Help with building patio door steps
Hi guys,
I’m redoing our back patio area, and am about ready to build some steps that will go from the stone patio to the sliding glass door (about 30″ from grade.)
I would like to do “wraparound” style steps (I’m not sure what they are called, but I essentially want to terrace the sides of the stairs and box in the risers so the stringers are not visible.) See image below for a visual of what I’m trying to do.
My main question is, how do I go about doing the stringers for this?
Do I need to have one stringer parallel with the foundation, one at a 45* (and mitered) and the rest of them perpendicular to the foundation?)
Also, I’m planning on using either 1x or 4/4 ipe for the treads – with that being the case (and having a slider that is trimmed out to about 75 inches wide) how far apart would you place the stringers?
Thanks in advance for any info you can share on this.
Chad
Replies
Bump.
Ya slip under the radar.
Someone will be along shortly to give you an answer.
Dave
Do I need to have one stringer parallel with the foundation, one at a 45* (and mitered) and the rest of them perpendicular to the foundation?)
That's pretty much the way I've seen it done, but I don't get into decks that often.
I did one about exactly as you've sketched a number of years ago. As I recall, I cut a "hip stringer" at the corner. The tread span between a common stringer and the hip increases as you go down the steps, of course. Therefore, I seem to recall cutting a couple of small blocks to support the bottom step. These little blocks were kind of like jack rafters coming off a hip if that helps you with the visualization.
I just read that Ipe has a elasticity modulus of 3.1E6 -- making it about 2.5 times stiffer than hem-fir, and about 3.0 times stiffer than cedar.
Maybe someone who has more experience with Ipe than myself can recommend a joist spacing for both 1x and 5/4 deck boards.
Ipe` 1x4 can handle layout of 24" oc
on paper anyways. There is just a slight springiness to it at that spread, so I wouldn't go that far for steps probably, although the riser will handle that lead edge fully supporting it.
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I'd just build it in three platforms, one on top of the other. Obviously, you don't have to use good material where one will cover the other, unless you want to. Each one would be a simple box frame, no need for stringers.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
That's how I'd do this one - three boxes stacked up
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Three boxes stacked
That uses a bit more framing lumber but is far more solid, and less time ( for me) to frame it up.
Be sure that you lay it out so that top step is large enough for safety.
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I give a big second to what Piffin said about the top step being deeper. You should consider the top step like a landing. It's a transition area so it needs to be deeper.
It would also look alot better.
I built something similar last fall for a back porch, only it was in a corner.
Built a platform to step out on, then framed several boxes, the tallest tieing into the platform posts, the final box supported the taller (at ~22-23" for the first tread off the platform, you will either need to build the taller tread/box with posts, or tie it to the platform posts and then have lower boxes support the upper.) That which I constructed only needed two treads off the platform. More than this might require posts on the upper boxes.
Easier built than explained. And I don't take many pics in progress, just wanting to build and go on. Sorry.
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Wow - thanks for the info guys. I had not even considered building boxes...that would pretty much idiot proof it for me. I appreciate the info and responses.
Chad
Here are some pics of the one I did last summer: