DIY DECK Part 7 | Building Stairs

[@coachwilson5967]

I always enjoy your videos. As an "Owner Builder" of te home I expect to live the rest of my life in I garner great ideas and tips from EVERY video. Funny I live in Reno, NV so Home Reno grabs my eye every time. Thanks again!

[@jjrockjon8610]

Before I start any project, I look for Jeff's video. Saves me so many frustrations. And money!

[@Ceba551]

Only video that talks about the tread slope!

[@joeolejar]

I like the way you describe the steps of the project that instills confidence in me when I do my projects.

[@tennesseemattoutdoors5405]

Your Step size explanation was 👍

[@chrisbranch86]

These guys need more Subs! Such great information! I'm currently working to fix the sub-par work of a good for nothing contractor and this video saved this novice carpenters life!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Happy to help Chris. Thanks for taking the time to comment on the video. This is what drives growth in the channel.

[@chrisbranch86]

Keep it up!

[@dalepres1]

Over a million subscribers and over 500K views yet less than 3K likes. People really need to show the courtesy of liking the videos they watch.

[@blitzit222]

Every time I see a video of someone using the type of tool that I own I get all excited. Great video!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Very cool peter. Thanks for the comment. Cheers!

[@chrislee9963]

lol...

[@dennismitchler4508]

I also have the same measuring Tape. Got me all excited!!!

[@MaMa-qh4dy]

Jeff, you have a way of making everything appear easy. You are a wealth of knowledge. Thank you for sharing.

[@joekind1]

Yes, you are also correct. I got confused because were working backward. You started with the tread dimension, not the rise. I think if you find the rise first it is easier. Try it using my formula, you will like it better.

[@Jeff82556]

Another great video but the ending is exactly where I wish a video started. I'm unsure about the proper placement and height of the 4 x 4 posts, rails, etc. These are my next steps awaiting while I'm idling in neutral and watching KZbin videos like yours.

[@craigcolbourn8351]

👍🏻great vid Like how you braced them together

[@bigslickss]

You’re my hero. I hope that Ottawa building code meets Maryland code bc that’s how I build everything.

[@r1ashad]

I'd love to see your take on a DIY video removal of carpet from stairs and putting LVP flooring on treads to modernize and updating look of stained wood railing/ wall stringers.

[@robertcasey7312]

Amen,!

[@jamesclarke9149]

Very well explained my friend. Great help watching how it's done

[@chrisnomad]

Thanks from New Zealand! You have a nice way of explaining things

[@johnsellers2999]

Very nice work brother. Enjoy watching. Always a thumbs up.

[@stuckster]

Thanks Jeff. Would loved to have seen what the top of the stringers was screwed into. Did you add any additional blocking or timber below the rim joist, behind the deck skirting?

[@ceobillions1]

Great video, can you show how you created the notch for the 2x4

[@michaeltoddquintal1545]

Great job, seems you are a bit blue/dark feeling this day, Something was bugging you. Thank you for your service, these videos are great and your spirit is reaching so many.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

sometimes the stress of doing business shows. Cheers! plus it was 3 weeks in 40 degree heat.

[@stephensnaith6210]

Insightful video, but you forgot to mention to drop the stringer by the width of the stair tread. With a 7.25" rise while using a standard 2x6 for treads that are 1.5" thick. The bottom riser should be 5.75" high.

[@theone1347]

You Sir, are absolutely amazing. Love your videos and would love to meet you sometime eventhough I am not in the trades whatsoever. Actually far from it but love working with my hands.

[@lornem1160]

You're the man! Noah and his ark ain't got nothin on you!

[@edsainz1549]

QE Chingon este Viejo Muy intelligent enseña muchos trucos I love this Channel

[@cullenbigd]

Adding those 2x4s was a sweet trick. Going to use that. Thanks

[@MichaelHill-f3l]

Your total rise was 39.5 inches. Can you please explain how you came up with 7.25" for each individual stringer rise? Thank you so much.

[@clay100]

Always the best

[@Lemoi73]

Ah! Thank you! I never knew the numbers involved, so couldn't tell what would work and what wouldn't.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

I prefer a shorter rise and longer stair on a deck but it helps to have lots of room for it.

[@wryancollins]

Thank you so much for doing these videos, they're incredibly helpful and engaging. Don't forget the safety glasses!

[@terryferan9028]

Informing the viewers that you need to deduct the thickness of the tread from the bottom riser is an important omission.

[@bcoutts2782]

Terry Feran: I just scale plotted my stairs & found this same issue. Good call!

[@nunyabisnis1448]

and also the thickness of your riser material "if covering the risers" from the back of the top riser against the deck squirting !

[@terryferan9028]

Nunya, I suspect you are thick in all the right places..

