Any deck stairs design shouldcombine style, safety, and durabilityall in one. Your deck stairs are bound to garner a lot of foot traffic from family and friends, and your guests’ safety is of utmost importance.That said, there’s no reasoncomposite steps to patio or lawn landingscan’t be eye-catching and stylish, too.
Before you dive intoideasforyour deck stairs design, you need to first understand deck stair anatomyand the factors that will affect your design.
Factors That Will Influence Your Stairs Design
- Building code requirements
- Product applicationand framingrequirements(based on whichdecking materialyou choose)
- Deck shapeand height
Understanding Deck Stair Anatomy
Knowing what the different components of a stair systemarewillhelp you in designing your deck stairs—as well asbuilding them if you’re considering DIY-ing the design.
✓Treads are the horizontal deck boards of each step.
✓ Stringers are the wide boards beneath the stairs that run at an angle from the deck to the landing. They support the treads and risers.
✓ Risers are boards that cover the vertical spaces between the treads. Risers are also called “toe kicks.”
✓ Skirts are usually pieces of trim, like fascia board, that coverthe stringersandoften the entire under-stair area. Skirts may also coverthe end-cuts of the treads, dependingon the application.
Deck Stair Building Code Requirements: What You Need to Know
Your deck stairs design must meet local residential building code requirements to be considered safe for use. Building codes vary by state and municipality, so you’ll need to check with your city or town hall for your local code requirements.
NOTE: Standards for stairs are adapted from residential applications under the residential code (IRC Section 311.7). These are generally consistent across regions, although regions may only be working with prior code years (2015, 2018, etc.), as codes are revised every three years and not always immediately adopted.
IMPORTANT
Before building deck stairs, take care to check local building codes and the requirements outlined in the Codes & Standards of the American Wood Council DCA6 or latest edition. LEARN MORE
NOTE:
- Guard height is 36” unless the top rail is also serving as a handrail; then it can be from 34-38” above the leading edge of the stair tread.
- TimberTech composite rails do not meet the requirements as a handrail so the guard needs to be 36” high from the leading edge of the stair tread and a separate handrail provided.
- Tread width 10” with a nosing of ¾” to 1 ¼”. For treads 11” and greater no nosing is required.
- Landings must be min of 36” in direction of travel. Width is dependent upon the handrail requirement as detailed in point 1
Get Your Deck Stairs Built Right
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Product Application& FramingRequirements
Howyoubuild your deck stairssubstructurewill depend on whichdecking materialyou choose, as different materials have differentspan ratings(the distance a board can span without a support).
Traditional woodstairs are typicallymadeusing2x12 stringers spaced 12” to 16” apart.Engineered deckingproductslikecapped composite or capped polymer deckingmay have different application requirementsdue to variations in material composition.
TimberTech®CompositeDecking Span Ratingsfor Stairs
Ourcapped polymer and cappedcomposite decking products havedifferentstairspan ratings (starting at9”spans)depending on:
- The product line.
- The collection.
- The board profile.
IMPORTANT
Always carefully read the installation guidelines for your chosen deck material beforebeginning your build.REVIEW INSTALL GUIDES
How Deck Shape & Height Influence Your Deck Stairs Design
The shape and height of your deck will naturally influence your deck stairs design in several ways, including:
StairRailing
Typically, ifyourstairsinclude four risers or more(orare 30” aboveground level),they require a railing.
Always checklocal building codestodecide whether your deck stairs design needs a railing.
Intermediate Landing
Compositesteps to patioor lawn landings should not be taller than 12’without a landing.
If your deck is higher than 12’, you’ll need to install an intermediate landing between your deck and the ground.
StairEntryway& Walkway
Deck stairs require space immediately in front of the entry to the stairs, as well as a 3’to 4’walkway across the deck to and from the stairs.
Your deck’s shape will need to accommodate these requirements.
Ways to CustomizeComposite Steps to Patioor Lawn Landings
Your deck stairs design needs to comply with code regulations, but that doesn’t mean it can’t reflect your unique style. The deckboard colors you choose, the railing style, and other add-ons like deck lights all contribute to a look that is all you.
Deck Boards
TimberTechdecking delivers nature-inspired aesthetics to suityourstyle.
Feeling bold? Choose twodifferentcoloredboardsfor yourtreads and risers, orincorporatewhite PVC trimfor aone-of-a-kinddesign.
EXPLORE Colors
Railing Design
Deck railing designscanincorporate different materials and colors for a trulycustom deck perimeter.
Create your own unique look that’s as bold or subtle as you want bymixingand matchingcolorsandcomponents.
EXPLORE RAILING
Deck Lights
Add an ambient glowto yourstairrisers and/orstairrailings while improving deck stair safety with deck lights.
Keep in mind deck lightsrequire electrical wiring that will need to be run at the time of build by an electrician orcontractor.
EXPLORE DECK LIGHTS
Deck Stairs Design Inspiration
Now that you have a better understanding of some of the requirements for deck stairs design as well as some of the style elements you can customize, it’s time to have some fun with a bit of design inspiration.
Stick to the Straight & Narrow
Formedium-sized decks below 12’tall, a straight staircaseemphasizesits surroundingswith an understated — but by no means mundane — design.Chooseblack metal railingfor your design for a sleek,minimalist perimeterthat keeps your eyes on the view.
Simple, straightcomposite steps to patio or lawn landingsare alsoaneasier DIYbuildif you’re interested in taking the project on yourself.
Pairs well with:Homes in scenic, natural areaswhere they won’t take away from the view.
Accentuate the Angles
Celebrate geometric shapesand create a dynamic lookwith angledstairsthat feature lots of planes and corners.Accentuate the angles furtherby using darker or lighter colored boards for your treads. Opt for apicture frame borderas wellfor a defineddeckperimeter.
Angled composite steps to patioor lawn landings can be difficult to DIY and may require the help of acontractor.
Pairs well with:Mid-century modern homeswith spacious backyardswhere the angles have plenty of room tojut in and out.
Go Bold With Curves
Be bold and choose an eye-catchingcurved designfor your deck staircase that offers a gentle transition from home to lawn or patio.Shine a light on the uniqueness of your design within-decking lightingalong the stairs or railing for anambient glow.
Keep in mind that curved designs require aqualified contractorto build.
Pairs well with: Elegant landscapingwhere the bends of the deckcomplementnature’s organic lines.
Exude Style WithCustom-BuiltSpiral Stairs
Kick your deck style up a notch with a gorgeous spiral staircase that offers a new point of view with every step— whilesaving spacewith its compact design.Bothcomposite and metal railingscan be bent toform the railing for this sophisticated design.
Spiral stairs,with their unique shape,willrequire aqualified, specialty contractorwith the skills needed for this build.
Pairs well with: Second-story deckswith a viewthat lack space forthe rise and run of traditional stairs.
Ready to get started designing your deck build? Partner with a TimberTech-registered contractor who can lend you their product-specific expertise toward planning youridealdeck stairs design.
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