A landing is the space between two flights of stairs, designed to provide a place for people to gather and rest while they wait for others to reach the same height. A landing provides one step lower than the next stair, making it easy for people who are carrying things like luggage or baby strollers. You can build a small landing from scratch simply by building up a small platform that leads into your house. To build a small landing with stairs, follow these steps: 1.Use 2X4s for the foundation of your landing. 2 X 4s are strong enough to support the floor above and make sure your staircase will last for years to come. 2. Measure the distance between two consecutive steps on your staircase and cut two pieces of 2×4 at this length; these will be known as stringer boards because they form the frame of your landing.
A small landing with stairs allows you to easily access a second floor or loft area without having to go up or down multiple steps. Adding a landing to your home is easy, but there are a few important things you should know before you begin.
Building a landing with stairs is one of those projects that seems daunting at first, but really isn’t all that bad. There are some simple formulas and calculations you need to know and then if you can read a tape measure, use a framing square and handle basic carpentry tasks, this project isn’t going to be too difficult. The rewards are great though. You’re going to get more outdoor living space to enjoy, plus the added benefit of easier traffic flow between levels if you only have one set of stairs right now. Let’s get started.
Gather the tools and materials you need
- A pencil, tape measure, and level.
- A hammer and nails.
- A circular saw.
- A jigsaw.
- A drill with screwdriver bits (if you’re using screws instead of nails).
- Power saws (electric or battery-operated): a miter saw, reciprocating saw and router can all be used to cut through the wood you need in order to build your landing. If you have access to a table saw, this will make your job easier as it is much more accurate than any hand tool will ever be! Not having one shouldn’t stop you though. With the right measurements and planning ahead of time, you can still get things done with just some basic equipment available at home depot like lumber yard stores in town here in Canada go too sometimes too check out what they may have available as well before heading over there just keep these things mind when building anything made from wood because it only takes an hour or so maybe less depending on how many stairs are needed for that particular project being undertaken.
Determine how big your landing will be
To determine how big you need to make your landing, take into account several things:
- The size of your door (the larger it is, the more room you’ll need for a landing)
- How many steps you’ll need to go up from the ground level (the fewer steps you have, the bigger your landing will be)
- How big each step needs to be (be sure that there’s enough space for everyone who will use them)
- What kind of wood or metal railing you prefer (this can also affect how wide and tall each step needs to be)
Calculate the height of each step
Once you’ve decided how many stairs you want to build, it’s time to figure out how to calculate the size of each step. Calculating the size of your steps is a two-step process: first, calculate the rise (vertical distance between treads), and then multiply that by the tread depth (horizontal distance between treads).
To start with, let’s determine our desired rise. The general rule here is that each riser should be no more than seven inches tall—a height easily achievable on even the shortest staircase landings. If you’re unsure what size riser works best for your staircase, keep some notes on previous projects and see what worked well for them before deciding on an exact measurement for this one.
Once we’ve decided on our desired riser height (seven inches), it’s time to move onto calculating our tread depth. Although this number may vary depending upon whether or not there are handrails present as well as where they will be located along either side of our landing area, generally speaking we’ll want both steps going up AND down from one another so that people don’t have any trouble navigating around them during their journey through this space together.
Figure out how many stairs you need
You’ll need to determine how many stairs you need for your landing. This will depend on the width of your landing, as well as its height and length. If you have a small house or plan to use this area exclusively for storage, then fewer stairs are needed. On the other hand, if you plan on using it as an extra sitting space or entertaining area by adding some seating options such as chairs and tables nearby, then more steps may be necessary so people can comfortably move around without bumping into each other or tripping over something when walking into the house from outside.
You should also consider how many people will be using this section of your home before buying materials like lumber because they aren’t cheap! Also remember that if possible—before beginning construction—buy all necessary building materials before starting work so there won’t be any delays later down the line (and we know how frustrating delays can be)! The last thing anyone wants is having weeks go by with nothing happening because someone forgot something crucial like paint brushes or tarps for protecting surfaces from getting dirty during construction work.
Calculate the rise of each stair
The second step is to calculate the rise of each stair. Rise is the vertical distance between the bottom of one step and the top of the next. The total run (which is much easier to calculate than a rise) is simply equal to all risers multiplied by their respective treads, added together. Rise, run, and tread can be expressed in inches or millimetres by using general proportions:
You can find these expressions online or use an online calculator such as this one from [builderonline](https://www-static.builderonline.com/in/images/articles/image4_2x_large.jpg). If you’re not up for doing that math on your own and calculating it by hand isn’t your thing either, there are free slope calculation apps available too.
Decide on a tread depth
You should decide on a tread depth, which is the distance from the top of the stair to the bottom of the tread. Tread depths are usually around 11-15 inches, but this can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you have a disability or injury that affects your balance, having a wider tread may help you feel more secure when stepping up and down stairs.
If you have younger children who are not yet able to navigate stairs independently, it may also be helpful for them if their steps aren’t too high—keeping in mind that their feet will grow with time.
Cut the stringers for your stairs
It’s time to cut the stringers for your stairs. If you don’t have any tools, use a handsaw. If you’re not familiar with that tool and don’t want to buy it, just go ahead and use a circular saw or reciprocating saw. You can also use a miter saw or jigsaw for this task if those are available in your garage or workshop.
It’s important that all of these cuts line up perfectly, so make sure that whoever is doing this step has their eye on the prize (which is obviously making sure everything lines up).
Align the stringers and attach them to the deck frame
- Attach the stringers to the deck frame with deck screws.
- Use a level to ensure that the stringers are level.
- Use a carpenter’s square to ensure that the stringers are perpendicular to the deck frame.
Measure, cut and install treads and risers
Measure, cut and install treads and risers
Measure the width of your landing and add 3/4″ to 1-1/2″ on each end (this is called “toe rubbing”). The total length of the treads will be divided by the number of stairs you want (typically 10 or 12) to get the length of your riser. You can use a circular saw to make straight cuts but a table saw will make cleaner cuts. The depth of each riser should be about 1/4″. Cut only half as many risers as you have steps so that you don’t waste wood. For example: If you have 12 stairs then cut six sets of risers at this point. To assemble them later we suggest using glue just in case moisture gets under these pieces while they’re sitting in place on your deck or patio surface area since they’ll typically be exposed out there during use seasonally at least once per year if not more often than that depending upon how often family members visit their property during summer months when temperatures rise above 80 degrees Fahrenheit regularly throughout most days without stopping until after sunset time falls upon us all–so pack up those plastic cups full o’ beer bottles now before it gets too late tonight.
Attach skirt boards to create a finished look
Once the stringers are attached to the landing and stairs, you can attach the skirt boards to create a finished look. Skirt boards are simply boards that cover up the ends of each stringer and provide a clean look for your deck. They can be made from any material you like, including cedar and pine planks of various lengths. These materials will need to be painted or stained so that they match the deck you’re building, though it’s also possible to stain them with a darker color than what’s already been used on your decking materials if desired.
Building a landing with stairs is not too difficult.
Building a landing with stairs is not too difficult, but it will require more time and effort than simply hanging a railing. Before you begin the project, make sure that you have all of the necessary tools and materials. You’ll want to start off by building a simple frame for the landing using wood or metal boards. You should be able to find this type of material at your local hardware store. Once your frame is built, attach it to both sides of your staircase with screws or bolts so that it’s stable enough for people to walk on without any risk of falling through.
Final words
The most important thing to remember when building a landing with stairs is that you should have fun. Keep an eye out for flying boards and nails, but also enjoy the process of creating your space, and make sure you do it safely. Happy building.