[@terryferan9028]

Caliente Nevada Paul

[@panzerknacker2715]

You have showed me everything I needed to know on this single video. Thank you very much!

[@SWATT101]

Awesome I have to probably sink piers approx 3 feet to bedrock...the first rise will be the height of the Sonatube... measure 12 times cut once lol

[@BougainvilleaX]

Canadian are the best 👍

[@driveman6490]

9:05: when you need to drive a screw in another state, but dont want to leave home.......Jeff has your extension bit.

[@rondimassi3943]

Skhxzhzhjzzjsjsuehenehdhe

[@caseykeyser3840]

Hahaha

[@BEYKNIGHTERS]

how did you attach the stringer just at the bottom of rim joist ?? whats is holding the top portion of the stringer ?

[@TC-to9jh]

Very informative video.Awesome!

[@taylormach1699]

Good info. Thanks.

[@elazul1328]

Im learning english and construction at the time 😎

[@mikedkc]

Very nice work. Thanks for keeping it simple.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Our pleasure Mike, glad to help. Cheers!

[@tom73055]

What did you do at the top of each stringer ? Looks like you added a 2x4 and notched it .doesn’t that change the tread depth?

[@bg4442]

Thanks!

[@chris14388]

About to build a set of stairs off my deck onto my concrete pad. For the stringers to attach to the deck there is currently only 1 header with no room for a second as the joists butt right into it. Will i have to pour concrete for 4x4 posts to give it the strength or is there an easier way around it? Maybe put blocking between the joists to act as the second header? Excuse me if that doesnt make sense im just the home owner not the carpenter lol Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[@86309]

how do you know if you should use 2x10 or 2x12 for the stringers (7 step) and how do you know where to start your first step from the top (making your first lines) because that determines your run?

[@erickaufman4674]

What if I’m doing wrap around stairs on a 16x12 deck. If the ground slopes away from the house, but my deck is built level, I would need to compensate at each stringer until I got out to the edge correct?

[@rodralph824]

Jeff, I need to build stairs that are 30 inch wide but slightly offset from the deck to avoid hitting my well casing. Do I just angle the stringers ? Rod, Golden Lake

[@123steveholt]

Hey just wondering what you attached the top of the stringers to, like what’s behind those vertical boards?

[@tannertidwell3523]

The rim Joist that goes all the way around the perimeter of the deck

[@KevinMichaelMichael]

I had the same question. He wanted to use the rim joist as the first rise, so he mush have had some extension hanging off the rim joists as it didnt appear deep enough to mount against.

[@mrt9781]

Short & sweet 👍

[@parisamarashi2935]

Two questions, is it bad to incline towards the deck in terms of water damage. Also, what are you sealing the ends of your pressure treated wood with?

[@cliffkolinger395]

Definitely prefer the old videos. Thanks

[@xcit]

Remember back in the day when safety wasnt a big deal. No safety glasses, a cut cord on the skill saw taped w/ electrical tape. Those were the good ol days.

[@SimonCope]

Excellent thank you! Lots of handy hints.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thanks Simon, cheers!

[@huskydog2525]

I usually notch the top of the stringer up under the rim joist then block it from there....I find it to be a lil stronger. But your way works also.....

[@petersamuel6597]

Canada is the best,,, thank you bud,

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

We do alright! Cheers!

[@joe800096]

Are you using treated lumber? appears to be of very good quality, better than What I've seen locally

[@kumarravi3]

6:45, did you cut on the line or side of the marked line. Can't tell by video.

[@allendean9807]

Yes, longer the level, the better.. watched a dude build a deck with a torpedo, and was nearly screaming at my iPad! Great video. You didn’t show your heel cut, and your notches for the cleats, but good job for a guy who’s not a farmer! Lol

[@oneaboveall1895]

bros got master teacher

[@joevaldivia6733]

Never taper your step in toward the house always taper them slightly down and out. Why didn’t you use the complete 2x6 to hold the stringers that you would secure to the ledger board?

[@geoffmaxwell4461]

Hey Jeff - Cheater question.. Can you simply raise the grade at the bottom with some screening or something if the prefab stringer comes up short?

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

best to use a concrete block or paver on limestone screenings. Cheers!

[@ozm8642]

How far is the bottom sitting on the deck. And do u just subtract one riser from top if starting beneath deck surface

[@lcook0825]

Another excellent video that was well explained.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thanks again Larry. Good to hear from you again.

[@johnnybarbar7435]

Why use the square to mark each stringer and risk slight differences when it is so easy to trace the first notched stringer onto the others and end up with identical stringers?

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

either way you will end up with slight variances.

[@Framer_Mike]

To each their own..

[@gislasa]

What are the names of those dials he put on the square to mark 8" and 10"? Those look nifty.

[@srchubz]

stair gauges

[@rezNezami]

Excellent DIY video series, all across your videos. Great works. Thanks.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Our pleasure, thanks for watching. Cheers!

