[Rusty S.]

Hi all,

The concrete landing pad below the stoop in front of my house subsided considerably, so I whacked it out of there and am replacing it with a 4' x 8' deck as the 'bottom step' of the stoop, and then a two step run of stairs off the deck to the driveway.

I will be using 2 x 6 joists and the first step of the stairs is directly off the deck, so I will have to install a hanger board to attach the stair stringers. I've read many ideas about how to attach a hanger board to the rim joist, and am not thrilled with any of them. However, if I lay out my posts and beams the right way, I will be able to attach the hanger board directly to the post and ends of the beam.

My question is whether this is okay to do, or if anyone can see any potential problems with doing so.

[woodworkbykirk]

my first question is what size joists do you have on the upper deck which the stairs are coming off fof

what i do on all deck stairs i build is that i cut a notch in the inner stringers the size of a 2x4 on edge both at the top back of the stringer and at the bottom front edge of the bottom riser. this allows to let in a 2x4 both at the top and bottom of the stringers so that i can assemble the stringers as a unit first then i drive screws through the upper let in 2x4 into the rim board of the deck.

when im ready to hang the stairs the first thing that needs to be done is to install vertical blocks from the back of the rim board so to install another piece of 2x4 or 2x6 under the rim board which acts as additional backing for the stairs just depending on the height of the risers. this allows the stairs to be at the exact height for all risers to be the same.