How to Install Composite Decking Stairs

Installing composite decking stairs requires several crucial steps to ensure safety, durability, and visual appeal.Here’s a step-by-step guide:

By following these guidelines, you will create a set of composite decking stairs that are both functional and enhance the aesthetic and usability of your outdoor area.

Embark on your journey to timeless elegance with Our factory's composite Decking Stairs. Crafted from a robust blend of wood and plastic, this innovative product is renowned for its durability and straight forward installation. It not only elevates the beauty of your outdoor spaces but also guarantees long-lasting performance with minimal maintenance.

Wood-plastic Composite Decking can installed as sturdy and visually appealing outdoor stairs. Offering a higher durability compared to conventional materials, these composite stair shave minimal maintenance requirements, while the distinctive wooden texture adds a charm of its own.

Now, for those dipping their toes into the composite decking for stairs the first time, we understand the concerns regarding the installation process. We make it convenient for you with a comprehensive guide on how to build stairs with composite decking, ensuring along-term and safe use.

Building stairs requires precision and following safety principles. The main structural elements here include:

Stringers: These form the backbone of a stairway, supporting the treads and risers on either side. With a network of stringers, you form the framework of a step. To fasten your stair treads securely, you'll need at least four continuous stringers with a spacing usually 12 inches from center to center.

Treads: The surface your foot comes in complete contact with. To ensure steady footsteps, it needs to be at least 10 inches wide and 1 inch thick to bear the weight of someone walking on it.

Risers (also known as kick plates): This vertical element forms the space between one step and the next, imparting a finished look to the stairs and making them more stable. While installing risers, they need to be 0.5 inches thick and two screws per stringer should be used.

Nosing: This is the horizontal edge of the stair.

NewTech Decking is a composite decking manufacturer offering a variety of composite products to enhance your outdoor living experience. All of our decking boards are feature UltraShield technology, a coating that protects the materials from rotting, fading, staining, scratching and various other issues associated with traditional wood decking.

The installation process is straight forward, and we guide you through each step, from measuring the height of the stairs, calculating and positioning the risers and treads, cutting stringers, to attaching the fascia for a clean, elegant finish. We also guide you on how to build safety-enhancing stair railings.

While installing, ensure to follow safety measures like wearing a dust mask and eye protection while handling or cutting composite deck, and washing hands after working with decking.

Building stairs for composite decks is similar to constructing wood stairs, with a few key differences. Here's a guide on crafting a set of composite steps for your deck. We completed our decking and railing installation before constructing the stairs. Typically, the framing is built using treated lumber, while composite materials are used for the surface, which is the approach we'll take for these stairs.

Composite deck stairs generally use two-by-twelve stringers spaced 8 to 16 inches apart. They rest on a solid foundation and attach to the deck with hangers. These stairs include risers(also known as toe kicks), treads, and railings, and should be at least 36inches wide. You can create custom stringers or purchase pre-cut ones, and it's crucial to adhere to building codes.

To begin, determine the location of your bottom step. Place a straight board or level on top of the decking and measure the height where you want your steps to end (e.g., 55 inches). Divide this measurement by 7 (the ideal height for each step) and round to the nearest whole number to find the number of risers—in this case, 8. Now, divide 55 by 8to find the actual height of the risers, which is approximately 6 and seven-eighths inches. If your steps feel too short, reduce the number of risers by one and recalculate. Since we're using the deck itself for the top riser, we'll subtract one step. For our treads, we're using composite decking planks with a run of about 11 inches, along with wood and composite toe kicks at the back.

You can use the total run length to determine where to build your landing support. A common option is a concrete pad with a four-inch layer of gravel underneath, extending about 36 inches beyond the steps. Alternatively, you can install concrete footers. To locate them, use the total length of the run and mark where the steps attach to the deck. Ensure the posts and footers align with the two outer marks. You can position the footers level with the ground. Refer to our posts and framing video for steps on setting posts.

Once your footers are installed, and the rise and run are determined, mark the steps on the stringers using a framing square. Set stair gauges to the rise height and run length, hold the square at the plank's corner, and mark the top run. Slide the square along the plank and mark both rise and run, continuing until all steps are marked. At the top step, subtract the thickness of the toe kick and draw a perpendicular line where the stairs will attach to the deck. There is no toe kick at the bottom step; instead, mark the tread thickness to position the entire set of stairs downward, ensuring the bottom step matches the height of the others.

Cut the stringer with a circular saw, finishing with a hand saw, and use this stringer as a template to mark and cut the others. Next, install a two-by-eight below the joist to attach the stringers, bracing it to the joist or beam behind. Attach the posts to the footers as you did for the deck frame. Hold the stringers and hangers flush with the top of the two-by-eight and mark them. Nail the hangers to the two-by-eight and attach the outer stringers at the bottom, then screw them to the posts and attach the bottom toe kick. Install the remaining stringers, then secure posts at the bottom of the stairs with bracing anchors and carriage bolts.

Now, cut all toe kicks from wood and composite and cut the treads. Attach the toe kicks first, then the treads with color-matching screws, leaving a small gap between the treads for a neater appearance. We cut additional composite stringers to cover the wood stringers after the treads are in place. Finish by installing the railings. Slide on the post sleeves and glue the collars in place. Hold the bottom rail against the posts, center the holes, mark the angle at each end, and cut the rail. Align the holes with the top rail, transfer the angles, then cut the top rail. Slide the brackets onto the bottom rail, mark the bracket location on the post, drill pilot holes, and secure with screws. To install the balusters, use a T-bevel to determine the angle, mark the balusters, and cut them. Place baluster inserts in the holes and attach the balusters. Position the top rail and secure it withs crews. Complete the railings with post caps, then fill in around the footers with gravel. Your composite deck is now complete. Enhance its appeal with accessories to make it stand out.

We are not just the leading manufacturer and supplier of WPC Deck in China, but we strive to offer the best quality composite decking stairs at the most reasonable price. Our state-of-the-art technologies are designed to produce supreme quality materials, making elegance and durability affordable for everyone. We are always here to assist.

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