how to build open riser stairs

measure your rise height from the line in step 1 to the edge of the board and draw a line.3. Nail the second riser and screw on the two 2x6 bottom treads leaving a ¼ in gap between the boards. Ensure that the riser height is exactly the same for each step. If you want to learn how to calculate how many steps you need for your stairs, keep reading the article! Now, I think I will be a more Informed worker. I've gotta build some steps off the back of my deck. How do I attach the bottom of the stair (to a balcony) on a floor that is covered in ceramic tile? If the tile is on a raised wood floor, attach it with nuts and bolts to the floor. This is the reason why open riser stairs are sometimes called floating stairs. What??? These are small knobs you can attach to your carpenter’s square at the right measurements to make marking and cutting a breeze. You can integrate the additional stringer by creating a channel on one stringer and a tongue on the other. There is always one less tread than there are risers. ", "Now I know what I need to measure and how to lay it out.". Consider the width of the staircase, usually a minimum of 36 inches for interiors. I can see that you have the knowledge of how stairs are built, but I can't even begin to follow your directions on laying out the stringers. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Then, secure the treads to the steps of the stringers, which is what you'll actually be stepping on when you use the stairs. Thanks for sharing, I was looking for this some time already and the website you pointed is very usefull too, Now I can put in practice some ideas and renew one staircase in an old house of my., Thanks a lot. Draw a plan of your steps so you know what your measurments are. I wouldn't try to make stringers with it, but treads and risers wouldn't be a problem. For example, if your total rise is 95 inches (240 cm), divide it by 7 inches (18 cm) to get 13.53. Now you want to attach the top of the riser to the structure you want to access. Round down to get the number of steps: 13. Your site was very detailed and easy to understand. P.S. If the treads will be stained, then liquid nails and finishing nails will create the best finished look. You can also add a little cement-all into the holes in the concrete to make the screws really grip. place the final rise against the front surface and screw in with hangars. Draw a line parallel to the edge of the riser extending to the end. This instructable does not teach somebody how to build stairs. This can be bought in caulking tubes at any lumber yard. An “open” stringer has notches that you can see, while a “closed” stringer is a solid board with cleats for the treads, or an open stringer with a solid board attached to the side. See more ideas about stair risers, stairs, painted stairs. Outside stairs with three risers or less do not require handrails. In a closed stringer stairway, you cannot see the stringer. Stringers of 3 to 5 steps can be purchased from your local lumber store. Measure the Total Rise to the Deck Landing. There is some thought that "Nosing Projection" is or will be against code due to tripping hazzard... again check locally if you plan on building "Nosing Projections" One Final note, I'm going to draw most steps or find relevant pictures online. References Lay the side marking the height along the end of the lumber and the side marking the step depth along the length of the lumber. The most complicated part of building a staircase is making the risers. I have learned what is, "The best I have seen. Get a carpenters framing square and if you have little buttons that clamp or screw onto the square even better. Remember that the bottom step has the supporting wood underneath it, smaller in height than the other steps to account for the height of the first step that will be nailed onto it. Use the square to draw a perpendicular line from the end of the board to the spot you just marked. You should finish out the cuts with a sawzall, jigsaw or even a hand saw instead of overshooting the cuts with your circular saw to finish them out, like I have seen done by so many carpenters. (added to favorites), Reply Approved. An open riser staircase provides a modern, contemporary look. Multiply the horizontal length (run) by itself, multiply the height by itself, and add the two results together. Set the bottoms of the stringers on a firm footing like concrete, wood flooring, or even a block of treated lumber on top of gravel (for outside stairs). ", "I was not sure where to start in constructing stairs, but now I have an idea. Instead, make the total rise slightly shorter and attach support posts to the top of the stringers. The run affects how far the stair projects overall, which affects how much floor space the stair occupies. but the basics are (generally): - All steps must be the same size (the rise and run must be the same on every step) - Width of each step must be at least 2 feet 8 inches (normal household steps are generally 3 feet 6 inches) - Maximum step riser hight of 7 3/8 inches - Minumunm run length of 10 inches - Steps 44 inches or more wide must have handrails on each side - Fire code normally says; do not allow stairs to rise more than 12 feet without providing a landing. One thing that should be mentioned is when cutting out the notches for the treads and risers. I'm a professional carpenter and have build many sets of stairs but I couldn't have learned to build stairs with this instructable. