Hanging Stairs to a Deck

Planning the Deck Stairs

• Choose the location of your new deck stairs wisely. Check that the landing area for the deck stairs is level and that it corresponds with your local building codes. Building permits may also be required in some areas.

Components

• Deck staircases consist of stringers, treads, risers and blocking. Stringers are the jagged-shaped supports that form the framework of the staircase and determine the rise and run of the structure. Treads are the steps on which you walk, and risers are the panels that fill the spaces between the treads. The size of the treads and risers is also determined by the staircase stringers. Blocking is the placement of decking boards as additional support in key areas.

Tools

• To hang a new deck staircase, you will need a selection of woodworking and carpentry tools. A circular saw is used to make the straight and even cuts necessary for a stable staircase. A level and framing square will help keep things plumb and precise, and a tape measure and calculator will make the task of determining the staircase rise and run simple. A jigsaw should be used to make fine cuts and to finish the notches where a table saw cannot reach, and a screw gun/drill is all you will need to fasten everything together.

Hang from the Rim Joist

• Most deck stairs are hung from the rim joist that runs around the edge of the decking surface. To hang the stairs, an extension is added to the bottom edge of the rim joist so that the first step of the staircase can drop in elevation sufficiently to match all the others. This extension or framing piece should be screwed into place on the deck post supports so that it sits flush with the surface of the rim joist. The top end of the stringers should then be cut to sit flush against the surface of the framing piece. The stringers can then be fastened into place against the framing piece with long screws. The screws should be driven through the rear of the framing piece and into the stringers, and metal angle brackets should be installed along the inside edge of the stringers where they meet the framing piece for extra support.

Hang from the Framework

• To reinforce your deck staircase, consider using the rim joist and the next joist in line as a dual support system. To do so requires that three pieces of 2-by-8 inch blocking be placed between the outermost joist and the next in line. The blocking should be spaced to fit the placement of the stringer layout. The staircase stringer should then be cut with an extra extension at its top end. The extension should be measured and cut to fit between the two joists, beside the blocking you installed. Drive screws through the side of the stringer and into the blocking for a sturdy deck staircase.