Deck Stairs Question

[JayStPeter]

Wow, lots of deck questions lately. I guess I'm not the only one who said "I'll do it next spring".

My question is attaching stairs to my deck. The main frame of my deck is 2x8. I want to attach stairs coming directly off one side of the deck. But, I want the top step to be the deck itself. With around 7" rise per stair, there is only 1/2" to attach a stringer. What is the usual method for dealing with this?

Thanks,

Jay

[Tim Morton]

somehow, and trust me I didn't plan it this way, I ended up with 2 footings in the right place and the right height to place an add'l 2x6 under my main rim joist which allowed me to hang my stringer from that. again pictures to follow if I find my camera.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Jay,

What we have done to get around this problem is to either make the first step the same height as the deck and use the stringers or we mount a beam to two posts where the steps will mount. It means more posts, but the stairs are VERY solid this way.

[JayStPeter]

Well, that's what I was afraid of. More digging and cement this weekend. I knew things were going too smooth.

Jay

[Lee Schierer]

Bolt short lengths of 4 X 4 on the back of your side frame where your stringers need to be. Let them hang down far enough to attach the stringers. Run the stringers back under the edge of the frame and attach them to the short 4 X 4's with bolts. Use 2 X 12 for your stringers.

[Bob Hovde]

Rethink your requirement for the deck to be the top step. If the first step sticks out level with the deck, it gives you a lot of choices for attaching under that step.

Bob

[JayStPeter]

Lee,

I'm probably going to do something like you suggest. I actually thought out having the main support posts near the stairs. They are in the correct place, just 6" back. So, I'll probably bolt some 4x4s to the joists and header for the stringers to attach to. I'll probably lag a spacer to the main posts and bolt through there as well.

Bob,

That was my first thought also. But, I'm using plastic railings. The extra posts and railing pieces I'd need to add the extra step at the top would be expensive and probably not look great in the end. I did a lot of design work to minimize waste of all the composite I'm using. I optomized post placements and deck board layout to minimise waste. It's costing me extra in framing, but at this point that's only around 25% of the materials cost.

Jay

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Jay...you can use 2x6's or 4x4's....put them behind the joist face you want the steps to meet and space them at 16" apart from edge to edge. You can then attach to them another 2x8 under the one you want to join, creating a new mounting surface for the stringers. Bolt them in from behind using lags. Next, attach a 2x4 or 2x6 mounted horizontally underneath the stringers for added support.