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Note: As far as I know "Open Risers" are against code due to safety reasons, I'm confident this is true in homes but check your local code to see... you might get away with it if its outside or in a garage or something.... but I'm not sure. The length of the landing should be at least equal to the width of the stair tread. For example, the total run in our hypothetical example is 130 inches (330 cm): 13 total steps x 10 inches (25 cm) (tread width) each = 130 inches (330 cm) total run. This article received 15 testimonials and 89% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Divide the overall rise by the individual rise to get the number of stairs. By using our site, you agree to our. Open riser stairs have grown in popularity in recent years, offering unobstructed views throughout the home and a beautiful weightless appearance. Use a diamond bit to drill holes directly through the tile and into the cement. Did you make this project? on Introduction. Question Picture a stair slope in your mind to estimate about a … On your stringer, each step will rise 7.3125 inches (18.574 cm). How do I compensate for that difference and still maintain level steps? Make sure the material you are using for the landing is in place before you lay out the steps to avoid trip hazards. And I am speaking as someone who has built a lot of stairs. Seems like a trip hazard going up and reduces the run for your foot going down? Go over options to change the staircase design. These may stipulate particular minimums or maximums for step runs and rises, the number of stringers that are necessary, etc. +1 rating. Add all risers and treads up to the top of the stairs. It can seem daunting to think of making your own, but they’re actually made of just three main parts: stringers, treads, and risers. 1/2" with 800+lbs makes a big difference. This is now the location of the top step length. This line marks the horizontal top of your stringer. Stairs, staircases and steps can very in many different ways. Remember that the stringer steps are one less than the actual steps. The stair treads and risers rest against the stair stringer, which holds the weight of the stairs. For instance, you could cut 1 in × 10 in (2.5 cm × 25.4 cm) lumber to the width of the stairs, and use this for your treads. Cheers, 12 years ago ", "Illustrations with each step helped a great deal. If you are carpeting them, screws or nails are fine. To make extra-strong steps place 2 in × 4 in (5.1 cm × 10.2 cm) boards on both sides of the center stringer under the treads. These Install the stringers. Open riser stair treads must be at least 1 1/2" thick because the tread, not supported by a riser, may otherwise split. Handrails are required to protect the open sides of stairs where the height of the top of the stairs is 600 mm (24”) high or higher. Re-stating the problem from a stair design basics view, when we are going to custom-build stairs to carry people between two elevations, we divide the total rise from level 1 up to level 2 by a number of risers that will give us a standard riser height that is within standards - preferably between 4" and 7" of rise. Install the stringers in their proper locations and fasten a stair angle at each tread location on the closed stringers. To continue with the same example, divide 95 inches (240 cm) by 13 steps to get 7.3125 inches (18.574 cm). If you want to learn how to calculate how many steps you need for your stairs, keep reading the article! 11 years ago Just as with stairs going to a floor, the bottom step riser will be different (usually the thickness of the stair top material will be shorter), so leave your bottom steps longer and either scratch the ground to make each stringer level, or cut the bottom to fit. Wider staircases are generally preferable to narrower ones because they are much easier and more comfortable to navigate. It allows more light to flow through the room, thanks to its open-concept figure. now that your risers are cut and hung all you gotta do now is put in the step boards. Use nuts with lock washers and bolts to attach the Simpson Strong Tie to the stairs. Find out how to customise your stairs with our range of balustrade options. Assembling the Staircase 1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e1\/Build-Stairs-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Build-Stairs-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e1\/Build-Stairs-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/aid1165252-v4-728px-Build-Stairs-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"