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Curved Deck Stairs

A full-size plywood
template doubles as the
base of a bending frame
by Mike Guertin

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

urved stairs add interest to a deck, solve design issues,


differentiate your work, and wow clients. They can also
be a profitable upsell, and theyre not that hard to build; after
youve done one or two, the process becomes ingrained and
goes quickly.
My method of building curved stairs breaks down into
four basic steps: layout, stringer assembly, tread and riser
assembly, and finish work. None require specialized tools or
jigs and all can be done on site. Key to my process is a set of
temporary curved stud walls that I build to use as a layout
tool, a form for laminating plywood for the curved stringers,
and an assembly template.
If youre working on a sloping grade, the rough staircase
can be built elsewhere on the site or even inside, using the
same process, and then carried into position.
Like any other stairs, curved ones have to meet code. The
main section in the 2012 IRC that covers curved stairs is
R311.7.5.2.1, Winder Treads, but other sections also apply. In
general, the requirements are the same as for straight stairs,
with a few additions that address the different shape of the
treads. On curved stairs, the minimum depth of the treads at
their narrow end is 6 inches, and the minimum depth at the
walkline is 10 inches. The walkline is measured 12 inches
in from the narrowest part of the treads and follows an arc

Figure 1. Lay out the inner and outer arcs of the stair on
a temporary floor made from a double layer of plywood.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

thats concentric to the one at the inner stair edge. Though


the code doesnt specify a maximum depth, keep in mind
that extra-deep treads more than 14 inches or so can
make stairs uncomfortable to climb. Your local code may
have different requirements, so be sure to check.

Lay Out and Build a Bending Frame


I calculate the number of risers and treads as I would with
straight stairs. General layout includes locating where the
stairs will leave the deck, picking a curve for the stairs, and
targeting an area for the bottom landing. To rough out the
stairs arc, I walk heel-toe-heel-toe in the imaginary center
of the stairs, starting at the deck and curving in the direction of the planned landing. This establishes the approximate radius and the location of the bottom riser within a
foot or two.
Bending-frame base. Next, I lay out and assemble the frame
for bending the stringers. For the base, which will serve as a
template and as a bottom plate for the frame walls, I lay two
layers of plywood sheets over an area about a foot wider than
the stairs will cover. The joints should overlap at least 6 inches
and be screwed together at 2- to 3-foot intervals.
Template layout. Mark arcs on the plywood at the radii of
the inside and outside stringers and walkline (Figure 1). To
find the center of the arcs a point
equidistant from the top and bottom of the stairs first plumb down
from the middle of where the stairs
will land on the deck, and mark the
plywood base below. Next, mark the
plywood at the middle of the planned
bottom-riser location. Then pull tape
measures from these two marks, keeping the tape from the first mark parallel with the deck edge and sliding the
other tape along it. When the measurements match up, youve found the center of the stair arc.
Drive a stake at that point. Hook
a tape measure to it and swing three
arcs on the plywood, from the deck
edge to the bottom landing area.
The first arc defines the inside of the
curve, the second arc 12 inches out
from the first marks the walkline,
and the third defines the outside edge
of the stairs.

Curved Deck Stairs

Figure 2. After laying out the inner and outer radii and
the radius of the walkline, mark the tread locations on
the latter at 10-inch-minimum intervals.

Step off the treads at the walkline with equally spaced tickmarks 10 inches (code minimum) or more apart (Figure 2).
I generally limit tread depth at the walkline to 12 inches for
comfort. The final tread/riser mark pinpoints the bottom
landing. Pull a string from the radius stake to the outer stair

Figure 3. Snap chalk lines between the center


point and two adjacent walkline tread marks
to outline a tread. Verify that the minimum
tread width is at least 6 inches.

line at the last tread/riser to see if you like how the angle of
the bottom riser relates to your plans for a bottom landing.
If the last tread doesnt land where you expected it to, you
can make adjustments by increasing or decreasing the riser
height to change the number of treads; by changing the tread
measurement at the walkline to extend or
contract the bottom tread; or by changing the radius of the stairs to make the arcs
tighter or broader. These are all easy changes
to make before you start building.
Check that the minimum tread depth is
at least 6 inches by snapping two chalk lines
from the radius stake through two successive tread marks at the walkline arc. The distance between the points where the chalk
lines cross the inner arc is the dimension of
the narrow end of the treads (Figure 3).
Once youre happy with the geometry of
the stair, pull a chalk line from the radius
stake all the way across the outer stair-edge
arc and snap lines on the plywood at each
tread mark along the walkline to define the
stair treads (Figure 4).
Plywood top. For the top of the bending
frame, make a second plywood assembly that
mirrors the base complete with the stair
layout, though theres no need to mark the
Figure 4. Outline every tread on the stair by snapping lines between
walkline arc. Trim the edges 31 2 inches wide
the center and the walkline marks.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

Curved Deck Stairs


Figure 5. Make
a two-layer plywood mirror of
the stair layout,
with its edges
cut 31 2 inches
wide of the
inner and outer
radii of the stair.

