The owner of this house in Ipswich asked me to design and build a set of stairs from the deck to the rear patio. We decided on a straight run as the best option for affordability and use of space. We began work a week ago and finished today, shown in the before and after photos below. I’ll return later in the summer to apply UV-protective solid stain to the pressure-treated wood, allowing it time to dry. Thanks to Tim Gillette for his assistance and workmanship!
Construction details:
- Treads have a 7 7/16″ rise and 10″ run, with 1″ nose
- The deck has 2″ x 6″ joists with a 2′ cantilever, so it was necessary to provide additional support for the upper end of the stairs with posts on Sonotubes.
- We replaced the balusters on the deck railing, adding 4″ to bring it up to code.
- The additional hand grip seen on the left is required on stairs.
- All components are mechanically attached : joist hangers, ledgerlock bolts, trimhead stainless screws on risers, painted deck screws for treads.
- Design and construction meet or exceed the 2009 International Building Code and the DCA-6 Prescriptive Deck Construction Guide.
Hardware used on this job:
FastenMaster FMTRD212-75 Trio 2.5 in. Brown Ultimate Deck Screw – 75 Pack
FastenMaster FMHLGM412-250 HeadLOK Heavy-Duty Flathead Fastener, 4-1/2 Inches, 250-Count
FastenMaster FMLL358-50 LedgerLOK Ledger Board Fastener, 3-5/8 Inches, 50-Count
Gordon Harris 