A practical look at marking and cutting stair stringers for a building project. Focused on the process, tools, and ...

Deck stairs look simple until you cut your first stringer wrong. I have done that, and one bad cut can waste a whole board. Building deck stairs is one of the most useful DIY projects you can take on.

Calculating the step dimensions, laying out stringers and building a sturdy set of deck stairs.

Well-designed steps create a great first impression, and when properly built, they will last for years. Popular Mechanics Senior Designer Michael Stillwell and his father Tony Stillwell recently ...

You may be like most folks. I’m guessing you give very little thought to the stairs you go up and down on a regular basis. They might be constructed from wood, steel, or concrete. The vast majority of ...

Dear James: My old wood deck is deteriorating and the stairs could be hazardous. What is the easiest way to install new ones for an inexperienced DIY-er? Dear Shantell: You are correct to worry about ...

DEAR TIM: I need to build some simple outdoor steps to replace ones that fell apart and rotted (even though they were made with treated lumber). I’m fairly handy and have a decent grasp of the math ...

You probably give little thought to the stairs you go up or down to reach different levels of your home, deck or patio. I’ll wager that if I handed you a measuring tape, a framing square, a pencil and ...