Retired carpenter here. Lots of new types of hardware and fasteners available that was not around in the old days. Very good stuff. Just a tip to the wise; if you're going to be using skill saws and other loud machinery, use ear protection! Trust me, you don't want to get tinnitus like I did.
My father hung and finished drywall his whole life. He was also and avid hunter. I'll never forget the day (after many years of hunting & working together) that he handed me a set of earplugs and said "wear these at work and when you're hunting". He told me that his hearing had diminished over the last couple of years and he believe it was from the weapons and work. Thank God I listened to him, I'm 66 and my hearing is still great!
This video is pitch (no pun intended) perfect and step (no pun intended) perfect. If you are going to build a set of stairs watch this video and do exactly what Daru tells you to do.
I began woodworking as a hobby approximately four years ago. Consequently, my wife seems to believe I must be a master carpenter 🤷♂️. Lately, she has been eager for me to construct a small pool deck for our above-ground pool. After watching numerous tutorials on building steps for it, I must say that this particular video is by far the most informative and well-explained. Thank you!
I thank you dearly for your helpful videos. Most of the haters here are men and have no idea what it’s like to build something when you’re 79-year-old woman. I don’t mind buying adapters or hardware to make my life easier and still get a great built deck. Love your channel.
I appreciate all the feedback. I love hearing from people like you who are getting things done how you like it. That’s what it’s all about. So many inspiring people in this world.
I’m with you!! I was always the tool lady in our house. My husband just hated building or repairs. And now that he has gone, at 67 I still pull out my tools and get stuff done.
If you found value in this video please leave a comment or like. I'm grateful for your support. The hardest part of building stairs is getting started. The template takes the guesswork out of it so you'll feel confident when cutting.
Great video! Thank you. We live in a very rainy area and when we screw down deckboards, leave the top of the screw flush with the deck board to help shed the water, otherwise they get full of debris and water. They sometimes need a little tighten after a year once the wood shrinks after a season.
Excellent presentation on proper hardware and installation. I’m currently building 4-step stairs 10-ft long requiring 8 stringers for a customer. Stringers all cut and you helped me with adjustable hanger and brackets on bottom very secure and reduce from twisting. Code for me in Buffalo NY is 4+ risers need a handrail so I need to install blocking in the right places to secure the rails to top of Azek Timbertech treads.
Daru, I'm very fortunate to have found your RU-vid channel! You've given me more confidence as a DIY, streamlining and simplifying construction and work methods, and just making things easier! Keep up the great work, and I always look forward to your newest videos! Thanks! 😊😊
That’s wonderful to hear! Thank-you for letting me know. Doing DIYs is such a great way to learn and build confidence. It’s a wonderful feeling to see what you’re capable of. We can all do so much more than we think. ❤️
The framing square can’t be a carpenter without one! I’m so glad you introduced our age old framing, square and the two sides of it with their proper names, the body and the tongue. As you probably know the building codes seem to get tighter and tighter after every deck catastrophe. Especially handrail, heights, spacing and post. I can see this in another video. When laying out my stair stringers or my rafters, always used a number two pencil, fairly sharp. Then the idea of cutting is to split the line. This cannot be done with a dull blade. Of course, we also use a Sawzall Or a very sharp 1 inch chisel to finish the cuts. This from a carpenter that’s done it all. NWR
Thanks for the tips! Having a sharp blade is definitely essential and cut through the line is good to remember. The framing square is well used. You can’t beat simple tools that have been around forever.
I'm a carpenter....we do it differently....we don't use #2 pencils...we use the FLAT big carpenter pencils with a sharp point...they do not break as easy as the normal #2 pencils do. WE either (1) Leave the line, TAKE the line or DELETE the Line...Here I would Leave the line so the extra width of the pencil will be visible.....We use GRK STAR screws all the time..they work really well...I use a NAIL between the Stair boards for my gap and I remove after the stair tread is nailed or screwed in. I try to use stringers that are KNOT FREE as I think it makes them stronger...