Figure 6. Toe-screw
straight, wane-free studs
to the base at the riser
locations. Each stud should
be behind its riser line.

Figure 7. Place the upper template, or layout mirror, on top of the studs and fasten the studs to it the
same way they were fastened to the lower layout.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

of the inner and outer arcs of the stair, to allow for attaching
2x4 stud walls (Figure 5).
Walls. I build the bending-frame walls at least 5 feet high
even if the stairs are shorter than that so I can work below
the top of the assembly comfortably. Its important to use
straight studs without any wane, for accurate stringer layout.
Toe-screw the studs to the plywood base along the inner and
outer arcs, aligning them with the deck side of each tread/
riser line (Figure 6). Place and fasten the upper plywood
assembly atop the studs, with the studs aligned exactly as
they are on the base (Figure 7). Then plumb up the corners
of the frame and brace it (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Once all the studs are fastened, brace the


frame plumb.

Curved Deck Stairs

If you need or want multiple stringers, you can build


intermediate walls to form middle stringers. These walls
would need to be disassembled as the risers and treads are
installed, as will become clear later on. Usually, though, two
stringers are adequate, because I build the risers to act as
beams that support structural treads, which in turn support the finish material.

Laminate, Mark, and Cut the Stringers

Figure 9. Use a story pole with the tread elevations


marked on it to lay out the risers and treads on the frame.

Figure 10. Align the stringer laminations


with the tread marks on the frame, then
screw and glue them together.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

The stable frame makes it easy to lay up the stringer layers,


and its studs double as layout guides for the risers. I generally rip 16-inch-wide strips of 1 2-inch pressure-treated plywood for the stringer layers and cut enough for four plies
with joints offset by 2 feet. Sixteen inches may seem excessive, but its necessary since the tread cuts are pretty deep at
the outer stringer.
The face of each stud represents a riser position. To establish the line representing the top of the stringer, youll need
to mark out each tread level on the corresponding stud.
Because youll be working outside on ground thats probably not level, establish a level reference line on the inner and
outer frame walls using a laser level.
Mark out a story pole for the riser heights and use it to
mark the tread elevations on the face of each stud (Figure 9).
Make sure to allow for the rough and finish tread thicknesses. I figure 11 2 inches for a structural 2-by tread, 1 2 inch
for spacer strips, and 1 inch or 11 4 inches for the finish tread
material, which is usually decking.
The upper and lower plywood pieces will need to be
trimmed before assembly to match the deck frame and the
landing surface. I make cardboard templates of the angles
where the stringers will meet the top and bottom landings to
use as a guide. Align the top edge of the first layer of stringer
plywood to the tread marks on the studs and tack-screw it in
place. If needed, use clamps to draw and hold the layer tight
to the studs while the screws are driven. Since the tack screws
will have to come out later, drive them in at an angle to the
studs through the top and bottom edges.
Apply a generous squiggle of exterior-grade construction
adhesive to the first layer, then screw on the second layer
with 1-inch-long galvanized or stainless screws. Offset joints
in laminations by at least 2 feet. Glue and screw the third
and fourth layers on using successively longer screws driven
from both sides. Install screws for the first, second, and third
layers about 8 inches apart along the top and bottom edges
(Figure 10). After the fourth layer is installed, drive long
screws from both outside faces of each stringer in a 4-inch
to 6-inch grid pattern. Tip: To make it less likely youll cut
through screws when making the riser cuts, dont drive any
screws within an inch of the face of the stud.

Curved Deck Stairs

Figure 11. Mark the


risers on the stringer
by plumbing down.

To lay out the riser and tread cuts on the stringers, hold
a straightedge against the faces of matching studs on the
inside and outside frame walls and mark across the tops of
the stringers. The point where the line crosses the edge of
the stringer is the outside corner of the riser and tread cut
lines. Draw a plumb line down from the mark for the riser
cut and a level line for the tread cut, only as far as the intersection with the tread or riser lines for the adjacent steps
below and above (Figure 11).

Figure 13. Make a template for the structural treads from


cardboard or thin plywood.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

Figure 12. Notch the stringers


with a circular saw, but dont overcut the corners. Finish the cuts with
a reciprocating saw.

