Questions and Answers for 2-Step Pressure-Treated Pine Stair Stringer

A:  JmsB, Please see a local contractor for recommendations on cutting down the stair stringer.

A:  Yes, we ended up doing that after putting a base in for the steps landing and it worked out just fine.

A:  I'm fairly certain, when you attach the stair treads, you should come out ok. Of course, you are able to make adjustments by shimming up or trimming down.

A:  GGQuestion, Please see a PRO associate on the correct stair stringer needed for your project.

A:  It sounds like you have it covered on your specs. My deck was up 19 inches from ground zero. So basically I placed some brick pavers under stringer to keep it from sinking into my soil.  So 2 steps plus about 4.5” got me to top of deck. It sounds to me your trying to get top of stringer including your step to be flush with deck. Mine didn’t work out that way since I have an extra 4.5” added on to top to be flush with deck . No accidents so far . Hope this helps. I replaced the same one from Home Depot and got about 7 years out of it so my new one has pavers under stringer for support . 

A:  Yes... use the deck surface as the last step, and hang the stringer one step below the deck. Then, each step is indeed 6.66" (within code).

A:  Hello Fenway, According to our calculations, you're going to need a 3-step stringer, with 6.666 inch tall risers. It never hurts to get a second opinion, though, and you could check with a PRO in the lumber aisle of Home Depot, or check with a carpenter/builder/building inspector in your area who will be familiar with residential building code.

A:  Hi Val, Home Depot carries a couple different treads, if you are interested in pre-made ones: 36, 42, 48, 60. It all depends, though, on how wide you make your stairs. Just fyi: Riser height: 6-3/4 in., run height: 10 in. Actual dimensions of stringer: 1.5 in. x 11.25 in. x 23.87 in.

A:  You need at least three, plus the deck itself makes four. Maximum stair height is 7-3/4 inches. Your 30-inch rise divided by 7.75 is about 3.88 inches per stair, so round that up to four steps. So don't get this, get the three-step.

A:  The steps cannot be more than 7-3/4 inches high. 24/7.75 = 3.09, a teensy bit over, but close enough. The stairs all have to be within 3/8" (0.375) of the same height, or it's a trip hazard, so you'd be well within that.

A:  The International Residential Code requires a run (the size of the stair tread from front edge to the back) of no less than 11 inches if the treads have no overhang ("nosing"), and if there is overhang (which is not required), a minimum of 10 inches from nose end to nose end (measured horizontally). IRC is a good standard, but not every jurisdiction uses it all, or exactly the same, so check your local codes for details.

A:  I think you are asking what the run measurement is. That's the measurement from the front of the stair to the back. This stringer is listed at 11.25". The minimum tread run is 11" with no overhand, 10 nose-to-nose if there is overhang.

A:  The total height of this stair stringer from the ground to the top of the stringer measures about 12-1/2 in.

A:  Hi Eddie, I would advise you visit or contact your local Home Depot store for further assistance from a specialist in your area. Please follow the steps below to localize your Homedepot.com: 1. Localize Homedepot.com using your zip code (My Store Location: Change) 2. Choose the store where you want to pick up the item (Make this my Store) We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future. Thank you for shopping Home Depot!

A:  You are likely needing a custom-cut stringer. This pre-cut one has a PDF FAQ sheet that you can download in it. The formula to determine its rise is 5.75 + 6.75(R-1), with R=5 for a 5-step stringer. That works out to 32.75 inches. Now, according to your description, that means that your total rise has to be precisely 32.75 + 1 inch, and you must use 1 inch treads. If those three criteria are not met, get custom stringers cut. The run for these stringers are exactly 10R = 50 inches. So the last criteria is to have 50 inches of space. If you instead connect the stringers in the ordinary fashion, your total rise would be 6.75 inches higher, since virtually all deck applications have the last tread below the top of the deck. That means that these stringers are ordinarily used for a rise height of 39.5 + 1 = 40.5 inches. So if you used these with no custom cutting, and your deck happened to be 40.5 inches below grade, and you had 50 inches of run, and you used 1 inch treads, then these are perfect. If any of those criteria are not the case, then you simply hire someone who cuts stair stringers for a living or learn how yourself. Or you get stuck (like you) with unequal riser heights, generally at the top or bottom landing.

A:  Unfortunately, this item will not meet your requirements. Each step has a rise of 6.75 in.

A:  The top of a two step stringer will be 12 ½” plus the thickness of the top board you’ve chosen for the step. A three step stringer will be 18 ¾” plus the thickness of the top board.

A:  I have the same question but for a 17 inch drop from the top of my 2X8 front header (18 inch if the top deck board is counted) to a brick patio. I also want each stair to be 3 boards wide, not the standard 2