Stair Stringer Speed Square

Handy magazine shows you how to build basic stair stringers.

Stair stringer speed square.

Clamp a guide to the square. Use a framing square to trace the stair pattern on your stringer board. The square can be adjusted to match the angle by loosening the nut adjusting the angle and then tightening the nut. As for the length of the stringers take the total height the stairs need to be and square that value.

Scale matching the pointed ends of both layout bar and square. These stringers are tied into the framework of the landing in the same manner as though you were coming from the regular floor. This creates a precise guide that helps make the layout accurate. Big 12 speed square layout bar 3 16 in.

X 3 4 in up. Measure 7 inches 18 cm from the center of the square on one arm to set the rise and 10 11 inches 25 28 cm on the other arm for the run. With holes in the two ears of the layout bar matching up with the scribe barslot put a smaller bolt 3 16 in. Here post frame builder kyle stumpenhorst shares his top 10 uses.

Pros recommend a width of 16 between stringers but depending on the stairs and the thickness of the tread that figure could be slightly higher. To make it easy to align the framing square on the stringer consistently clamp a straight wood strip to the square. Tom silva provides some of the basics of this tool in the ask toh segment how to use a speed square. One of these tools will allow you to lay out consistent precise angles down the length of the board.

Use the adjustable angle square to transfer the short angle from the template onto the 2 inch by 4 inch stringers. Maintain the same rise and tread width all the way down. Using three winders each tread tapers from a wide to narrow but not pointed tread at inside of turn. The rafter square commonly called a speed square a proprietary name like romex and kleenex is a tool used by carpenters for a variety of tasks.

Place layout bar under square along the 12 in.