Building Wood Stairs

By: Dave Markel
Building a set of wood stairs is not nearly as hard as you may think. With some basic wood tools and a bit of algebra you can easily build your own. Of course this can get a bit tricky for stairs with several landings but the method is still the same.
This article will cover the steps for building a straight set of stairs. Chances are if you are reading this then you are still learning and won't be taking on a complex stair anyway.
Now, we will assume that it is from a deck to a concrete pad. The deck is going to be 48" wide and at eye level from the ground.
Tools you will need:
Circular saw
Framing square
Hand saw
Carpenters pencil
Measuring tape
4' Level
Masking tape
You will also need:
3 @ 10' / 2" x 12" boards - Choose the best only, make sure they are straight with no check (cracks). Very Important!
2 @ 8' / 2" x 4" boards
8 @ 8' / 2" x 6" boards - Once again choose the good ones. These are going to be the steps so...
1 @ 45" / 2" x 6" boards
1 sheet of plywood @ 1/2" / 8" x 48"
Of course, 3-1/2" framing nails and deck screws or nails for the steps.
Find the overall rise
We want to know the exact vertical distance from the top of the concrete pad to the top of the deck. Take one of the 8' 2x4's and rest one end on the deck and hold the other over the pad, Place the level on the 2x4 and level the board. Then simply measure from the bottom of the 2x4 to the pad. Lets say it is 64". This is the overall rise.
Now determine the overall run
Before we can do this we have to determine how many steps we need.
So first..
Take the overall rise, 64", and divide it by 7.25", which is the typical height of 1 riser (step). This gives us 8.83, which rounds up to 9, So we will go with 9 risers.
Important: There is always 1 less tread then risers. Whether you go up or down the last step is onto the deck or the pad. So 1 less tread.
Now we take 10.5", the width of a typical step, and multiply it by 8. This gives us 84". This is the overall run.
While we are doing the math we need to figure out the exact rise of each step. We simply take the overall rise of 64" and divide it by 9 and we get 7.111" or 7-1/8", or close enough to it. So each riser will be 7-1/8".
Time for some layout
First thing. Grab your framing square. The long leg is the tread (step) leg and the short leg is the riser leg. Also, use the numbers on the outside of the square only.
Take some masking tape and wrap a piece around the framing square to establish you rise and run. Mark 10.5" on the outside of the long leg and 7-1/8" on the outside of the short leg.
Layout one of the 2x12's on your saw horses or work bench. WIth the long leg of your framing square towards the end of the board start to line up the tape marks to the edge of the board facing you. Once you have the square in position mark the outside edge of it with your pencil.
Continue to do this until you have the required number of steps, 8 in this case. This first riser is always shorter by the thickness of the steps, for us that is 1.5". This makes the first riser 5-5/8".
Cut 'em out
Now use you circular saw to cut out the stringers (technical name for 2x12 with stair marks on it) being sure to cut on the waste side of the line. When you cut into the corner with a circular saw the blade misses some of the wood on the bottom side of the board. This is fine, simply cut up to the line and stop, then finish the cut with your hand saw.
Now use the first stringer as a template for the other two. Lay the stringer onto the 2x12's and trace around it. Then cut out the other stringers the same as the first.
Reinforce the stringers
Align one of the 8' 2x4's along the bottom edge of the string and mark it to fit the profile of the ends of the stringers. Cut the 2x4 and secure it to the bottom edge of the stringer. Repeat this for one other stringer. These help to strengthen the stringers and reduce "bounce" in the stairs. Use the framing nails to secure them.
Assemble the stairs
The plywood is used to attach the stairs to the deck. Secure the sheet of plywood to the top end of the stringers. The two outside stringers are nailed flush with the edge of the plywood while the third stringer is centered on the sheet. Simply nail through the plywood into the face of the stringers using framing nails. 4 into each stringer will be enough.
Now take the 45" 2x6 and nail it in between the bottom of the outside stringers. The 2x6 will fit into the notch cut into the center stringer. This provides the right spacing for the bottom of the stairs and secures them to the pad.
Attach them to the deck
Move the stairs into their final position. make sure they are level across the stringers and that the risers are plumb. When the stairs are positioned correctly nail through the plywood into the side of the deck. Use some 3" concrete nails to secure the 2x6 spacer to the concrete pad.
Install the treads
Cut the 8 - 8' 2x6's in half, be sure to cut them square. Starting at the bottom of the stairs, start placing the 2x6 stair treads. Simply center them on the stringers and use some 3"deck nails to attach them. You can also use an exterior adhesive to assure that they don't move.
Continue to work your way up the stairs until you reach the top.
You are done... well, almost
Railings. You need to install a railing to keep people from falling off.
About The Author
Dave Markel is the author of "The All Wood Working Journal". He has helped hundreds of individuals improve their wood working skills. Visit his site at http://all-wood-working-plans.com/.

Choosing The Right Wood For Your Deck -

Ease Of Working With Tools

By: Malcolm D Kay
If you’re planning on building a wood deck yourself, one of the important considerations is the degree of difficulty in working with the lumber chosen. Not only do you want the lumber to be relatively easy to cut with normal hand or power tools, but you need to consider if splitting may easily occur when nailing, how easy it is to drive nails into the wood, and how easy it is to obtain a smooth finish on the surface of the decking.

