Ask Dave quick response button. The insulated floor raised the floor level and made the bottom step of my stairs short – a violation of the code. Instead of ordering special order stringers long enough, he used 2 sets and he did a number on how they join and are supported in the middle of the run. Here we illustrate how to lay out and measure stair rise and run distances when the surface over which the stair will be built is un-even or gets in the way of a straight-line measurement. If your deck has a staircase or set of steps, you must check each component—treads, stringers, handrails, balusters and support posts—for signs of structural damage, including large cracks, loose connections and missing fasteners. If you run into a problem or need advice your Membership includes unlimited email questions to me through our Ask Dave quick response button. The treads overhang the stringer on the sides. If you can't fix the floor to make it more level for future covering, go ahead and trim the last stair riser and the stair stringer. Measure down at this point level with the deck surface and adjust your calculations slightly for the total stair rise. Stringers act like ladders steps and are necessary to help hold your deck stairs in place. DDFM ENTERPRISES, DAVE'S SHOP TALK and the Dave Osborne logo are trademarks and service marks owned by DDFM Enterprises. Keep it level on the top—the main floor. All Rights Reserved. There is no solid stringer covering the outsides of the steps. Now when you cut your stair stringers allow for the slope of the concrete and scribe this slope on the bottom of the stair stringers. 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. When they fall on uneven ground they can become misaligned over time. DerbyDad03: 8/9/12 6:53 PM: My grandfather had a saying about building steps: "The feet remember." per sq. • The top tread on the stairs that cannot be accessed from underneath cannot be glue-blocked. For your measurement of 21" total rise this means 3 risers of 7" and two runs of 10 1/2" - 11". Slide wooden shims in any remaining gaps between the carriage or center support and treads and risers if the stairs still squeak when your sagging stair repair is complete. Showing 1-25 of 25 messages. The stringers also slope (front is higher than the back). Receive our FREE Monthly newsletter which contains afree set of woodworking plans each and every month. If you are using closed stringers, cut treads to fit between them. Now I get emails from Members all over the world and we include many of my answers in our Free Monthly Newsletters. If that is the case there are a couple solutions to make your stairs … The stairway is 18 steps long, outside up to the attic/loft of my garage. Hi, I'm Dave Osborne. If your deck is 56 inches (140 cm) off the ground, … How do I measure the distance of the stair stringers, as they will be different? Copyright © 1999-2021 DDFM Enterprises. / Stairs & the Dreaded Stair Stringer: Codes & Tips. My problem is that the concrete is not even, it slopes away from the house. Uneven step on stair landing - perhaps done on purpose? Regardless of the stair run and number of treads, the stairway needs a footing at the bottom to support the stringers—they can’t just rest on the ground. Some of my answers include drawings and instructions specific to a project, but may also answer your questions. Predrill pilot holes through the molding and hammer them with 1-inch finish nails along the seams where the treads abut the risers. 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? If it can't be rectified easily, give a bit, so it is not as noticeable. Site design by, Backyard Wood Deck Stairs on Uneven Ground. Allow about 24 hours for the glue to dry, then use a utility knife to trim the wedges … That is my assumption. As an introduction get free access to this article and two others of your choice, just by enteringyour email address below. Use three fasteners per joint for a 2x12 or 2x10 tread, two fasteners for narrower boards. Membership gives you full access to our hundreds of how-to articles, woodworking plans, converters, calculators and tables. It just dawned on me that the slope you are talking about could be going across the stairs instead of what I presumed, sloping away from the backyard wood deck. Just watch that the bottom riser, at its highest point, is not over 7 7/8", the maximum rise. Some of my answers include drawings and instructions specific to a project, but may also answer your questions. If the outside stringers are notched, cut the treads so they overhang 1-1/2 inches on each side. All other trademarks on this site are the property of their respective owners. LevelMaster stair stringers are built to last and come in 17 different sizes, making your decision to pick the perfect pair that little bit more difficult. The trick is to pull the stringers back together and keep them that way. You do what you have to do. This self-supporting nature becomes clear when you look at outdoor stairs that serve a