DEAR TIM: I have to build a simple set of steps but I’m totally lost. I don’t understand how to calculate what the distance should be for the risers and the treads. Everything about building steps ...

Q. I have to build a simple set of steps but I'm totally lost. I don't understand how to calculate what the distance should be for the risers and the treads. Everything about building steps seems ...

Amateur carpenters who have laid out the cuts in a stair stringer (the zig-zag structural support for the steps) know the queasy feeling that bubbles up at the prospect of this job. There’s the simple ...

DEAR TIM: I read your recent column about building stairs for a deck. I can handle that, but I’m worried about how to make all the complex cuts required for the deck stair railing. Can you give me a ...

You may be like most folks. I’m guessing you give very little thought to the stairs you go up and down on a regular basis. They might be constructed from wood, steel, or concrete. The vast majority of ...