The Hammerzone.com is the first site (I’ve reviewed) that suggests either the use of CAD software or laying out your stair building design on paper with drafting tools. The Hammerzone.com also suggests using a stair stringer calculator to do the measurements and design your stairs, like the one at www.shalla.net. Maybe building stairs is more complex than suggested by askthebuilder.com and by hometime.com.

The Hammerzone.com lays out the stair building process in 11 steps.

1 – First determine the total rise of the stairs by measuring the total height to be spanned. Here I think the first mistake is made. The Hammerzone.com indicates to take the total “run” and divide by the riser height. I think he means divided the total “rise” by the riser height. Do this to determine the total risers needed. He does note that the number of risers does not equal the number of steps as you get one free riser.

2 – Next determine the thickness of the stair tread material.

3 – Next determine the heights of the upper surfaces of the treads. Subtract your riser height from the top of, in this case, the finished deck surface. Then subtract the riser height from the top of the first tread and so on.

4 – Determine where to cut the stringers by subtracting the thickness of the stair treads. This took a second to understand what he meant but after reviewing the diagram, if your riser height is 6.75 inches and your thickness is one inch. Then your cut lines would be every 7.75 inches.

5 – Determine a starting point for the outer front surface of the riser.

6 – Determine the final position of the top tread by determining the tread width you are going to use.

7 – Factor in the nose overhang of the top tread to determine where your second tread will go.

8 – Determine the vertical cut line for the stair stringers by factoring in the riser material thickness.

9 – Repeat steps 6,7,8 for the other treads.

10 – Take your stair layout and convert it to stringer cutting layout. The Hammerzone.com is a little confusing to follow but so far the best site I’ve found on building stairs.

[tags]building stairs, stair stringer calculator, stair building, stair treads, rise run, stair stringer spreadsheet[/tags]

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