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Mark Stringers Using Stair Gauges — Mark Stringers for Treads and Risers

Beginner2 hours

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How to Measure Alternating Tread Stairs · Step 5 of 10

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Set the stair gauges on a framing square to the adjusted individual riser height and tread depth. For the riser, adjust the 7 7/16" by subtracting the 3/4" tread thickness, making the marking dimension 6 11/16". For the tread, adjust the 10" by subtracting the 1 1/2" riser material thickness, making the marking dimension 8 1/2". Instead of repeatedly measuring and marking each step, use the calculated diagonal length (12 1/2" in this case) on the calculator. Mark the first point on the stringer, then sequentially add the diagonal length to mark each subsequent step along the stringer. This method eliminates accumulated error. Place the framing square at each marked point, aligning the stair gauges with the edge of the stringer, and mark the lines for the rise and run. Repeat this process for all steps on the stringer. Ensure precise marking for accurate cuts.

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going to go back to the calculator. 119 and 3/8 is my total height divided by 16 risers or stairs. 7 and 716 is my riser height. If I make that the rise 10 in run for the tread diagonal was 12 1/2. I'm going to save that by hitting M plus. So what I'm going to do and this allows me to have no accumulated error. There is 12 and a half plus recall M plus 24 and 1516 37 and 716 49 and 1516 and 38 74 and 787 and 516 99 and 1316. What this does is by the calculator keeping track of really the decimal places, there's no accumulated error. 112 and 516. There's a couple ways you could do this. One, you could just cut a piece of material that is 7 and 7/16 and 10. That's called a pitch block. And we could just adjust this as we go. If you have a rafter square, a lot of us were just taught to step off. Step off. So there's 10 and 7/16. We would mark this and just step as we go. That works great. The only thing is is you have the thickness of your pencil. And so the more stairs you have, the longer essentially it gets when you accumulate all of the air. So what I like to do is use my Martinez stair gauges. And I'm going to set this 1/16th less. So instead of 10, 9, and 15/16, instead of 7 and 7, I'm going to go 7 and 38. That's going to adjust for the thickness of my pencil. And then I just set the gauge there. 7 and 38, 9 and 15/16, 7 and 38. Verify. So, basically what's going to happen is my pencil is going to come out right on my my marks. So, I'm going to start with number one. And essentially, because I already have the points laid out, I'm not going to accumulate any error. And I basically just like reset at every single one of those intersections. Okay. By the way, this is the Holtforce pencil. I really like this. Verify. So, I always order the material at least a foot longer on each side, just in case something happens as it's stored, somebody drives over it. So, I'm going to call this my riser number one. That corresponds to riser number one here. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. And then seven, the top, of course, is going to be horizontal for the tread. So, 1 2 3 4 5 6. Number seven. That is my tread. Just going to circle that. Use this guy as a straight edge. Now, while I'm here at the top, remember I'm going to add riser material. I'm going to use 2x8 that is inch and a half thick. So, that means I need to subtract this off the back of the top of the stair. Circle that. Because if I then added a riser from my original mark, I'm now 11 and 1/2 for my tread, but…

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