Building stairs is the most daunting and challenging task in home projects. Creating a landing with the staircase does not, however, make the DIY project more difficult, but rather simpler if you construct it in two separate stairways.

 

Here is the right way to create a staircase with a landing:

Materials you will need

  • Boards for Stringers
  • Boards for Treads
  • Boards for Risers
  • Measuring tape
  • Saw
  • Carpenter’s square
  • Wood screws
  • Screwdriver (electric)

 

Instructions

  1. Take the measurement of the staircase, and place a board out by the edge of the floor. This will be at the very top of the stairs, Take measurements from the board’s end to the floor where the staircase will land.

 

  1. Decide the number of steps the staircase will have, ensuring each stair rises at 7-inches. A total rise for a step will be divided by 7 then. The tread should be 10-inches.

  1. Now calculate the height of the landing, which should be the same height of a stair. Divide the number of stairs in half and then you can keep equal number of stairs on each side.

 

  1. Make a rectangle box off of the floor, which has to include the decking surface as well. This is where the landing has to be placed accurately.

 

  1. Cut the stringers with the measurements you have taken of the rise and treads. Use 2 x 12 boards for this, and make two stringers for the sections of the staircase each. Use the carpenter’s square with a stair gauge in it to mark the rise on the side of the square to make the tread width. Mark the first notch with the stair gauge, and then move the square to align the gauge with the edge of the first notch. This will make a place for the next notch. Make 6 notches in the same way. Cut the notches with the saw, and mark the stringers, trimming them then to the height of the tread to make the steps match the top of the floor.

  1. Create the bottom of the stairway by attaching the stringers with the landing and adding the boards for the riser with screws.

 

  1. Attach the very top of the stairway then after the bottom stairs are aligned, Make an L-shaped staircase of a straight staircase. Fasten the treads and the risers.

 

To read more on building stairs, click here.