[peakcelln]

I figured you wouldnt Robert. That's OK, I respect you and your decision to keep certain things as a trade secret. You've offered alot of help on this forum to myself and many others. I was just hoping someone else had some ideas other than the obvious.

 

[peakcelln]

Update:

Well it was a long education and a LOT of research(As with this whole Deck), but I figured it out. I designed the stairs and got the engineer to approve them. The layout was tough and many mistakes were made. If I ever do this again, It will take 1/20th of the time. The stairs look, to me, like no other deck stairs I've ever seen with no risers and no mid support(I forgot the name for it). Even my GC friend(Who told me alll along to get them fabricated) was very impressed. Beauty of it all, is I did them myself, They give the whole deck a real contemporary look, the weather and sun won't bother them, and it cost less than half of what a fabricator would have charged me; saving me thousands.

The biggest thing that screwed me up and took so much time, was probably a basic rule to an experienced stair maker; but I'll mention it to any newbie that decides to try it themselves: Remember the last tread rise to the ground is going to be short the thickness of the tread your building. That simple rule hurt my head for days...lol

BTW: Thanx to Mae-ling for those pics and giving me the idea....

 

[peakcelln]

Here's a few pics...any critiques?

BTW, ya these were taken yesterday; 6" snow on May 2nd and down to 15 last night... It was 81 two days ago. Ya gotta love Colorado! And ya wonder why I use steel instead of wood...

 

[mae-ling]

Looks good. Glad you got them engineer approved.
That whole cutting a thread width off the bottom got me the first time too!!!!

 

[Fix'n it]

looks real good. what did it cost ya ? not cheap, i am sure.

2 questions.
do you have any anti skid anything on those steps ?
the front edge of the steps = is there an upturned lip on em ? looks like there is. why ?

 

[peakcelln]

looks real good. what did it cost ya ? not cheap, i am sure.

2 questions.
do you have any anti skid anything on those steps ?
the front edge of the steps = is there an upturned lip on em ? looks like there is. why ?

Way cheaper than the fabricator. I still have to add it all up, but I'm guessing maybe $900 for mats and powder coating(Maybe more) for both top and bottom(There's a 3 step top too).

The treads are powder coated C-Channel with 1 5/8 flange. Inside that will be 3cm mixed gray granite stone tile/paver with some under layment. I designed each tread with a slight pitch, open corners, and even a couple of drain holes to be safe.

Ya gotta know, I've never built a stringer before and would not consider myself a builder(Although maybe a bit after this project). I had limited help on the rest of the deck, because my buddy is a Commercial GC down in Colorado Springs; but he's been up here maybe 5 times in the last 6 mos. Everyone I spoke to said I should get them fabricated, and I mean EVERYONE. But the cheapest quote I got was $3-4K. That was NOT in my budget. As the old saying goes "Necessity is the Mother of Invention" was never more fitting than here. I never dreamed making steel stairs would be so difficult. But with help and ideas from some of the guys on here (Mae Ling and Robert CDF), A LOT of research online, and trial and error; I figured it out, designed it, and got it stamped by my Engineer.

 

[Fix'n it]

did you weld it yourself ? have you ever welded before ?

 

[Anti-wingnut]

did you weld it yourself ? have you ever welded before ?

All the connections shown in the photographs seem to be bolted or screwed mechanical fasteners.

 

[Fix'n it]

All the connections shown in the photographs seem to be bolted or screwed mechanical fasteners.

ahh yes

 

[mae-ling]

From the pics showing the inside of the stringer they do look bolted, but when I look at the outside I do not see a bolt head or anything.

 

[Anti-wingnut]

TEK screw thru the inside of the square tube stringer

 

[peakcelln]

TEK screw thru the inside of the square tube stringer

Exactly. #10 3/4 Tek hex head. 4 per support/ but I'm probably going to go back and add a 5th just to be safe. I didnt get them welded because I was affraid the powder coat would have gotten messed up AND it was originally galvanized and my welder didnt want to touch it.(Funny about these welders, half say no big deal with galavnized steel, half say it will kill you).
I Put the other two post and rails up yesterday. WAAAAAY harder than I thought with that angle to consider and no room for error. The first one I screwed up, but the rest look pretty good.