[@darrenmcintosh326]

Figuring it out as yaa go....

[@julesrockz2960]

Hi . Great job on all of your videos. .. Question:: How important is the crown placement for stringers.. Which direction should the crown be facing. Quick response would be greatly appreciated thank you so much.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

it is an issue if the grain is aggressive, but in most cases all the tying together keeps things rather still. Cheers!

[@Lemoi73]

I had thought that cutting notches into the stringers for the steps would weaken the structure. Could you please elaborate on this? Thank you!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

The math is simple really, a 2x4 can carry a 200 lb man horizontally over a distance of 4". on an angle that doubles. In conjunction with other stringers all screwed together, transferring load to each other that doubles again. So as long as you don"t stick over 20 people on the stairs at one time it is quite safe.

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

After cutting the stringers the "meat" that is left under the cut outs is called the effective depth. The effective depth is measured square up from the bottom of the stringer to the intersection of the step rise and run cuts. Your local building code will have requirements for the minimum effective depth, where I am the minimum effective depth is 2 1/2".

[@Mrs_Dale]

👍🏻👍🏻 BRILLIANT 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@tomvandervoort2437]

Why did you not use end cut preservative?

[@tomshannon213]

What material did you use for the stringers? It looks like red cedar...is it something else?

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

pt sienna brown.

[@robtien7]

You should actually have the strairs sloping away from the deck rather than towards the deck to assist in water drainage

[@dalepres1]

Never slope any stair down away from the riser - especially an outside stair that gets wet! Do you want to fall on your ass? I've been on steps like that and the fall on the stairs left me hurt for a week. Jeff did it EXACTLY right! Some will say just do it level, and that's basically OK, but a very slight downwards slope into the riser on an outdoor or deck step prevents you from sliding off of a wet step and allows for the invariable settling of landings at the base of outdoor stairs. The treads will drain water just fine.

[@robtien7]

@@dalepres1 1:100 fall over the length of a tread is completely negligible in relation to slip resistance. I was taught in trade school to always slope away from the risers and im yet to find one resource on the internet that supports your argument. You can clearly see he doesn't have water drainage in the forefront of his mind with the way he attaches the ledger to the deck frame without any drainage gap. Is this just an opinion of yours or are you actually a qualified carpenter? I am happy to pose this question to a carpentry Facebook group im in and we can let them decide?

[@kumarravi3]

The 5/4 deck boards have a tiny space in the middle. It will drain just fine.

[@Yahoomediaclub]

Brilliant work. ☠️🎸☠️👍

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thanks Jon, appreciate the comment.

[@michaelc1042]

How did you determine the 7 1/4" rise when drawing your stringer? I thought you determined you wanted an 8" rise?

[@MrFlamesfan1212]

For one, I think he initially forgot to account for the thickness of the floor boards that will be added to the deck so his original finished height should've been 41" not 40". Then divide your total rise by five stairs which gives you 8-1/5" for each stair (which he probably rounded to 8-1/4" for the sake of simplicity). But that's your finished height so you have to subtract the thickness of the material that will make up the stair treads (again 1") to get your 7-1/4" rise for each stair.

[@abajhalghamdi9219]

thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. you are really a great person .

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thanks for watching.

[@normsutterer8312]

Is it best to put gravel in the bottom of the post hole and the concrete in around the post or concrete on the bottom and use the soil taken out of the hole to plant the post? We will be using 16" posts for a second floor deck. Thanks

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

I prefer to put a little concrete in the bottom for a good base and then set the post on a solid foundation. Add another bag and cover the last 4 inches with dirt.

[@normsutterer8312]

Many thanks!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

My pleasure Norm.

[@gerryrentz8939]

Fantastic detailed video, your efforts are greatly appreciated. One question though I was taught that screws have a very limited vertical shear strength and that either nailing or lag screws or (nailed joist hangers) are the preferred method of joining the stringers to the ledger. Can you elaborate on that. Thanks in advance

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

truth is there isn't any shear here because both ends of the stairs are screwed in. If you wanted to you could add extra support, however unnecessary. When in doubt go overkill. This is good practice.

[@adammacer]

Hmmm, I'm not sure shear is eliminated by fixing the bottom - reduced for sure..

[@jenniferfarsh675]

How tall is the privacy fence you built? Did you add height with more posts?

[@sdanify]

Great job! Thank you.

[@logmeindangit]

You didn't add any support for the bottom step's front tread board against the inner edge of the post? Seems weak to have just a small piece at either edge of the tread extend to the outer stringer. Also, I didn't see any rot protection on the boards. It is standard practice to use exterior-grade pressure-treated wood, then paint rot inhibitor on all cuts before assembly. Planned obsolescence? (Rot faster, replace more often, keep a carpenter in a job.)