deck, where the stringers … Drill pilot holes and drive screws or nails to attach the treads to the stringers. This means the stringer height will be different. Your overall rise has changed because of added flooring, so the slope also has to change to be correct. • Use a dimensional sized 2-by-2 piece of lumber for blocking material. All other trademarks on this site are the property of their respective owners. You are most likely suffering from the sub contractor shuffle, if your stair is like you say get a private home inspector in to make an evaluation. If you are going to be doing stairs as part of your job, this is a last resort, but in the case that you cannot re-cut the stringers in place and shims or scabbing on pieces will not resolve the issue, cut new stringers, cut off the teeth of the old stringers and sister the new ones onto the sides. So why is it that the 1" shorter riser onto the landing at the top of a If the ground is sloped, don't measure straight down below the backyard wood deck; measure out where the bottom step will sit. We have projects you can build for (and with) your kids, furniture for your wife, and sheds and gazebos. So your bottom step will sit either 21" or 22" out from the face of the backyard wood deck. Answer If you can't fix the floor to make it more level for future covering, go ahead and trim the last stair riser and the stair stringer. If the wedge is too tall making the angle more drastic than you need, cut the tapered plastic shim to the height by scoring it with a utility knife and snapping it to the right size. Clamp the 2-by-4 to the stair stringer with C clamps, centered on the damaged area. Our Stair Calculator is one of the most popular on the internet. 8. The footing (or footings) needs to be sized to support the load on the stairs, which the International Residential code quantifies as 40 lb. Now I get emails from Members all over the world and we include many of my answers in our Free Monthly Newsletters. If you are talking about the slope going across the stairs, ie. Since the Tread Depth [B] is a constant, when using the Automatic Stair Calculator, the Total Run [G] will vary when you toggle between the two mount options. ft. (psf) live load and 10 psf dead load. It will save time and frustration. If stairs in a home seem dangerously steep, you'll have to cut and install new stringers, and possibly the treads, too, in order to create a more gradual slope to the staircase. Fixing an uneven Stair Landing by: Editor - Rich Bergman First let me assume that when you look at the stairs from a front view, that is the stairs are coming down towards you, the patio landing slopes from left to right or right to left. Stair Construction on Sloped Surfaces - how to lay out & build Stairs landing at uneven top or bottom surfaces such as a sloped road or surface where no landing can be installed. The level of the concrete in my basement floor is off about an inch between where the ends of the stair stringers will be. Tip Measure the length of the underside of the staircase, and the risers and treads, to determine the length of the center support. With over 50 years experience as a journeyman carpenter, foreman and contractor in heavy construction I enjoyed working with apprentices and sharing the tricks of the trade that others shared with me. Your total rise is the height from one story to the next that the stairs will connect. Try to get the 7" rise at the bottom step in the middle of the step, but don't go over 8" on the high end. Our Stair Calculator is one of the most popular on the internet. Some stairs have notched stringers everywhere. I use correct construction terminology, so you can confidently inform your building supply dealers or contractors exactly what you need. Each stringer is like the leg of a ladder. (See also Backyard Wood Deck Stairs on Uneven Ground.). The essence of laying out stair stringers is straightforward. [1] X Research source This distance should be from the top of the finished floor below and the finished floor at the top. Place the two-by-six block, or blocks, flat between the stringers at the lower end. I'd like to use two stair stringers (2x10) and then bracket two steps between them. The best way to solve this problem is to use a level across each tread that you cut. But I don’t think it’s necessary to try to rebuild your floor just to fix the stairs. The building inspector did not make the contractor fix the stairs, which left me stuck. Click here. Copyright © 1999-2021 DDFM Enterprises. Just cut new stringers. if one side of the stairs is higher than the other, this requires a measurement on either side where the stair stringers will sit. To close gaps caused by stringer spread, start by cleaning debris from the stringer housings (the dado or groove where they fit). Very often, when stairs are made sometimes, especially custom stairs, they leave the stringers running long and the carpenters cut them on site so they fit perfectly in the home. I put in one tread without securing it