The Original Steps that lead off the Back Deck have Disintegrated.. We want to get the pre made metal stringers.. It's 42 inches from the top of the deck floor down to the interlocking patio.. How do I figure out the size of stringer needed... Cheers Thanks

If the stringer has a standard 7/10 pitch its width out would be roughly 60 inches and its length across the diagonal would be around 73 inches at 42 inches tall.

How I did it:


\frac{7}{10} = \frac{42}{x}


x = 60


Given that your stringer makes a right triangle:

a^2 + b^2 = c^2


42^2 + 60^2 = c^2


Figure the pitch of your stringer first rise and run can be measured across the treads.

You can use this interactive calculator Stair Calculator - Layout Stair Stringer, Headroom Rise Run - Imperial & Metric (http://www.blocklayer.com/Stairs/StairsEng.aspx)

I am very proud of the steps off the side of my porch that I made myself, with 5" high rise (my LOL steps, little old lady). I made my own stringers of pressure treat.
I didn't worry about exact distance to the ground, because I had bluestone to put under the bottom step, with gravel under it, and room for adjustment.

I didn't worry about exact distance to the ground, because I had bluestone to put under the bottom step, with gravel under it, and room for adjustment.


That's where I'm at, the bottom step lands on Interlocking Brick. The Steps actually run straight down beside the House into a Fence, not lined up with the Yard Gate. (One of those Came with The House ) One has to do a bit of a side step to climb when arms are full. Thinking of the idea of a couple steps down onto a Landing , then a few more steps to Ground.. Cheers Thanks..

If it's any consolation, my first stringer came out wrong, so I drew it on graph paper, one square to the inch. Tough when everything is unusual.