[@BudSchnelker]

You made a point about inclining the steps slightly, one degree or so, so that you're not "thrown" down the stairs. But doesn't that promote puddling on the steps when it rains? I thought a cardinal rule was to always direct water away from a structure.

[@farmboyhh1]

I agree with you that it would probably puddle a bit. My feeling, however, is that if you live in an area which gets snow and maybe ice having it inclined slightly away from the structure may cause you to slip and slide down the steps, whereas a slight incline towards the structure may prevent that and be safer.

[@aurelianovmaldonado1148]

He is a good Carpenter....

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Thank you, I am not formally trained just like to consider myself a Jack of all trades.

[@magartus]

Hi Did you use 2x12 or 2x10?

[@HandymanPros]

Nice video Jeff - Thanks. BTW, looks like those were the days of the new Estwing hammer.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

still my favorite hammer out there. the rest just seem to be a lot of money for very little advantage!

[@jonlaughton7689]

I cut my stringer 7" rise, 10" run and put a level base of patio slabs but the steps are not level- what am I missing?

[@yrzalynne]

awesome tutorial so informative and smart technics ;)

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

Glad to be of some help.cheers!

[@jonlaughton7689]

you didn't mention what width the stringer should be. looks like 10" . also what if you just prefer a wider step, I like to sit there so I like a full 12.5" run , and a 7.5" rise. is there any reason I can't predetermine that - I know the bottom step may be a shorter rise but don't care as much about that as other factors. good video all the same.

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

the code requires all steps to have the same rise. that is what determines the math. Cheers!

[@jonlaughton7689]

good to know. thanks.

[@lgmnowkondo938]

with a cedar deck...should the stringers be pressure treated?

[@tegan71969]

Yes. With any exterior project you should be using pressure treated lumber.

[@byoutoday6700]

What if you want to have 3-4 steps front porch steps with a 29" total rise but can you do deeper treads of 3 composite boards for a 17" (5.5x3 with 2 gaps 1/4") run what should the rise be? will that be a comfortable step or cause tripping? What do you recommend?

[@salvatorerizzo8640]

When you do your math on the rise and run of your stairs that will determine how high and depth wise your stairs will be. Doesn't go by comfortably. Just like building a roof.

[@houstonboy7463]

what kind of screws are you using?

[@westcoast6645]

Good job good information but don’t forget to seal your cuts please thank you

[@researchcapt]

Need to mention that the height is from the top of the finished deck, not the top of the joists. Sorry, I really like all of your videos.

[@jackdaniels2905]

10:36 that's what she said.

[@SkinnySkinch]

😂

[@ladyrenaissance2026]

Im making a stairway to my above ground pool. I need 7 stairs so I bought pre made stringers. A 3 step and a 4 step. My question is HOW DO I CONNECT TWO OF THESE

[@xAnAngelOfDeathx]

Simple answer, you DON'T join two stringers to make a single stringer. You cut the stringer from one length of lumber for maximum strength and you ensure that your stringer material is wide enough when cut to provide at least minimum "effective depth" to meet your local building code. The minimum effective depth where I live is 2 1/2".

[@timothydillon6421]

With a landing.

[@joemilton1010]

Are those 2x10s?

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

yes! but in truth the more gradual the slope the more it is necessary to move to 2 x 12. I ended up adding extra support to that stringer.

[@danmilo]

Thanks for an outstanding and informative video..!

[@HomeRenoVisionDIY]

My pleasure Dan, Don't forget to like and feel free to ask questions. I try my best to respond to all the comments personally.

[@ldd9672]

Hi Jeff…..we are in Ottawa…doing a dyi deck we are at the stair stage….the deck is about 6 ft high….looking at the best and easiest way to do stairs. Deck is trex material. Are the metal stringers easier to use? Any advice if using them? Thank you. Anne

[@hudsonja]

Great explanation. For all you DIYers, wear some hearing and eye protection!

[@Jdeneik]

What if your stair needs to be 15 inches? W 7 inch rise

[@gullenator1]

Isn’t rule 25, not 27? I think outside of 24-26 it starts becoming uncomfortable?

[@philburke1902]

That funeral music is erie 7:24

[@daveengstrom9250]

Youi made a mistake. Measuring the total rise is from FINISHED height. The way you did it, the top step will be greater than the others.

[@logmeindangit]

If he uses the same thickness tread as the decking, it all works. If he uses different thicknesses between decking and stair tread, then yes, he would have to allow for that on the top rise calculations. If he used 1" thick decking and a 2-by tread (typ. 1 5/8" thick") He would attach the top run on the stringer lower by 5/8", the difference between the tread and decking thicknesses. That would keep the rise between the deck and the top step the same as from step to step. Does that sound right, or is it the meds talking?