@@user-hk9yj7sx6z Good tips thanks for sharing. I've used nails and screws too as spacers. Tried and true. Good use what you got thinking which is practical! Love the GRK screws too. Pro grade fasteners. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge!
Great detailed vid about something I have been putting off for a couple of years. You assume we know little to nothing about the construction of these steps and that definitely is me. Thanks so much young lady and all my best.....
Hi, my father was an old wold carpenter. Everything you did is great. My father would not mark anything. Once you lay your square in place he would move it to compensate for the offset of the saw and was the square to guide the saw. Flip the stringer and cut as close to the corner again with the circular saw. Finish with a hand saw or , using the the claw on a straight claw hammer would remove the corner. Extremely fast. You mentioned the screw must match the hanger. Yes, however you can switch to stainless steel screws no matter what the hanger is made of. This does have an advantage, that when repairs are needed the screws will remove easily and can be reused.
I'm redoing my deck and about to replace the stairs as well. This is a clear, straightforward video showing the viewer how to do it. Thanks! Keep up the great work.
Nice. All the quality details: Solid layout, proper hangers, sealing tape, 5/4 treads rather than clumsy 2-by, which I see so often. Also the clear, succinct explanations. Thanks.
Hi Daru, Thank you for making it so easy for the novice DIY'er. I have gone to Home Depot to buy their premade deck stairs however it still seems to be a little off. Your video really helps explain the process in making your own set of stairs on your own without any complicated tools or software.
Glad it was helpful! It’s good to try the premade route but it will only work for some lucky ducks. Templates are helpful and you can use cardboard too if that’s easier. This project is a big confidence booster. ❤️
Great video, you are 100% correct about the fear factor. Getting started is always the hardest part. Stairs can be scary until you do it. Your explanation is spot on. I really like the idea of the template as well. Keep them coming.
Nice job on the video, living in the northwest I prefer using a 5/16 gap in between boards due to the amount of moisture here and also less fir needles seem to clog up the gap. Cheers from Oregon
Pro tip!! measure from the top of the deck along where the top of your stairs will be at both ends the snap a line and follow that line. Throw away the level as you can see if the deck is off level, @ 11:18 your stairs will look off level and looks unprofessional. Your eyes tell you when things are off level, and you can fool them if it looks even. You can even go the extra mile and straighten the deck if you need too!! Also put your deck boards tight as they shrink 🙂
Thanks for sharing your tips on stair building. If your wood is wet the deck boards can be installed tight. I'm not installing wet wood so that doesn't work here but can for our American viewers depending on where you live. This lumber has a lower moisture content. I like to use a levels, you'll see them often on this channel. If you have great eyes, go for it! Love hearing from you. Appreciate your feedback!
@@DaruDhillon Nothing to do with great eyes?? If you measure each side of the stairs and chalk a line, you will be even with the original deck level there for it will look even?? If you are worried about the level, then straighten out the top deck?? When one side is not even with the other side you automatically think it is not level. You can fool the eye by making the measurement the same at both ends. Levels have their place but, in this case, not needed!! Ok makes sense if the wood is dry to space it but if wet definitely install them tight just make sure whatever you use to install accordingly to whether it shrinks or expands! Here in Ontario Canada we use mostly PT or Cedar and is wet wood so tight is the way to go as it will shrink and you will easily get a 1/4" gap or more🙂
Best to always leave a gap. If you are using Mahogany instead of PT, you MUST leave a GAP as Mahogany expands and will seal tightly against the other boards. When it rains, it will puddle. This might not seem like a big deal but in New England, that puddle will FREEZE and become a layer of ICE! You want the gaps so the water will drain through the cracks!
