Making Stairs Wider

If your treads are 10 inches wide and do not overhang you can add a 1 1 4 inch overhang by replacing them with treads made from 1 by 12s that are actually 11 1 4 inches wide.

Making stairs wider.

Some builders use the 7 11 rule to create comfortable and safe staircases. The wider the treads the more total run the stringers have to span. When you notch stringers you weaken them. Attach the other gauge to the body of the square at the run dimension.

Most interior steps are built from either hardwood composite material or plywood and can be remodeled for more width. Secure the treads to the steps of the stringers with 2 5 in 6 4 cm screws over each stringer. For stair treads less than 9 inches deep secure a new deeper tread directly on top of the existing tread. Now when handrails are introduced they shall not project more than 4 inches on either side.

A stair tread should be at least 9 inches deep. Stairs with 14 inch runs tread widths should have rises of between 5 1 2 and 6 1 2 inches. Lay out the stairs by drawing on the outside of the square sliding the square along until it meets the last mark to learn how to build steps. The landing is made of concrete pavers set in a sand bed.

The 7 11 rule means the risers or vertical boards at the back of each step are no higher than 7 inches. At the same time staircase code measurements do allow for some flexibility since most measurements are accompanied by minimums or maximums. Building codes typically require that stair treads be within 3 4 inch of 10 inches wide. Clamp the stair gauges to the carpenter s square.

For a typical staircase the stair tread must measure 8 1 4 inches to 9 inches deep measure 1 inch thick or more and have a maximum 1 1 2 inch deep nosing. Stair width the minimum width for stairways shall not be less than 36 inches clear. Use the narrow part of the square for clamping the riser gauge and the wider part for the 10 1 4 in. As long as the 3 foot width standard is met you can expand the stairs width as far as you wish.

This includes the recommended 3 4 to 1 1 4 inch overhang. Staircase code states that stairs must be 3 feet wide or wider. Cut lumber to be at or slightly longer than the tread run in width and as long as the stairs are wide or just wider if you prefer a slight overhang on the ends of your stairs. This will create a stair stringer calculator.

Clamp one stair gauge on the square s tongue directly at the rise dimension. The stair riser must measure 8 to 8 1 4 inches high.