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help with stringers

bstcrpntr | Posted in Construction Techniques on June 23, 2008 12:59pm

I have built lots of stairs. Even a few winder sets. Some with many different landings. I have not, however, built the kind I need in a few years and have myself flustered. I know this is something easy that I am missing here.

The picture below shows one of the many corners I have on this deck.  We are doing stairs all the way along the outside 77 feet of the deck.  Some places require 3 treads some  only 1. 

All angles are a 45. Doesn’t that mean that the “corner” stringers are at a 22 1/2.  I cant seem to figure my tread length on a 10″ run stringer.

I know it’s easy and I know I’ve done this before, but I cant wrap my head around it.

Anyone got a formula or something to help a fella out?  Hell, at this point i’d settle for the answer.

Thanks in advance!

The bad news is you’ve done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

  “IdahoDon  1/31/07”

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Replies

  1. User avater
    coonass | Jun 23, 2008 01:58am | #1

    bst,

    I would just cut a 22.5º on a 10" scrap and measure. I'm getting too old to think.

    KK

    1. User avater
      bstcrpntr | Jun 23, 2008 02:05am | #2

      That would work, to easy. Thanks! Would still like to remember the math on this. I may do it that way though.The bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

        "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

  2. steven4077 | Jun 23, 2008 03:57am | #3

    Multiply your common tread by 1.4166, that will be the short point of the riser.

    I just add blocks to the side if you need nailing for a riser.

    The only way I remember it is like a hip rafter divide 17 by 12, not sure how or why it works but it does.

    NAIL  IT !!!

    1. User avater
      bstcrpntr | Jun 23, 2008 06:01am | #4

      Isn't that for a 45? which would make it a 90 degree corner.  Built the first set that way and it turned a 90 not a 45. Am I making sense or talking in circles to myself? 

      I don't want to add blocks or anything like that. Nothing personal. this is for a retired contractor who is partnered in other business with a different contractor I know that recommended me since he was busy.  This is a circle I want to be in, great contacts for this area.The bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

        "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

  3. dovetail97128 | Jun 23, 2008 07:24am | #5

    5/12 on a framing sq. is very close. (22.62 deg.)

    Lay out a 5/12 triangle with a 10" run, measure the diagonal.

    Dig out your construction master calc and run it.

    Use A*+B*=C* (*=squared)

    They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
  4. Framer | Jun 23, 2008 07:33am | #6

    Anyone got a formula or something to help a fella out?  Hell, at this point i'd settle for the answer.

    This is from another thread.

    Think of it as an Octagon roof, you run your normal/common stringers and then you run your angled/Octagon hip stringers. An Octagon hip runs at 67.5°

    The run would be figure like an Octagon run in plan view. Whatever the rise is over 13 if your tread was 12". If your tread was 10", the run would be 10-13/16".

    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.

    If you have a construction master calculator with trig you can do this.

    67.5 [Pitch]

    10 [Inch] [Rise]

    [Diag] = 10-13/16" (Stringer run)

    Or.

    10 [÷] 22.5 [Cos] = 10.82392" or 10-13/16"

    Joe Carola
    1. User avater
      bstcrpntr | Jun 23, 2008 02:27pm | #7

      Heading out now to try it. Thank you.The bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

        "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

    2. User avater
      bstcrpntr | Jun 27, 2008 05:21am | #8

      Thanks for the tip.  Seemed to help a bit.  I got it done ysterday.  Here is the final result.  We also did the fence you can see in the background.

      View ImageThe bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

        "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

      1. DougU | Jun 28, 2008 03:53am | #9

        bst

        Steps look good!  Well done

        1. User avater
          bstcrpntr | Jun 28, 2008 04:40am | #10

          Thank you!  It was a good challenge, and quite enjoyable in the end.The bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

            "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

          1. User avater
            dieselpig | Jun 28, 2008 06:10am | #11

            Yeah, that deck really looks great man.  I love that look.  Here in MA they'd make me ruin it by puttin a railing up on any of those stair sets over three risers.  It's ridiculous and totally trashes the look of a lot of decks/porches.  Especially on front farmer's porches. (My own in fact, but that's another story!)  Anyway.... great looking work.View Image

      2. User avater
        dedhed6b | Jun 28, 2008 03:26pm | #12

        Looks ausume and definitly a good challange,but L question the design. Seems like a lot of wasted space for the time and money put into it.

        1. User avater
          bstcrpntr | Jun 28, 2008 06:22pm | #13

          They gave me a general idea of what they wanted and I went with it.  I am not terribly concerned with the wasted space or them spendign extra money to  lose that space.  Sometimes I just give customers what they want.  Thay have a long term plan for the whole side yard we were working in, I belive this fits into that plan.  Thanks for the compliment .The bad news is you've done exactly the right things to be exactly where you are today.   

            "IdahoDon  1/31/07"

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