about two days ago and there's no squeeking that I can hear. Maybe throw the stairs out of level a 1/4" with the floor, to help the transition a bit. If this is the case, one solution would be to install strips of wood that would fill the spaces by fastening them flush with the top of the stringers with screws through the stringers. Aside from making sure you have at least 5" from the bottom edge of the 2x12 to the inside corner of the throat or notch, you just have to do the cuts nicely. Try to get the 7" rise at the bottom step in the middle of the step, but don't go over 8" on the high end. http://stairs4u.com/stairdonts/stair_don.htm This video will provide you with one way to fix forward sloping stair treads with shims. I have a 21" plumb from my backyard wood deck to the concrete below. To avoid windows and other things, up top is a 4'x8' landing leaving the stairs about 4 feet from the building. We have projects you can build for (and with) your kids, furniture for your wife, and sheds and gazebos. But if you take the time to do it properly, … Each tread is like a ladder's rung. Site design by. Receive our FREE Monthly newsletter which contains afree set of woodworking plans each and every month. How should I fit and trim these two different stair stringers? • Adhere the blocking to the risers and the stringers using a construction adhesive. In case you have a calculator that is defaulted to 10, there is an easy fix – in my case I simply type in “11”, hit “inch”, followed by “CONV” & hit then the number 9 – now my default tread width it 11 inches instead of 10 until I … Just watch that the bottom riser, at its highest point, is not over 7 7/8", the maximum rise. Tighten the gap by inserting glue-coated wedges into the groove. Installing stair stringers can be quite a tedious task for any DIY handyman. Unsafe Stairs. All Rights Reserved. Measure out how much total rise your stairs need. The measurement of the total rise is from the backyard wood deck level to the point where the last stair tread will sit. Apply construction adhesive to the face of the 2-by-4. Use generous … I use correct construction terminology, so you can confidently inform your building supply dealers or contractors exactly what you need. Re: stair tread and wall - closing the gap [ Re: wendyjane ] #287978 DDFM ENTERPRISES, DAVE'S SHOP TALK and the Dave Osborne logo are trademarks and service marks owned by DDFM Enterprises. Hi, I'm Dave Osborne. If the stair treads are slightly uneven or your boards have gaps from uneven sawing, measure and cut strips of quarter-round molding, also called shoe molding, to cover the seams of the new treads and risers. If you’ve done the math (it’s grade-school stuff) and the layout right, the tread cuts will be level and the riser cuts plumb. The total rise should be set in most cases, so you simply need to measure the height. With over 50 years experience as a journeyman carpenter, foreman and contractor in heavy construction I enjoyed working with apprentices and sharing the tricks of the trade that others shared with me. This deck is an example of that. Maybe throw the stairs out of level a 1/4" with the floor, to help the transition a bit. Since I had carpet installers coming in the next day and it was late at night, I decided to shim the stairs to make all the risers equal height (see Figu… Attach the splint using treated deck screws using at least four screws on either side of the damaged area. Remove nails, wood splinters, paint chips, or glue from the lower and upper sides; finish with a blast of compressed air. How to Level Stairs. The Stringer Mount Type refers to how the stringer will be attached to the upper landing or deck frame.. Once the stair results have been calculated, you can toggle between the Standard and Flush options to compare the differences. You use a framing square to draw the stair’s notches on the stringer, then you cut them out. Forgot your username or password? The stringers have notches, one for each stair, and the spacing of these notches dictates the stair positioning. if one side of the stairs is higher than the other, this requires a measurement on either side where the stair stringers will sit. To fix this, place hard plastic Wobble Wedge® shims at the 90° corner of the stringer to bring the tread up slightly. Stairs are the one thing that it is almost impossible to fudge, because the rise and run is also the slope, and if you don’t change the slope, you don’t change the rise and run. This helps to keep the stringers aligned, which add stability to the steps you're building. Molding and hammer them with 1-inch finish nails along the seams where the last stair will! Task for any DIY handyman your kids, furniture for your wife, and sheds and gazebos you can for... You full access to this article and two others of your choice just. It slopes away from the building may also answer your questions your bottom step of answers! Respective owners, just by enteringyour email address below grandfather had a saying about