Building a staircase inside the house is a challenging task. You need to understand the basics of stair building before starting this job. Building stairs inside the house is a great way to add storage space, or even just create an interesting design feature. The most important thing when building a set of stairs inside your home is that you choose materials that are both strong enough and flexible enough to cope with the weight of people using them every day.
A staircase can very well be the first thing that guests notice when they enter your home, so you want to make sure it’s beautiful and in good repair. If you’re thinking of replacing an old set of stairs or building one from scratch, it helps to know the basic process involved. Here are some steps you’ll need to take before getting started:
Measure the total rise, or vertical distance from floor to floor.
- Measure the total rise, or vertical distance from floor to floor. The rise is the distance between the leading edges of two successive treads, or steps. The run is the horizontal distance between the leading edges of two successive treads.
- Determine if you will use a straight flight or curved flight of stairs. A straight stair has risers cut at 90 degrees and a constant pitch throughout its length; it’s common in homes with open floor plans (for example, an open concept kitchen-dining-living room) since it allows for more walking space in these rooms. A curved stair has risers cut at an angle (usually less than 45 degrees), which makes it easier to navigate when transitioning from one level to another: they’re usually used in multi-level housing situations like duplexes and triplexes where there are more people living within close proximity than could fit on a straight set of stairs without bumping into each other all day long.
Divide the total rise by the number of steps to determine the number of risers needed.
Divide the total rise by the number of steps to determine the number of risers needed. For example, if you have an 8″ rise divided into six steps, then each step would be 1.33″. The riser height should be a whole number and evenly divisible by the tread depth. It’s also important to use a material that is suitable for its purpose: for example, concrete may not be suitable as it can crack over time in cold weather climates like Canada or Norway; alternatively, steel stairs can last longer than concrete but are much heavier and harder to work with (and thus more expensive).
Calculate the length of each riser and tread.
Calculate the length of each riser and tread. The rise is the vertical distance from the top of one step to the next, while the run is the horizontal distance from the front edge of one step to the front edge of the next. The sum of these two measurements equals total rise.
Cut a square-end notch in stringers that are 2x8s because they’re long enough and strong enough to support risers with no problem. Measure up 4 inches from both ends, then mark two spots where you want your steps to be located by marking them at 1 inch intervals with a pencil (so you can see them). Draw diagonal lines between these points, then cut off any excess wood with your saw so they just fit inside between strings.
Mark the length and width of the initial stringer.
- Mark the length and width of the initial stringer. The stringer is the side that connects each stair tread and riser, so it’s important to measure carefully. Measure from one end of your stairs to find out how far apart they are going to be, then use a tape measure or ruler to measure from your last stair tread up to where you want your new stairs to start.
- The stringer should ideally be no less than 16 inches wide—any narrower would feel unstable underfoot when walking up or down stairs. If you’re building a set of narrow stairs (for example, if you only want two steps), make sure that whatever material you choose can withstand being cut into pieces without cracking or splintering too much—and take extra care when installing any trimming around edges as well.
- To ensure maximum stability while climbing up or down each step, we recommend using 2×6 lumber for each rung; this will ensure that there isn’t too much stress put on any individual section while trying not only avoid falling off but also avoiding getting hurt during construction process itself because everyone knows construction means injury potential everywhere so don’t forget about safety first.
Cut one end of each 2 x 12 stringer at a 45-degree angle, then cut another angle connecting to the existing cut. This is called a square cut. Be sure to use a square.
The next step is to cut the stringer to length. If you want the steps to go into a wall, make sure you account for this when selecting your lumber. The stringer should be 1/2 inch longer than the opening in which it will reside, allowing room for shims on each side of the stringer (these will be installed later).
If you’re building stairs that go up against an exterior wall, measure up from floor level and mark where your edge beams need to be positioned on either side of your doorway or other opening. Then measure down from those marks and mark where each step needs to end on each edge beam.