The surface finish of course is taken care of by the lumber mill. But even with the best mills, for some exceptionally hard species you may notice machining marks remaining on the surface or a surface roughness due to lifting of the grain whilst machining.

Cutting
Most durable hardwood species are both dense and hard and should ideally be cut with a carbide tipped saw. For softwood species, a handsaw can be quite OK, but even in this case, a carbide tipped saw makes the job a lot easier and quicker.
With some hardwood species such as Teak and Turpentine, rapid blunting of cutting edges can occur due to the presence of a higher than normal level of silica. Ipe is another species which can cause blunting of cutting edges and care also needs to be taken when working with Ipe due to the fine yellow dust produced when sawing or drilling, as it has been known to cause dermatitis with some workers exposed to the dust.

Nailing
Splitting when nailing is a common problem and some species are more prone to splitting than others. For many hardwood species, pre-drilling will be virtually essential, although use of a nail gun can overcome this requirement to some extent. Even with some of the more brittle softwoods and in particular cypress species, care needs be taken when nailing. If nailing close to the end of the decking planks, pre-drilling is always recommended to avoid stress in the timber which may cause to cracks to develop at later stage.

If using nails to fix the planks to bearers and the deck is fully exposed to the weather, standard iron nails should not be used as they will rust. Instead you should use galvanized nails or nails specifically designed for exterior use. Another point to note is that some lumber species can corrode iron fixings or fastenings due to the extractives in the wood. Although this will only occur when the deck is situated in exposed weather conditions, it can speed up the corrosion of standard iron nails and cause them to fail quite rapidly. Western Red Cedar is one such species with extractives that can cause corrosion and some other species which are slightly acidic such as Kempas, can also cause corrosion with standard iron nails.

Drilling

Similar precautions need to be taken against corrosion if using screws rather than nails to fix the planks to the bearers. Stainless steel screws are certainly the best option, but plated screws could be considered provided they are recommended for exterior exposure. Remember that as the head of screw is much larger than a nail, rust stains will be more of a problem and can leave unsightly black marks around the screw holes if inappropriate screws are used.
Alternative fixing devices

A number of alternative fixing materials are also available which have the advantage of leaving the surface free of nail holes or screw holes. These systems generally rely on a fastening device which is driven into the side of the planks and attached to the bearers below. The only obvious drawback of this system is that replacing a single plank if damaged or decayed in any way can only be achieved by nailing or screwing the replacement plank back in place in the conventional manner.
Alternative wood decking materials

If you don’t want to build a deck yourself but just wish to cover an old patio with solid wood decking, another quick and convenient option is to use wood decking tiles. These tiles just click into place on top of an existing deck or patio and eliminate the need for cutting, drilling and nailing. You may need to cut a few tiles to fit around pipes, posts etc but that’s all. For further details see http://www.deckingtiles.com./ They can also be used to repair an existing wood deck by just placing the tiles over the top of the existing deck.

About The Author
Malcolm Kay is the CEO of Intex Pacific Pty. Ltd. an international supplier of landscape materials including modular decking tiles. For more information see http://www.deckingtiles.com/.

Options for Cleaning Your Carpet

A majority of the dry soil can be removed by vacuum cleaning. However, you need to clean your carpet on a regular basis to get rid of the oily, sticky soil that builds up in the pile. Odors and dirt that is tracked in from outside create this sticky soil.

If you clean your carpet before it becomes terrible, the cleaning job will be easier to accomplish and very much successful. The carpet with the average family should be cleaned every 12 - 18 months. It depends on the number of persons living in the home and the amount of traffic that walks on the carpet.

Choosing the right vacuum is crucial as well. Certain vacuums leave residues behind, which helps re-soiling.

Your best option is to hire professional carpet cleaners because their experience will allow them to do a much better job than you can do yourself. Professional cleaners use the equipment that has more extraction power and the carpet will dry faster as well. They know what cleaning agents to employ, and they understand the differences in carpet fibers.

If you have decided to do the job yourself and rent a steam cleaning machine, you should try out a number of systems before you make a choice. A good number of the rented units do not clean properly enough and may damage your carpet. For that reason, you should always take into account the following:

- Some rental companies provide cleaning equipment that is similar to what the professionals use. The equipment should produce a sufficient amount of vacuum power to allow the carpet to dry within 12 hours of cleaning. Avoid units that do not produce the power to remove the cleaning solution from the carpet fast enough, since it can hurt your carpet because of over wetting.

- Do not over wet your carpet. Any extended dampness can cause mildew growth and bacteria in the carpet, or bring about a separation of the backing. A carpet that stays wet for longer than one day can cause problems.

- If you plan stain resistant treatments, your carpet must be cleaned with products thatare formulated for this task. Do not use cleaning or spotting solutions that contain bleaches because they can ruin the color of the carpet.

- Do not use silicone based treatments on your carpet.

The system called hot water extraction is strongly recommended. It is considered one of the best methods for carpet cleaning. This system is also known as steam cleaning. You spray a mixture of water and detergent into the pile and recover the water and soil with a strong vacuum. This system is perfect for soiled carpets or pet stains.

Protect your carpet against paint drips, snow, mud, dirt, stains, and heavy traffic conditions. Read about plastic carpet protections as well as temporary carpet protection.