i have a customer who wants a 24 by 18 deck built but doesn’t want traditional stairs. she wants 2 ft. wide steps to wrap around the corner of the deck with each lower step coming out 2 ft further than the previous step so she won’t have any hand rails. My question is how do i frame the steps? the first one will be 2′ wide by 14′ long on each side of the far corner of the deck. the next will be 7″ lower. 2 ft wide and 16′ long until it reaches the ground . Do i build the bottom most step like a small lower deck and then build up the rest of the steps from there? or do i build the deck and use a lot if stringers to suppor t the syeps?? thanks.. dave
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I think I would go with your first suggestion. Just build each "step" as another individual deck.
Make sure you bid it right though... seems to me it's gonna be labor intensive no matter how you go about it.
I do like the idea, perhaps you could send some photos of the work in progress and some finished product shots as well.
thanks Mark. this is my first time using the breaktime forum I thinks it's awesome I have been doing home remodeling for ten years now and I love it. I say my worst day as my own boss is still better than my best day working for someone else at a job I had to do. I'm going to try attaching a drawing of the proposed deck I sent to the customer. one more question: do you figure out each piece of lumber and sheet of drywall etc. along with your time or is there a formula you use to save time figuring out bids? I use the first method because I don't know any other way . again thanks for the input
Wish I would have seen this 6 months ago. Did a 30 x 24 composite deck for a customer who wanted similar stairs. I didn't use the method everyone here recommended and had a hell of a time. It turned out ok but took forever! I will now know better next time.
I have done this in the past .Starting at the bottom step I built the first box then stacked the next step and so on.
Ditto peeks. After the main deck is framed, start at the bottom step and work up.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Like everyone else said...
Don't forget step lighting...
Oops, wrong picture & ya can't add after ya post...
I was just looking at your post on adding lighting, and noticed the wood you used.
Was that Pedra? It looks just like the deck I'm building for myself.Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Aaron,
It's Machiche, a hardwood from Guatemala with similar characteristics to Ipe in a lighter brown color (actually on it's way to grey...). In general I'm happy with it, though it did cup some even though I finished all sides & edges before install.
Where in Van are you?
Wayne
If you know Children's Hospital, I'm 2 blocks away.
I'm going to upload a picture of my deck in progress, and you can see how similar the wood is.
Mind you, it could be the Penofin....Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Wow, that sure does look like Machiche! You getting many busted screws? I did my daughter's deck in Ipe and had a heck of a time until I rubbed each screw in a bar of soap (all holes predrilled, but the PT fit joists were killer). Looks great - I know you'll really enjoy it.
I don't know that area, but I see it's close to all kinds of great stuff. It's been years since I've been up there, but we have good faamily friends who split their time between Richmond and Reid Island (N of Galiano, E of Thetis) and we really want to get up to visit them.
Don't use soap for a lubricant - it attracts moisture. Use beeswax. Pick up a wax gasket for a toilet and use that. One will do you for years.George Patterson
great tip - thanks!!
Believe it or not, I don't use bar soap, nor bees wax.
I use Palmolive and dip each screw (soft Stainless, of course) into the little dish.
Pre-drill each hole, set the screw in, and "vola".Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada