I am replacing our basement stairway and have a few questions on construction:
1.) For the stringers, what would be the best way to attach the thrust block or kick plate 2 x 4 to the concrete floor? (when I say thrust block I mean the piece that attaches to the floor and which the notch in the stringer rests upon). I was thinking of using Strong Tie fasteners – would that be sufficient? Or should I use one of those .22 nail guns and shoot nails into the board / cement? Or is there a better, more secure method?
2.) Secondly we have the 2x8 joists and I am building the stairs out of 2x12 stringers. Having not cut the stringers yet, I am assuming that when I butt up the stringer to the joists to attach that there will be a protrusion of the underside of the stringer below the joist and I read that this is a no no. Does this matter? If so, what is the best way to attach a 2 x 12 stringer to a 2 x 8 floor joist? I am assuming I will have to attach some kind of a header to the joist so the stringer top end can span the entire header width – is this the right way to do it? Would ¾ inch plywood be good or is there another way I should do it? This was not an issue for the old stairs because the old stringers were of 2 x 10 material.
3.) Do I need any studs between floor and stringers to support the stringers mid way through their span?
4.) Am I forgetting anything else in the construction – any other advice or ideas?
Couple of corrections to above, in 1.) I meant Tapcon cement anchors not strong tie.
And for 2, I was thinking of using Strong Tie joist hangers for the stringer attachment to the floor joist, the LSU-28 hangar for 8" joists, adjustable slope. Anyone think this is OK?