How to Build Steps Using Home Depot Risers

Measure the width of the staircase from the outer edges of the stair stringers running up both sides of the stairway, using with a tape measure. Next, measure the rise of the step, from the base of the step along the stringer to the top of the step area of the stringer, flush with the base at the next level. Measure each step individually before cutting each stringer to fit.

Mark the measurements you took in Step 1 on a Home Depot riser. Use one edge of the riser as the bottom edge of your measurement and one side of the riser as a side for your measurement to limit your cuts to only two. Mark the top cutting line along the length of the riser, placing a carpenter’s square against the riser side to create a straight guideline to make your mark with a pencil. Mark the width of the step onto the riser in the same way, placing the carpenter’s square onto the base of the stair to guide you in making a line across the shorter width of the riser with the pencil.

Place the riser onto a table saw platform with a marked line aligned with the saw blade. Cut the riser along the line, then realign the riser with the second marked line and cut it again, finishing the riser.

Place the riser vertically across the stringers. The top of the riser should fit flush with the top of the step so you can place the stair tread over the riser. Nail the riser into place against the stringers on both sides using finish nails and a hammer. Place a nail through each riser corner into the stringer, with an additional nail in the center, between the corners.

Continue by following Steps 1 through 4 for each riser on the staircase.