@@user-hk9yj7sx6z I'm talking here in Ontario Canada Where the most popular deck materials are Pressure treated or Cedar and yes, they are wet and need to be installed tight!! I can't speak for other areas but yes look into the type of wood you use and install accordingly🙂
@@user-hk9yj7sx6z I am talking Ontario Canada where the most popular deck material is Pressure Treated or Cedar? This is wet and yes needs to be installed Tight!! Obviously check what kind of wood you use and install accordingly wherever you are located 🙂
Thank you. I probably won't be doing any more stairs, but I had to learn this when I did. It's actually not that hard, when you measure the treads and the risers and lay them out on the stringers. But it's tricky at first before you figure it out, and I ruined a good piece of wood the first time :-)
This is a great video. We were struggling to get the whole project and this video is excellent. She gives you all the correct parts and fasteners, and all the tips to do the job right. Thanks a million
Great video!, however you have to take into consideration the riser at the top of the deck boards and make sure the thickness of the deck boards don't exceed the total rise of 7 inches to the first step tread, also the bottom of your stringer needs to compensate for the thickness of the bottom step tread to your brickwork or stringer pad, as if it's too short or tall of the rise there will be a tripping/loss of balance as your going up or down the steps to the deck. This also applies to stairs as well!!, also, check with local building inspector for modification of these run and rise measurements when building steps for senior/ handicap persons, sometimes a rise of 5 1/2 inches instead of 7 inches can be easier to go up or down steps/stairs without falling, tread depth stays the same
I like to make the steps quite a bit wider. My customers always seem to appreciate wider steps. I can do 21-inch wide steps and still have enough wood at the smallest part of the stringer, but I always double up the stringers when I do this, which also makes it easier attach good posts for a handrail. I also always install step lighting in the risers which is a code requirement in some places.
If I can suggest... I would use blue tape, vs the nuts.. Lol, the reason, some people will never use them again once they are done making the steps.. plus blue tape works great on wood and metal, with out the glue sticking to the product and great budget tool ;) Also blue tape works awesome for cutting wood or marking wood with out pencel or marker marks & if you need a line to do screws for beams you cant see under.. Just a few tips to help.. Hopefully 😊👍👍
Thanks Wayne, Tips are always appreciated and encouraged. We can all learn a lot from each other. I love good money saving tips because they practical and incredibly helpful. I learn a lot from people like you!
@@supersnoozer8518 That’s fantastic that you did that yourself. Well done! Thank-you for sharing your experience with us. It’s encouraging to see what you can accomplish on your own!
No kidding! I try my best to say circular saw but it takes effort. When I say "circular saw" I'm putting in maximum effort. Good to know I'm not alone! :)
Thanks for sharing - enjoyable to watch. The butyl tape is a great idea I didnt think of. Ive watched alot of deck stairs vids and no one else mentions this added touch. It looks like you've built down from the deck some blocking boards to attach the stringers to - wouldve liked to have seen how you made these strong. Curious why no deck build videos talk about keeping the stringers - and any wood - from direct contact with the concrete. Isn't this an obvious place to invite rot? Cheers from Ohio.
I used to hear 7/11 as limits to rise and run. Architects will almost always use 6 and 12 in buildings. If a person is't experienced with stairs always draw a picture with all of the measurements before starting to cut. There are several things that can cause problems such as in the video where you show the last riser being less because of the thickness of the deck boards. Riser thickness and nosing overhang has to be considered. Also there is almost always one more riser than there are treads. In this example the riser is a part of the deck itself but it has to be considered in the calculations.
Daru, I thoroughly enjoyed your impressive straightforward design and level of Craftsmanship during the installation of your desk stairs! I am confident that I can build my desk stair steps on my deck! Well done, Daru!
Props for mentioning it at all regarding the bottom riser being shorter than the rest but I thought you might have spent a little more time explaining the reason. I thought you would return to it as you were installing the treads. This is without a doubt the most common mistake people make when first building a set of stairs. If you miss it and the deck is being inspected, it will fail, so it’s important.
Thanks for taking the time to comment on this. I'll keep that in mind for next time. It's a good point. You are right in that it's the most common mistake people make. Appreciate your feedback!
