EASY STEPS TO BUILD A SET OF STEPS

Add a striking new design element by constructing a set of wide timber steps clad in spotted gum decking boards.

Gather your supplies

• 140 x 45mm H3 treated pine

• 90 x 45mm H3 treated pine

• 90 x 90mm H4 treated pine posts

• 200 x 50mm H4 treated pine sleepers

• 86 x 19mm spotted gum decking

You’ll also need Tape measure; pencil; mitre saw; drill; countersinking drill bits to suit screws; 100mm galvanised batten screws; 10mm masonry drill bit; M10 x 100mm galvanised masonry anchors; ratchet and socket; shovel; clamps; Larry hoe; concrete mix; wheelbarrow; 450mm star pickets; circular saw with fence attachment; 4mm plastic deck spacers; 50mm stainless steel decking screws; chisel; chalkline; sander with fine-grit sandpaper; natural decking stain; decking stain applicator; paintbrush

Here’s how

STEP 1 Design your steps. Measure overall height and width of the area you want to cover, then determine the number of steps, their height and their depth. A comfortable step height is between 140-180mm and a

tread width is 300-360mm. If you can, use width of your decking boards plus any gaps between them to determine the depth of any treads or landings. This will mean less cutting when it comes to installing decking. Also consider features of your home, like the corners, so the steps blend in with its dimensions. Measure and mark your home with the position of the steps.

STEP 2 Construct a frame for the top landing, cutting timber with mitre saw. Make frame 20mm shorter than adjoining patio to allow for decking that will clad the side. Use 140 x 45mm treated pine for outside of frame and 90 x 45mm pine for joists that fit between them. Space joists evenly, not exceeding 450mm between centres. Predrill using countersinking drill bit and screw frame together using 100mm galvanised batten screws.

STEP 3 Hold frame against patio and temporarily prop in place. Make top of frame 20mm below patio level.

STEP 4 Using masonry bit, drill holes through frame into the porch for masonry anchors. Space anchors about 600mm apart.

STEP 5 Insert masonry anchors into holes, tapping them through the timber, then tighten into patio using a ratchet and socket.

STEP 6 At outside corner of frame, and at ends where it meets house, dig 300mm deep holes in ground under frame. Cut 90 x 90mm posts to run from top of frame down into holes. Place posts against frame 10mm below top and into holes; clamp. Predrill and screw through frame into posts with batten screws. STEP 7 Use Larry hoe to mix concrete with water in wheelbarrow and pour into holes around posts. Leave concrete to set.

STEP 8 Use treated pine sleepers to construct frame for bottom step. Make frame to suit your design,

DIY TIP

Turn off the hammer setting on your drill when going into tiles. This reduces the risk of the tiles cracking. Once through, turn the setting back on.

here extending past side of landing frame by 735mm but short of full width of landing frame by 405mm, which also suits slope of the ground. Make width of frame 740mm so it supports frame for next step. At side of steps, make frame extend from outside of bottom step to landing frame. Fill inside of frame with joists that align with those in top frame. This will ensure the screws running down steps will all be in line. STEP 9 Set bottom step frame in position and make it level, excavating for sleepers as required. Make sure outside face of your frame and the height below landing frame suit the riser and tread dimensions of your design. Use 450mm star pickets to hold landing frame in place. At sides of

the stairs, butt frame into posts under landing frame, screwing into them with 100mm screws to hold.

STEP 10 Use 90 x 45mm treated pine to make a frame for next step, making its dimensions suit your design. As with bottom step, align joists with those on landing. Use circular saw with fence attachment to cut down 90 x 45mm timber along its length to create blocks to sit between this frame and bottom step frame. Combined height of blocks and frame should match your step height. Screw blocks into lower step frame, then screw step frame into blocks with 100mm screws.

STEP 11 Construct next step frame from 90 x 45mm pine to suit dimensions of your design. Cut blocks to sit between this frame and the one below to suit your step height. Also cut blocks to sit between top of this frame and underside of top landing frame. Screw blocks in place.

STEP 12 Sit frame on top of blocks on step below and on underside of top landing frame. Predrill and screw frame into blocks on rest of stair framing with decking screws.

STEP 13 Cut decking boards to fit around sides of top landing. Hold boards against side of frame so their top edge is 19mm above frame. Predrill and screw board to frame with 50mm decking screws, aligning screws with joists in frame.

STEP 14 Cut decking to length to suit top landing frame, allowing for 4mm gap to boards on the side.

Lay decking on landing and use deck spacers to create even gaps between the boards. If required, use chisel to bend any bowed boards to fit the spacers in.

STEP 15 Using chalkline, mark a straight line along top of boards where the screws will be.

STEP 16 Use countersinking drill bit to predrill decking boards along chalked line, then screw down with decking screws.

STEP 17 Continue laying decking on next step down, fixing a board vertically to front of step then filling in the tread behind it.

STEP 18 Fill in the riser of the tread above step you have just laid. If required by the step height, cut down the piece of decking board along its length to suit the width, not forgetting to allow for 4mm gap around board. Cut extra at this width so you have enough to continue running this board along side of steps.

STEP 19 Continue laying boards on treads of the steps, then filling in risers of the steps behind them.

STEP 20 Along side of the steps, screw blocks to posts holding the landing frame up to provide a surface that is flush with the side of the top landing frame. Screw decking to these, using the extra lengths cut for the risers in Step 18 to match up with those along the steps.

STEP 21 Lightly sand decking to remove any chalk or pencil marks. Remove dust and apply 2 coats of decking stain, using paintbrush to cut in edges and a decking stain applicator.