Steps for a deck?

Question

My deck is 30" from the ground. I would need 4 normal steps. I would like to build 3 extra-wide (2 ft) steps instead. Can I do this?

Answer 1

Step rises are a matter of building code requirements. Most of them concern safety issues. For 3 steps to rise 30" they would need to each rise 10". I believe that 7.5" is the norm. A 10" rise would be very difficult to climb no matter how wide you made it. What is to gain by eliminating one step. How about a ramp? Or 2 steps, a landing and 2 more steps?

Answer 2

There is no real advantage to pouring a slab for the stair bottom. The only exception might be if its a very long stairway (maybe 2 stories) in which case anchoring the bottom of the steps is a good idea. I would use patio blocks just to give a firm level surface for the stairs to end on . That will also make it easier to trim grass around stringers. By all means use ground contact rated pressure treated lumber. Moisture will wick up the board whether or not they sit directly on the ground. While its true that a deck that is not built on footings that extend below the frost line - or attached to the house- will have slight seasonal movement, the stairs don't require a footing. They will move with the deck and if the deck does not move, any movement in the stairs is inconsequential. If you choose to pour a slab it may have sand or gravel as a base. Those materials are used primarily because they can be easily leveled so you have a uniform concrete thickness. The purpose of rebar is to hold the concrete slab together when it cracks - and concrete almost always cracks. If the pad you're pouring is small, there is no need for rebar. One more small tip; in a relatively small slab a piece of chain link or other wire fence serves the purpose of rebar.

Answer 3

Go to Home depot or Lowes, buy stair "stringers" in 3 or 4 step, depending on their height, and for wide steps buy 3.

The comfort level of the tread and face is pre determined, and even in code issues the home stores have already taken that into consideration.

BTW, no offense by 24 inches wide is not wide at all.

The stringers are treated 2 x 8 usually, and you then brace them, attach them to the deck, perhaps with a ledger board and add treated tread lumber. You can add facing but outdoors there is little need.

Rev. Steven

Adjusting this in rereading,,,YOU WANT THE TREAD to be 24 inches deep?????????? WHY? In any case the rise still has to be the same, and you'll have to construct from scratch. It seems a useless expenditure of time, energy and material to me. At 30 inches high you don't need each step to be an individual landing.

Answer 4

The 2 previous answers are correct, to a certain extent. The 7.5" to 8" rise is correct for interior stairs, however, exterior or decorative stairs the usual rise with a 2' tread should only be 6". in other words you need 5 treads to rise 30", of course the deck itself is the top step. These are considered decorative because you did not mention whether or not you were incorporating a hand rail. The other thing to consider is the slope of the ground. if the ground is rising going away from the deck you will need fewer steps. If the ground is falling away from the deck you will need more steps.

Answer 5

yes
your first rise will be at 6"plus the tread(1 1/2") will make it 7 1/2". your second rise will be 7 1/2",bringing your height to 15".
your third rise will be at 7 1/2",bringing your final step rise to22 1/2".your next step will be at thirty inches,or onto your deck.
to build this,you will need to.....see a diagram which i cant provide for you.
i will explain the best i can:
material is to be all treated wood
2x12-6 of whichever width you make the steps
2x8-5 eight foot
1:cut your 2x12 to the length desired
2:cut three of your 2x8(s)in half
3:attatch two of your 2x12s(treads) to the front side of the two 2x8s(flat riser),repeat
4:rip the remaining two 2x8s down to 6" width
5: repeat step 3 on the remaining
6:attatch the two 8 foot 2x8s to the inside of the three seperate risers
7: cut the extra off at level and plumb
8:attatch to the deck
9:build a hand rail as required for any step up over 21"
sorry if i am so vague,its the best short explaination i could give

Answer 6

Actually, a 30" rise would require 3 normal steps, or runs. If you drew it out, 3 runs require 4 risers. 30" divided by 4 risers equals 7 1/2". This makes a perfect step. 2' deep step is no problem.

Answer 7

yes the risers should be 8 inches total high and the angles always 90 degrees so theres no problem go to the desk at home depot and ask for a plan and the materials list from the contractors advisor or simple deck project ideas and plans are in the decking books in the library do-it-yourself shelf in the B&T section good luck also use pads of concrete like some 8inch blocks on each side buried and leveled on 2 inches of sand

Answer 8

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/vTpbE
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 9

For a comfortable step.Measure from the top to bottom the divide by 17in..This will tell you how many stairs..So the answer is yes.you dont count the top as a step.So you think 4 but actually it would be three..Get me? so you think three steps would really be 2..

Answer 10

You can do anything you want. However, if local code officials are involved, you'll have to spec you stairs to code.