@@jerrycho9869 I appreciate the support, every view and comment helps this channel grow. I’m grateful to be able to do that. It’s thanks to people like you. So it’s my pleasure to say hi.
@@DaruDhillon i really do hope your channel grows. i don't know if you read my comment about canadians and the word 'out' but i looked through 5 of your videos to hear you say it lol. i guess it was not true but really? 5 videos to hear a construction person say 'out'? i enjoyed those videos too.
I am liking your videos - thanks. In this video, at 6:23, I am wondering why you refer to your Milwaukee circular saw (as pictured in the video) as Skill saw. Do you have any Skill saws that arre not pictured in the video? Keep up the good work.
Great , showing all the steps! You didn't really explain how you set the height when you fastened the stringer connector to the deck. Important. I was prompted to click by the thumbnail. I didn't know what you were going to do with that piece of plywood in a stringer shape. Oh a template or test piece. Good idea.
I might suggest when you cut your first stringer that you use that as a template. That way all of your stringers are identical. The other thing that comes to mind was the first riser was not the same as the rest of them, this might be a tripping hazard. I did not understand why you did that. Thank you.
Them screws that your using are for composite board, I'm not sure if they would work well over time with PT. I feel like they would pull through over time when the boards start wanting to curl.
If anyone has an issue you can always face screw with them too. Haven’t seen anything but I’m a couple years in. Proper installation is key too. You don’t want to over sink these.
One small thing that makes a huge difference. Instead of using the Simpson screws in the joist hangers when fastening to the rim joist, I'd suggest using the Simpson nails. This will allow the end of the stringer to butt up against the rim joist, instead of being offset the 1/4 inch that the head of the Simpson screw pushes it away. It makes your structure a bit stronger and removes the gap for water/ice/debris to fill in, even with the tape.
Good to know your technique for installing hangers I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for sharing your tips. It’s always helpful to hear what works for you. Thanks!
@@DaruDhillon It is what works for me, but also what is code. When the end of the stringer, joist, rafter is snug up against the resting/adjoining piece, it is sturdy and secure and won't move when the structure settles. When there is a gap, it does move.
@@jmackinjersey1 I spoke with the Engineer at Simpson, the manufacturer of the hangers before making this video about screw placement and this is based on manufacturer specifications. I understand you can choose either nail or screw. Curious why your code doesn’t allow it if the manufacturer recommends it?
FRAMING SQUARE AND STAIR GUAGES‼️HOW MANY VIDEOS HAVE I WATCHED AND YOUR THE FIRST PERSON TO -NAME THE BIG RULER SCALE AD SHOW ME THOSE LITTLE MECHANICAL GUAGES CALLED STAIR GUAGES🤣‼️WELL IM GLAD MY SEARCHING HATH LEAD ME HERE TO THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE!! GRASSHOPPER WILL SIT AGAIN AND TAKE MORE NOTES! THANK YOU!! To the SMIIIIILE THAT KNOWS!!
Til now I ws struggling having watched several tuition videos. When I watched yours I stopped looking. Very good instructions and easy the keep up although you do talk a little quick, 5 stars from me
Thanks for watching and I appreciate the feedback. I’m always listening and your thoughts are encouraged and valued. Good on you for taking on this project!
PS I SUBSCRIBED! Going to have to watch again-( learning so much! Now I know what my grandfather used that tool for! Checking the Overhang on his Brick Stairs he made! ( he and his Dad helped to Rebuild the Portland Head Lighthouse in Maine! WAAAY back when!!