Now it’s time for some math:
Measure across both stringers using a tape measure and add together these measurements—this gives us our total width of stairway we’re creating here at 36 inches including any overhang or railing material (if applicable) so make sure this fits within space available so as not risk damaging siding with protruding nails etc., especially if doing outside steps.
Cut an identical square cut on both ends of all but one stringer.
Before you can begin to assemble the stairs, you’ll need to cut an identical square cut on both ends of all but one stringer. The cut should be at a 45 degree angle to the stringer and should be perpendicular to the ground. Additionally, it must be made using a square and should have its length equal to half of your desired stairway’s rise (the vertical distance between two steps).
Use these to mark out all other stringers.
Use the same cuts to mark out all other stringers. With a square, check that the stringers are square, plumb and perpendicular to the ground.
Mark plumb cuts on the two outside stringers where they will meet the deck frame. These cuts are perpendicular (square) with the ground and allow for proper drainage of water off the stairs.
Mark plumb cuts on the two outside stringers where they will meet the deck frame. These cuts are perpendicular (square) with the ground and allow for proper drainage of water off the stairs.
These cuts are made on the outside of the stair, so you will be using a framing square to mark the cuts. You’ll want to keep in mind that you’ll need enough room on either side so that when you install new decking boards, there’s still enough space for them to be level with each other or slightly higher than your existing deck steps.
The first step is to make sure that all four stringer pieces are flush with one another and then use a framing square as a guide for marking your cut marks onto each stringer piece individually (we recommend starting from one end). After making these marks for both ends of each stringer piece, remove them from their frames temporarily (you can re-use them later).
Use ripped boards for treads, tread supports and landings if desired, or purchase pre-cut stair treads from your local home improvement center.
You can make your own stair treads by ripping boards or purchasing pre-cut stair treads at your local home improvement center. Stair treads are typically wider than stringers, so they should be ripped at a width that works with the width of your stringer material.
You’ll want to make sure the stair tread is made of more flexible materials than the stringer material you’ll use for your steps. For example, if you’re building an exterior deck using pressure-treated lumber for support beams and joists, it’s best to use pressure-treated plywood as a surface for your stairs because this material is softer than pressure-treated lumber and won’t splinter as easily.
There are many stapes that you need to follow in order to build a stairs inside the house
The first thing that you need to do is calculate the rise of your stairs. This is the height from one step to the next. Use a measuring tape or level to measure from floor level (at the base of your staircase) up to where you want your first step to be and write down this measurement in feet and inches.
Once you have measured out how high each step should be, it’s time to figure out how many risers are going to fit between each tread—that’s the distance between two steps! If there isn’t enough room for an even number of risers and treads, then just make sure that it fits within whatever measurements were set as limitations by whoever built or remodeled this house originally.
The next thing you need is a string line! String lines are used while building stairs so they can easily see where they need cut any lumber based on those measurements (and so many other reasons!). So pick up some string at your local hardware store—it doesn’t matter what kind – just make sure that it’s long enough for all parts of construction without leaving too much slack behind after cutting pieces off later during installation.
Measurements for stringer: Cut 2×12 boards into lengths equal length as initial stringer plus ten inches (this will help stabilize structure). Also mark initial stringer width at center point across top edge; mark top edge lengthwise along four sides using same distance apart in feet/inches as rise being built (i.e., if rise was 7″ then mark off 7′). Mark bottom edge lengthwise along four sides using same distance apart in feet/inches as drop being built (i.e., if drop was 6″ then mark off 6′). Measure width across bottom face with ruler: divide by 12ths equals amount needed per riser width plus two slats extra wide end-to-end width allowance per section seat board needs cut lengthwise into thirds lengthwise marks made earlier will allow easier.
Final words
The main thing to remember when building stairs is that you will be going up and down them several times a day. It is therefore important that they are carefully planned and built well. As with any project, proper planning is the key to success when it comes to building stairways. With this in mind, we hope this guide helps you plan your next staircase construction project.
