QA

How To Cut Stairs

What is the formula for cutting stairs?

You divide the height by 7 inches; if, say, the floor-to-floor distance is 8 feet, 10 inches (or 106 inches), then you’ll need 15 treads (106 divided by 7 equals 15.14). Next, you divide the height by the number of treads (15 into 106), producing the exact tread height (7.06 inches).

What angle do you cut stair stringers?

Your total run is the horizontal distance between the top and the bottom of the stairs. How far the stairs stick out can vary depending on your needs, but keep in mind that stairs should usually be at an angle of about 40 degrees.

What saw to use to cut stair treads?

The best way to cut both interior and exterior stair treads is to use a circular saw. Stair treads can be cut with a circular saw. Measure the length of the space where the tread will be installed.

What is the standard step height for stairs?

Riser Heights In the United States, the step height standard should be between 7 or 7 ¾ inches at the most, and no less than 4 inches. You should follow other measurements if given by local building codes. In Canada, the maximum step riser height is 8 ¼ inches.

Are stair stringers 2×10 or 2×12?

It is acceptable and within building code guidelines to use either 2×10 or 2×12 dimensional lumber to create a set of stairs; however, a stair stringer should not be less than 3.5 inches wide at its narrowest point to provide adequate strength for the load the stairs will be supporting.

How do you calculate the angle of stairs?

If using a trigonometry table, calculate the quotient of the rise divided by the run, then look up the arctan value for that number in degrees. That will be the stair angle.

Are stairs 45 degrees?

No matter what the measurements are, the angle between them (treads and risers) will be maintained at 90 degrees. For example, if you were crazy and built a staircase with a 12 inch tread and riser, then the angle of the stringer to the floor would be 45 degrees. A more common angle is about 37 degrees.

Can you cut stair treads with a circular saw?

Cutting the tread to depth with a circular saw is fine but you’ll probably want to set up some sort of fence or jig to accurately guide the cut – simply clamping a scrap board on the tread to guide the saw works wonders.

What is the most comfortable angle for stairs?

Stair codes and guidelines prefer an angle of around 37° for normal stairways (the green area in our illustration) and around 7° for ramps (the yellow area in our illustration). Steeper slopes or angles are permitted for stepladders in certain applications as you can see in the illustration.

What is a comfortable step height?

Rule one says that rise plus run (r+R) should equal 18 inches. Why? That’s what most people find to be a comfortable stride on most stairs. You can cheat a bit up or down, but below 17” and more than 19” will result in steps that require strides either too big or too small for most people.

Is an 8 inch step too high?

Building codes in many areas define maximum step height and minimum tread width, but in areas where it is not defined, Council of American Building Officials and International Code Council both recommend the rise to be no more than 7.75 inches and runs to be no less than 10 inches.

What is a floating staircase?

What are Floating Stairs? Floating stairs are a type of straight staircase that is self-supported. Because of the self-supported design a floating staircase requires no extra support between the underside of the staircase and the floor below or a wall.

Can I make stringers out of 2×10?

Pressure-treated or cedar 2×10 or 2×12 can be used depending on the depth of the cut-outs you’ll be using. By code you will need a minimum of 3-1/2″ of material left on the stringer after the cut-outs and that area should also be free of large knots which would weaken the stringer.

What size lumber are stair stringers cut from?

Selecting stringer stock Stringers should always be cut from 2x12s. Notching smaller stock doesn’t leave enough wood to safely carry the loads of a stair. When ordering stringers, allow about 14 inches of stringer length for each step. Look for straight stock with as few knots as possible.

How far apart should stair stringers be?

Deck stairs are typically made from 2 x 12 stringers spaced about 12 to 16 inches apart. They rest on a solid foundation and are attached to the deck with hangers. They have risers (also called toe kicks), treads and railings. The stairs should be at least 36 inches wide.

How do you calculate slope length of stairs?

How To Calculate Slope Of Staircase Measure the distance of treads (Exclude the width of nosing). If all the treads are uniform in size, measure one tread otherwise you will need to measure all treads. Measure the height of risers. Divide the riser height by the tread width and then calculate the inverse tangent.

What angle of stairs is too steep?

The angle of the staircase should sit comfortably between 30-40 degrees, with some stairs going up to 50 degrees and other stairs going down to 20 degrees. The higher the degree, the steeper the stairs. For our purposes, we’ll label anything past 50 degrees as too steep.

What pitch should a staircase be?

Rise (r) : must be between 150 and 220mm. Going (g): must be between 220 and 300mm. Pitch angle : anything up to a maximum of 42 degrees.

What is the pitch of stairs?

The slope or pitch of the stairs is the ratio between the rise and the going (not the tread depth, due to the nosing). It is sometimes called the rake of the stairs. The pitch line is the imaginary line along the tip of the nosing of the treads.