Cutting Our Stair Stringers
Now you always wondered why people use framing squares other then to check if corners are square. Well there are many reasons to use them like building rafters for roofs but they are also used for building stairs.
Our steps will have a 7.5 inch rise (height) and a 12 inch run (depth) but because we want the tread of the step to hang out about an inch we will use a 11 inch run when we lay out the stringers and just use 12″ wide lumber for the stair treads.
To make sure each cut is the same size all you need to do is put the one inside corner of the framing square at 7.5 inches and the other at 11 inches and then draw the triangle that will be the shape of the stair.
At the bottom we will have a 2×12 that will connect all the stair stringers together.
At the top we will have another that will be placed on the back side of the stairs to attach to our deck.
When you make your cuts you can use a circular saw but because the blade does not give a straight up and down cut you will have to finish the cut with a hand saw.
We can cut one good stair stringer and use it as a template for the rest. If you use the first one as a template you should double check the measurements because you might have cut wrong or on an angle.
Once we have all the pieces we can assemble and attach the set to the extension we made earlier.
It is always best to use a Carriage Bolt when assembling outside stairs, beams and rim joists to your home. A carriage bolt has a nut and should use a lock and flat washer. You should never use Lag Bolts that look like large screws and do not use nuts to secure the connection because movement can loosen the grip on the wood resulting in failure.
Installing the Treads is as simple as measuring the correct width and attaching them with screws and construction adhesive.