Not everybody loves to invite construction workers into their homes to build something they consider a ‘minor structure’ such as platform steps for a deck. However,
To build platform steps for a deck, you must:
- Decide the type of platform steps for a deck you wish to build.
- Purchase stringers from a local box store
- Decide and purchase the boards for the stringers
- Get your affixers such as nails, deck screws, wood gum, etc
- Measure your dimensions, and
- Start building the steps
Table of Contents
Can I Build Platform Steps for a Deck?
Yes, you can.
Building platform steps requires simply knowing the materials needed to build it, how to put the materials together, and learning the skills needed to transform the materials into your desired platform steps.
Anybody can build platform steps for a deck as long as they learn it. Nobody just wakes up one morning and suddenly knew how to build platform steps and all the other things people build.
It took a learning process before they were able to build them. This also includes professional builders. If you want to learn how to build platform steps for a deck, then you can, and this article is the perfect place to start.
How to Build Platform Steps for a Deck
1. Decide on the Type
The method of building platform steps depends completely on the type of platform steps you want to build.
There are different types of platform steps such as outdoor stairs, garden stairs, box steps, composite stairs, etc. Also, types can differ in terms of the inches or size of the steps you want to build for your deck.
Establishing the type of deck you have and the type of platform steps you want to build is the first and most important part of the project, before venturing into other steps.
2. Purchase Stringers from Local Box Store
Once you have established the type of steps you want to build, the next thing to do is to go ahead to a local store to purchase the type of stringers you want to use to build your platform steps.
Stringers are single-step woods that come in different shapes, sizes, or inches. They can be single-step stringers, double-step stringers, three-step stringers, metal stringers, wooden stringers, rectangles, boxes, or other shapes, depending on what you have decided to build.
You can even decide to buy a plain wood material to do the stringers yourself, whatever you think would suit you better.
However, many people prefer buying ready-made stringers because it makes the job easier, and when you decide to remove them for any reason, it is also an easy task.
3. Decide on and Purchase the Boards
Stringers are just like frameworks. You have to purchase boards that you would place on the stringers after attaching the stringers to your deck.
Boards are the surface that users place their feet on. It is used for balance. If platform steps were individual, boards would be the face, while stringers would be the skeletal framework.
There are different types of boards too, just like there are different types of stringers. There are ready-made boards, some made of concrete, some made of hardwood, and some even made of ceramics, depending on your preference.
Also, you can decide to do it yourself with surface woods, as long as it would effectively serve the purpose of stepping on.
4. Get your Affixers Ready
And, of course, you need to get your affixers. Depending on your choice of materials, your affixers can be nails, deck screws, wood gum, or even carbon alloys, if you have metals.
Affixers are what you use to join your stringers, boards, and decks together to form perfect platform stairs.
5. Measure Your Dimensions
To get proper platform steps, after getting all your materials and before starting on your project, you need to measure your dimensions.
This means that you need to decide the length of your platform steps, the height, and the inches that would separate one step from the other if you are looking to build multiple steps.
Measuring your dimensions will help you note the size of materials you need to cut, the inches of wood you need to make your platform step, and the size of the overall body that hides the stringers.
Your frame could be about fifty inches long, while the height could be 8 inches.
Again, this solely depends on the height of your deck, and the purpose for which you are building the platform steps. For whatever purpose, you just have to measure your dimensions. This is mostly done with measuring tapes.
6. Start Building the Platform Steps
Measuring your dimensions makes the work easier as soon as you get started because you already have all the measurements you need to build your platform steps.
You also already have your stringers, boards, affixers, all that’s left is to start building. You cut the woods or whatever material you have decided to use with the relevant tools or machines, and join them together according to the dimensions you have measured.
Some people like to draw their projects before they get started to help them see what they are building along the line. You could try that. It will serve as the architecture of your project.
Also, note that you are supposed to build the steps separately first, away from your deck, before you attach them to your deck.
Materials Needed to Build Platform Steps for a Deck
Although some of the materials have been mentioned previously in this article, we realize that it is important to list all the materials that you would be needing to build platform steps for a deck.
- Solid deck boards: Boards are the main surface of the platform steps.
- Stringers: You can get stringers from a local box store. They are already prepared skeletal frameworks for your platform steps.
- Nails/Screws: You need a box of nails or screws to help you affix your woods together and make them into solid platform steps.
- Nail/Screw gun with compressor: This is used to drive the nails or screws into your project.
- Measuring tools such as measuring tapes: Used for measurement.
- Cutting tools: For cutting tools used to cut your woods into correct measurements, you can use a jigsaw, shears, table saw, circular saw, or a chop saw. Many prefer to use circular saws as they say it makes the work easier.
Final Thoughts
In building platform steps for a deck, you need to ensure that you use the best materials possible so that it stands the test of time and it serves the purpose you want it to serve efficiently.
Also, ensure that the materials you are using for your platform steps are similar to the materials that were used to build the deck.
Finally, while building your platform steps, be sure to consider the future. You might outgrow the need for the steps in the future and decide that you want to remove them, or you want to enlarge the inches thereby changing the steps into new ones entirely.
With this in your mind, you will make sure to build it in such a way that you won’t go through unnecessary stress to remove it in the future.