Its best to wait a day or two for the adhesive to cure before
cutting the stringers. Set the bevel on a circular saw to match
the slight angle the risers will make where theyll meet the
stringers. The tread cuts will be flat no bevel. So you dont
overcut at the inside corner, use a reciprocating or hand saw
to finish out the cut (Figure 12).

Structural Treads and Risers Hold the


Assembly Together
Structural treads of pressure-treated 2-by combine with
structural risers made from two layers of pressure-treated
plywood to tie the stringers together and provide a solid
base for finishes. Make a tread pattern from cardboard or
thin plywood using the arc lines and tread chalk lines on the
frame base as a guide (Figure 13).
The wide end of the treads will usually be wider than a
2x12, so it will need to be laminated. I cut blanks an inch or
two longer than needed and rip the taper. Then I glue and
pocket-screw the fall-off from the taper cut to the blank. A
final rip trims the excess off the filler. The tread ends are
slightly curved but can usually be cut with a circular saw.
The risers stabilize the stringers and support the treads, so
use a minimum of 1 2-inch plywood. Rip the riser stock the
same width as the riser height. The length equals the outside
dimension of the stairs, but rather than accounting for the
slight bevel, I cut the risers square and 1 8 inch short. The
width of the bottom and top riser boards will be different
from the rest.

Curved Deck Stairs


Figure 14. Laminate the
risers from two layers
of plywood to create a
notch that will support
the front of the structural
tread.

The inner riser layer is attached to


the stringers first, using screws and
construction adhesive. Then the tread
below is installed, and the inner riser
is screwed to its back. The inner risers
also bear the front edge of the treads
above (Figure 14). Run a bead of construction adhesive along the top of the
riser before installing the tread. Use
screws and construction adhesive to
secure the tread to the stringers. The
second riser layer laps the front of the
upper tread, and is screwed and glued
to it. This helps to keep the treads from
warping (Figure 15).
Eventually the top of the bending frame will interfere with
tread installation. At that point, just install the risers; wait
until the frame is dismantled to install the treads.

Figure 15. Offsetting the riser


layers allows them to support both
the front and rear of the treads. In this
configuration, the risers act like beams
to transfer the loads from the treads to the
inner and outer stringers, eliminating the need
for middle stringers on most stairs.

Install the Finishes


Wait a day or two to let the riser and tread adhesive cure
before removing the frame. The rough staircase emerges
from the frame ready for intermediate support posts and the
finishes skirts, risers, treads, and railings though sometimes youll find a screw tip poking through a stringer face
that needs to be filed or ground off flush. On large staircases, the outside stringer needs to be supported before the
studs are removed, which you can do by cutting and fastening a couple of 2x4s and setting them on blocks until permanent posts and footings are placed (Figure 16). Finally,
install the top treads and risers (Figure 17, page 8).

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

Figure 16. Support the stringers with posts


placed on footings.

Curved Deck Stairs


Figure 17. Once the frame
is removed and the stringers supported, finish
installing the last treads
and risers.

Figure 18.
Intermediate
guardrail posts
can simply be
extensions of
support posts.

Figure 19. Use fascia material for the finished skirt


boards, and decking for the treads.

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2012

Curved stair stringers need intermediate supports, which


I extend upward to double as guardrail posts. I space posts
along the arcs at equal intervals between 4 feet and 6 feet
apart and set them on footings (Figure 18).
It usually takes as long to apply the finishes as it does to
build the curved stair frame and may take longer, depending on the details. Skirt boards can be mitered into the risers
or closed. Closed skirt boards require less work and look better over time. Clamp, glue, and screw synthetic or rot-resistant-wood skirts alongside the stringers, shimming where
needed to maintain a fair curve (Figure 19).
Water that gets beneath the treads needs a way to drain,
so bore a few 3 4 -inch holes through the structural treads.
Lay 1 2-inch or thicker wood strips over the rough treads as
spacers for the finish tread decking. I rip the finish decking
strips on a taper and ease the edges. This looks much better
than having a couple of straight decking strips and a wedgeshaped closing piece meeting the riser at the back of the
tread. This approach wont work with capped decking, however, because easing the edges of the tapered pieces would
expose the capped deckings substrate. Space the finish riser
boards 1 4 inch from the structural risers for drainage.
Bending and laminating curved rails is an article in itself.
Done correctly, a curved rail needs the same helical shape as
the stringers. One workaround is to cut rails out of wide 2-by
stock to match the curve of the stair, but this only works if
the intermediate posts are less than 4 feet apart. Rails done
this way will have a slightly odd slope as the rail turns.
Mike Guertin is a builder in East Greenwich, R.I., and a regular presenter at DeckExpo.

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