After determining the "total rise", you then first determine the total number of risers (not treads) required. The preferable riser height based upon ergonomic analysis, is 7.2". (so, 7-1/4" is close enough). Similarly, the preferable tread "depth" is 10", plus a 1" nose (so 11" overall with a 1" overlap nose-to-tread). You should never allow yourself to "cheat" with regard to those dimensions as they have been proven through ergonomic studies to be the most efficient as well as safe in terms of avoiding tripping whether proceeding up or down stairs. "Closed" risers are also advisable since they prevent accidental tripping through when a foot slips through when climbing the stairs. For stairs constructed using wood stringers, rather than cutting (and thus weakening the stringers through the removal of "beam" depth and greater exposure of the wood fiber structure to eventual water and dry rot infiltration, it is preferable/advisable to utilize full-depth risers to which galvanized angle clips are attached to the inside faces to support the treads. Alternately, you can utilize 4x (thickness) wood stringers and mortise the treads (as tenons) into the inside faces of the stringers. When you mortise the treads in, you first treat the mortises with a waterproofing material (e.g., Henrys 208, or similar) and then insert the tread tenons. You can then screw (or nail) fasten from the underside by toe-nailing(screwing) at a 45 degree angle from the tread into the stringer, or (better) by using LONG deck screws through the outside face of the stringer into the ends of each tread tenon.
Nome of this is necessary. Cut stringers are fully compatible with building codes. And as for riser height, you're never going to be able go get that perfect 7.25 inch rise for every step. Your riser height will depend on your total rise, of which you have no control.
@@Wowzersdude-k5c Granted - cut stringers are allowed by building codes - I have cut/framed many hundreds of stairs using cut stringers. However, the application of cut stringers is best confined to interior conditions where adverse weathering and/or fungal infestation will not occur. Cut wood surfaces running across the grain are far less resilient to water and/or fungal infestation than are finished (e.g., SRS) or rough (e.g., re-sawn) running with the grain. As for control of rise, you often times have more control of rise outdoors than indoors via controlling the ground elevation, which oftentimes can be graded out/adjusted to improve stair design and construction.
What's are the requirements for the bottom and top connections for the stairs? How do you attach top of the stairs e.g. to the concrete patio? Do you always have to pour cement pad to attach the stairs on the bottom?
The requirement is to use the hangers in the video. In my area you can have a poured concrete pad or pavers. Check your local building code to see what’s required for your area. Thanks
Great video! Question - doesn't the offset of the screw-head (used to attached adjustable stringer bracket to ledger board/rim) end up creating a 1/4 inch "longer" run for the top stair?
Most of what I saw I already knew. The joist tape is VERY important and pressure treated does not mean it won't rot so anything you can do to slow down the rot ( water is the main culprit ) will reward you down the road
At least an inch noising overhang for adequate heel space when building a deck. Cut the bottom of the first riser, ground contact riser, the thickness of the material you'll be using for your treads, if it's different from your decking material. Measure your overall rise at the point where the stringers contact the ground. If you understand how to calculate rafter lengths, you can use the same method to get exact stair stringer lengths and very specifically placed stair stringers, if needed.
Your tread lenght on the stringer is dependant on what you want you use for the actual tread and tread over hang. And your thickness of the riser unless your not using a riser .
Yes. You can enter all that information into the online stringer calculator shown in the video to get thoes exact numbers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this!
What fasteners should I be using for the stair stringer hanger? I have plenty of hangers, but do I use flathead screws to attach to the joist or it looked like you used a hex head screw or bolt on the outside connecting the stringer to the hanger.
@@Copperspd_382 the fasteners have to be the same as in the video. They are both linked in the description box. You can also use the nails that are listed on the stringer hanger description. The fasteners are galvanized the hex head screws.
I like the program overall. At approximately 4.43 min in, I must have missed the measurement fot the "little bit "mark before you started making the cuts for the steps.
@@legoc3671 these are pressure treated if you sand them they will be a different color than the rest of the deck. PT goes lighter in color when sanded.
These screws usually are installed at a 45 degree angle. I haven’t had any issue securing at a 90. If it’s a concern you should use deck screws face screwed. Thanks for sharing your concerns, it’s good to hear from you.
@@ChuckNorris-lf8nt when I take off the gauges at the top to draw the line I’m creating a 90 degree angle. That top part of the stringer will attach to the deck. The bottom line or 90 degree angle will create the base of your stringer that will sit on your concrete pad. You can draw it out on cardboard or paper beforehand so it makes sense.
