About Deck Steps
Deck steps are, unsurprisingly, the steps that you find on the deck of a house. Since a deck is often a spot for entertainment and friends, many people take a lot of care in building their deck steps. After all, whether you're having a barbecue or yard sale, you're probably going to be surrounded by your deck and your deck steps. Both building and repairing deck steps are rather tasks you can accomplish yourself if you have the time and tools. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
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Expert Insight
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You can build deck steps by building small platforms in the deck with 2-by-8 inch or 2-by-6 inch joists. These platforms will produce steps that are both 5.5 and 7.5 inches in depth, which are common for riser heights. If you are looking to construct more than two steps, it might be a good idea to use stringers or carriages to build the remaining steps.
Prevention/Solution
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Many people complain of having slippery deck steps during times of bad weather such as rain. One way to remedy this is by installing self adhesive nonskid strips on every deck step. The grittiness of the strips will improve the traction, even when the deck steps are dry. You can get these strips at hardware stores or marine supply shops.
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Types
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There are two standard types of deck steps. One kind is where the boards that you step on (called the treads) are located inside the stringers are are held by metal or wooden cleats. The other type has the two diagonal sides (the stringers) cut out in a sawtooth shape to maintain a flat surface to stabilize the treads for walking.
Considerations
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When constructing your deck steps, it's good to know that a lot of hardware and home center stores supply precut stair stringers. The stringers are, most of the time, "short run." However, if your deck measurements qualify, the stringers could fit perfectly, which saves you the time and energy of setting out the notches and cutting them perfectly.
Theories/Speculation
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There are a lot of online vendors where you can buy materials to build or repair deck steps. Some places with large, diverse selections that you should check out include the Internet auction site eBay, Jamestown Distributors, Improvements Catalog and The Stucco Company. In your area, you should also check out Target, Lowe's or Home Depot.
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