# Angled stringers for deck stairs



## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Ese,
Lay some of the boards out on a flat surface and line up the three treads like in the pic to form one complete row. Let the boards overlap at the joints. Measure the length of the seam (miter joint) where they overlap and deduct the nosing overhang. That is your run length when you go to lay out your stringer. Rise will be the same everywhere along the step. Lay out your stringer and check for fit. The other stringers that are perpendicular to the face of the deck will be layed out traditionally using rise and run of the actual treadwidth minus the nosing. Make sense?
Mike Hawkins


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

I did mine exactly how Mike suggested.

I just have to tighten up the joints in a few risers and I'm all done.

Oh, and I have to stain the rim joist the same colour as the stairs.


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

Here is a sketch from decks.com.


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## eselick (Jul 6, 2012)

Thanks for the ideas. I'm wondering whether to use 2 stringers at each joint with angled cuts on the vertical parts. Looked at together from the top the angles formed by the 2 stringers would exactly match the joint.
I don't see how you would get a good screwing surface for the risers if there's only one stringer. Hope this is clear.


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## eselick (Jul 6, 2012)

Bill, could use post the url to the article/image at decks.com


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

No it is very clear. You could use two stringers at each corner as you described and I considered that method. But I used one stringer and sistered 2X lumber on to each side of the stringer to secure the treads and risers. 

Here is the link to the deck.com info. It provides a great starting point, but lacks the detail like you are asking about.
http://www.decks.com/Deckbuilding/Building_a_Cascading_Staircase

Cheers.


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Moved to Construction forum.


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

on the two outer corner stringers it is sort of like a hip/val situation on a roof. without getting to complicated it is probably best to just layout your stairs on a piece of plywood or any flat surface so you can figure out the corner stringer dimensions.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

eselick said:


> Hi
> I've built stair stringers before but never had to deal with the following design which has 3 sections meeting at unusual angles. I need some ideas on how to calculate the stringers where the sections meet. I believe I need 2 stringers at each joint. Here's a Sketchup rendering of the stairs (no stringers yet).
> 
> 
> ...


Elliot,

Here's a link to a thread with a drawing I made a few years ago about stairs like yours. Hope this helps.

This is from that link.

*If you have a 10" run for your tread, you can scribe a 10" line on a 2x12 or a piece of plywood. Take your speedsquare and set it at 22.5° and scribe a line from the bottom of the 2x12 or plywood up to the 10" line and that will read 10-13/16". That's the run on your hip stringers.*

http://www.contractortalk.com/f50/stringer-techniques-43667/index2/#post483537


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

Also read this thread. Might be helpful.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f50/aussie-stairs-american-style-43998/


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## eselick (Jul 6, 2012)

Thanks Joe - this really gets into the nitty grity


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## drtbk4ever (Dec 29, 2008)

Wish I had seen that before doing mine.


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## eselick (Jul 6, 2012)

I saw an interesting post at 
http://www.contractortalk.com/f50/need-help-advice-triagle-angle-steps-like-_-114553/
The pictures there show no angled stringers, just blocking/platforms between the regular ones. This seems like a lot less work and I thought about doing it like this.









I don't think you'd need a lot of support to hold up the section joints but I'm concerned about moisture getting in between the two flat layers and the wood rotting.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?


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