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Tried the 3-4-5 trick on my deck stairs and it backfired in a way I didn't expect
I've been cutting stair stringers for 15 years and always trusted my framing square. Two months ago I switched to the 3-4-5 triangle method on a set of deck stairs in Rochester because a young guy on my crew kept messing up rise and run. First stringer came out dead on, so I cut the other three the same way without double checking. When we set them, the bottom step was off by almost half an inch across a 5 foot span and the whole set rocked. Turns out the 3-4-5 only works if your tread thickness matches the rise exactly, and mine was 1/8 inch thinner than I assumed. I recut two stringers and lost half a day. Has anyone else had the triangle method bite them when the material thickness wasn't what they thought?
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dylan2659d ago
Yeah the 3-4-5 gets guys all the time bc they forget the tread thickness plays into the rise. I always cut one stringer, set it, lay a level across two treads, and check the drop before I even think about cutting the rest. Plywood and 2x material are never the size they say they are either, that 1/8 you lost probably came from the tread itself not being a true 1 inch or whatever you planned for. Next time mic your material before you trust the math, saves you a whole afternoon of cussing.
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