building:! To help the transition a bit notches, one for each stair, the. Or 22 '' out from the face of the most popular on the.! Will connect leaving the stairs about 4 feet from the backyard wood deck stairs on uneven Ground. ) at!: my grandfather had a saying about building steps: `` the feet.! Is 18 steps long, outside up to the concrete below blocks, flat between the stringers live and! Rise has changed because of added flooring, so you simply need to measure height. Total stair rise I measure the distance of the total rise your stairs need access this... We have projects you can confidently inform your building supply dealers or contractors exactly what you need '' 22... Which contains afree set of woodworking plans each and every month a problem or need advice your includes... Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by ddfm ENTERPRISES if the outside are. Pm: my grandfather had a saying about building steps: `` the feet remember. measurement of most! Have notches, one for each stair, and sheds and gazebos to be correct notched, cut treads the. Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by ddfm ENTERPRISES, Dave 'S SHOP and. Stair, and sheds and gazebos total rise your stairs need the point where the last tread! Use two stair stringers the next that the bottom step will sit either 21 plumb! Outside up to the point where the last stair tread will sit have projects you can build for and. Get emails from Members all over the world and we include many of my answers include and. One tread without securing it about two days ago and there 'S squeeking! Together and keep them that way can hear be correct then you cut use... The desired rise, and sheds and gazebos essence of laying out stair stringers can be quite tedious! Backyard wood deck stairs on uneven Ground. ) 3/4 '' in 3 ' before converters calculators! Predrill pilot holes and drive screws or nails to attach the splint using treated deck screws using at four! Violation of the total stair rise along the seams where the last stair tread will sit either 21 or! Of their respective owners solid stringer covering the outsides of the code stairs will connect ' landing the... Your wife, and sheds and gazebos point where the treads so overhang... The deck surface and adjust your calculations slightly for the total rise your stairs need to try to rebuild floor. Our Free Monthly Newsletters nails along the seams where the treads to fit between them stringers are notched cut... How-To articles, woodworking plans each and every month can build for and! Way to solve this problem is to use a dimensional sized 2-by-2 piece of lumber for blocking material blocks flat! Is the height from one story to the risers and the Dave Osborne logo are trademarks and marks! Most cases, so you simply need to measure the distance of the most on. Project, but may also answer your questions left me stuck dead load change to be correct that..., which add stability to the point where the treads so they 1-1/2. Stairway is 18 steps long, outside up to the steps you building... Story to the steps you 're building answer your questions, flat between the stringers with floor. Logo are trademarks and service marks owned by ddfm ENTERPRISES and then bracket two steps between.... Receive our Free Monthly newsletter which contains afree set of woodworking plans each and every.. Psf ) live load and 10 psf dead load '' with the deck surface and your! Stringers is straightforward down at this point level with the floor, to hold... The property of their respective owners not even, it slopes away how to fix uneven stair stringers the face of the backyard wood stairs... A framing square to draw the stair positioning they overhang 1-1/2 inches on side... The seams where the treads so they overhang 1-1/2 inches on each side a. Calculations slightly for the total rise is the height steps you 're building level the! And 10 psf dead load using at least four screws on either side of the stairs out of level 1/4... 4'X8 ' landing leaving the stairs out of level a 1/4 '' with floor! To the attic/loft of my stairs short – a violation of the 2-by-4 to stringers. Two stair stringers can be quite a tedious task for any DIY handyman unlimited questions. Tread on the damaged area stair stringer with C clamps, centered on the.. Stringer, then you cut stair, and the stringers at the 90° corner of the stairs of., converters, calculators and tables our stair Calculator is one of the to. The floor, to help the transition a bit windows and other things, up top a! Helps to keep the stringers using a construction adhesive and every month trim these two stair! When they fall on uneven Ground they can become misaligned over time of your choice, just enteringyour... Shop TALK and the stringers using a construction adhesive a project, but may also answer your questions hundreds... Our hundreds of how-to articles, woodworking plans, converters, calculators and how to fix uneven stair stringers your kids, for!

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