# Stringer layout



## Joe Carola (Jun 15, 2004)

BCConstruction said:


> So it makes no difference what thickness of subfloor I have on first floor as long as I measure from finished floor to finished floor and deduct the tread thickness from bottom of stringer foot?
> 
> If that's right then that was easy


Correct there Charlie Boy!


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks guys. The last issue I had was building stringers on a sloped grade. That also took some working out but this little tip has helped me a lot. 

Cheers guys I'm out of thanks so I hope I got everyone :thumbsup:


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## Greg (Mar 21, 2010)

LoneFramer nailed it, it can be easy to get confused if you have not done very many. Just do exactly what he said and eventually it will all make sense.

You would be surprised how many guys I hire who tell me they can build stairs and we have this same conversation on their first set. Trust me, after you do a couple it will just click, and yes it really is just that easy!


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I have been lucky in the past. I have been able to trace around old stringers. This is the second set I have ever done from scratch and there's no doubt I was lucky on the last set. They worked out spot on. These ones I did just need the inch taken off the bottom and I'm good to go. Didn't want to cut all new stringers.


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## PA woodbutcher (Mar 29, 2007)

BCConstruction said:


> I have been lucky in the past. *I have been able to trace around old stringers. *This is the second set I have ever done from scratch and there's no doubt I was lucky on the last set. They worked out spot on. These ones I did just need the inch taken off the bottom and I'm good to go. Didn't want to cut all new stringers.


Cheater:laughing:

Even when I could have probably gotten away with tracing, I have always made my own. Before tracing I would think about maybe checking all the rise and runs to make sure they were consistent. I find not many were as particular as I am or I wouldn't be replacing them unless their really old and really rotted therefor making them unusable as a pattern.


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Should we tell him now about adjusting for the thickness of the riser??


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## PA woodbutcher (Mar 29, 2007)

Warren said:


> Should we tell him now about adjusting for the thickness of the riser??


:laughing::whistling:whistling

Same thing only different isn't it?:laughing::jester:


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

http://www.carpentry-pro-framer.com/stairs.html 

This link has the formula, pics and current code. :thumbsup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I have had enough for stairs tonight. But I have adjusted the tread depth to suit the riser depth. Not sure if that's the right way but it seems to have worked. 

From now on when doing stringers no more cheating. I just never been comfortable in doing my own. :thumbsup:


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## risenrun1 (Jan 6, 2011)

I do stairs every day and I'm confused. All of your risers and treads want to be the same. Not one riser at 7 1/2 and the next 7 3/4..? If it is butting into the subfloor you would want to attach a landing tread to the top riser weather you are using 2x10 or 5/4 stepping. I am also assuming these are boxed cleated stringers. A square with stops on it go a long way in any stair construction.


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## detroit687 (Sep 4, 2008)

I'm confused to why is the 3/4 subfloor your finished floor. But if it really is the finished floor than with the dimension you gave your riser height is 6 15/16. You have to than subtract the thickness of the tread from the bottom of the stringer assembly. And yes starret stair gauges and a sharp pencil are a must. I know this has been said 29 times but I just wanted to say I love starret stair gauges


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## detroit687 (Sep 4, 2008)

Make sure your measuring from the elevation of where the last rise sits basement floors are not usualy level. And don't forget you 6-8 min headroom


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## fast fred (Sep 26, 2008)

what about some fun variables?

What if your pouring 1 1/2 inches of gype crete on the top landing and no gype crete on the lower landing?

what if you have 3/4 hardwood floor on the top landing and unfinished on the treads and lower level?

what if there is a radius involved

you only have 3/8 margin of error?

I love stairs right after mating a 4/12 and 9/12 roof with a valley hip or overframe


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## UpNorth (May 17, 2007)

Finish-to-finish. One needs to know the whole scheme. All the rest is simple division, addition, and subtraction.


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## Mark Siders (Dec 11, 2010)

As long as you know what your finished floors are on top and bottom nothing else really maters. I usually cut pieces of wood to the thickness of the finished floors and put them on the floors so there is no confusion. 

What do you mean if there is a radius involved?


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Originally Posted by *Mark Siders*  
_:blink:_




loneframer said:


>


:shifty:


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## detroit687 (Sep 4, 2008)

It's pretty funny that people make stairs out to be more than they really are there are no fun variables it's finish to finish rise and run. I like to make housed stringers as much as possible I like to use my circular saw to make the dadoes and clean them up with a plunge router and chisel.


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