Step-by-step help for planning and building safe, comfortable stairs — from measuring total rise to cutting stringers, adding a landing, and meeting code.
Straight, L-shaped, open-riser, wraparound, and more: the types, materials, and code basics behind safe, good-looking deck stairs.
June 11, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
What every line and label on a stair diagram means, with a worked example you can follow in the calculator.
June 5, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
Tape, treads, coatings, nosing, lighting, and more: ten practical ways to stop slips on indoor and outdoor stairs.
June 2, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
Measuring, layout, cutting, fastening, and safety gear: the complete toolkit for building stairs accurately.
May 24, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
Split the rise, calculate each flight, size the landing, and keep every riser identical, with a worked example.
October 14, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
Measure the rise, find your step count, size the stringers, and build outdoor steps that are safe and up to code.
October 13, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
The best wood species, sizes, and finishes for stringers and treads, and how to protect them for the long haul.
October 12, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
Cost, fit, strength, and labor compared, so you can pick the right stringers for your stair project.
October 12, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
The key IRC rules for risers, treads, headroom, width, and landings, and how to turn them into a compliant stair layout.
October 10, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
From mismeasured rise to forgetting to drop the stringer: the errors that ruin stairs and how to avoid each one.
October 9, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026
Total rise vs. unit rise, run vs. tread depth, stringer types, and the ratios that make stairs comfortable.
October 9, 2025 · Updated November 3, 2026