Ten more tips emphasizing aspects of cutting stair stringers that may not be obvious to you after you’ve read our tutorial. Stair-Building Supplies. Stair gauges: Johnson Level 405; ...

"You can absolutely cut a stair stringer if only you only knew the way the math works," my dad once said to me. So, long before I ever had a geometry class, I knew the math behind determining a slope.

Stringers, normally cut from 2x12s, are the angled boards that extend from the deck down to the ground. They support the other stair components and carry the weight of people walking on the stairs.

At 84 Lumber, he said, pre-cut stringers are available in 3-, 4- or 5-step sizes. All the risers are 7 inches and all the runs are cut to accommodate two 5 1/2 -inch wide treads.

Cut the pointy corners off each end of each stringer with your chop saw or a hand saw. Be sure to remove enough wood so the cut end is no wider than 1-1/2-inch. Measure and Cut Treads ...

Carpenters square. Level. Circular saw. Drill. STEP — Measuring for the stringer. Most real staircase stringers are made out of 2 inch by 12 inch lumber.

Cut only the top and bottom of the stair stringer with a circular saw. Test-fit the stair stringer by placing it against the deck, and check the tread level with a small level.