Exterior wooden decks are built in a variety of fashions. Most decks need just a couple of steps to lead from the ground floor level of a home to the yard below. Making the steps too steep can create a trip hazard. By making the steps deeper and wider, not only do they become safer, but in addition, it permits them to be used as an additional seating area.
Step Anatomy
Measures have three chief parts: the outside frame, known as the stringer; the cover of the measure , known as the fold; and front vertical surface of the measure, known as the riser. Step framing on decks is usually made from treated timber. As opposed to the diagonal stringers traditionally used on open deck steps, a box frame is best for building oversized steps. This transfers a lot of the weight to the ground and produces a deeper step possible.
Height Versus Depth
The rule of thumb for measure dimensions is that the joint depth and height work best when they are nearest to a total of 18 inches. So, if your steps are 10 inches deep, 8 inches high is the best riser height. For oversize measures, the depth should be raised, with the height of each step being reduced. If the tread is 12 inches deep, the riser should be close to 6 inches. The minimum height for any measure should be at least 4 inches. Determine your optimum measure thickness and subtract it from 18. Divide the height of your deck from the response. Add any remainder to the base step.
Width
Measures are usually a minimum of 24 inches wide; house steps can be up to 48 inches wide. When building oversize measures, any width over 36 inches is acceptable. This enables two individuals to maneuver on the stairs without knocking off each other, or enables one individual to be seated while another walks past. If you have more than three steps, they should be 6 feet wide max, as any broader open area at the head of the steps requires a railroad down the center for security.
Structure
Construct your frame with one rectangular timber frame, the height of the measure, for each measure. The base frame needs to be as heavy as all steps combined along with the width of the steps. Build each frame moving up smaller than the one under, by the depth of a single step. Set posts in the ground inside each corner of the steps, with all the poles against the deck extending to the top of the frame, and the outside articles extending to the top of the frame for the base step. Add cross braces running front to rear inside each step frame each 16 inches. Set the steps so that the top step is under the surface of the deck from the height of a single measure, such as the decking. Glue the open tops of the steps with the same decking used on the main deck platform.
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