How to’s on building from the carpenter of 26 years
Building Stairs
Building stairs is not diffcult if you are good with some carpentry skills.A good plan ahead of time,some carpenters math and lay-out is needed to be successful.
This article is for a basic set of stairs that would be for a deck,or a basement stair,ect.If you are looking for finished stairs cases go to---
1st and formost before building your stairs
Consult the national building-code requirements(BOCA) and the local building-code requirements.Somethime theres differant codes for differant locations.If it is an indoor or outdoor stairs ,does make a differance too.You can usally call your local building inspector for the current code.Building Codes are not against you but help protect you and others from hazards.
2nd is design
The most widely held code for stair is 7 5/8" rise max. and no less than 10" for tread width.I personally like a 6 1/2 rise,as is mostly required for extior stairs and it is easy for someone who has a physcial problem,to climbing the stairs.You would be suprised how much differance 1" makes!I also like using 2x12 for my treads.If it is over a 30" wide stairway,use 3 stringers.That way if anything heavy is moved up or down the steps it will be able to bear it,easily.I always use 2x12 for my stringer too.
Check the headroom (if appalicable) you need apx 6'- 8" from the nose of the stair that will be directly under the head object for clearance..
Heres a free stair caculator (much thanks to the blocklayer.com)http://www.blocklayer.com/Stairs/StairsEng.aspx
The math part
if the distance between the upper floor(the deck) down to the lower floor (ground) is say 8" or 96 "
You would, using a calutor 96" divided by 6.625 (6 5/8")= 14.4905" or 14 and about 1/2 risers which really will not work,we want a very close even number of risers. so ... We play around a bit with the fractional part of the desired rise .to find the decimal equi. of 3/4 divide 3 by 4=.75 7/8=.875
96" divided by 6.875" (6 7/8")=13.963 risers which is close enough to the full desired 14 stair risers.
More later
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deck building
Building your 1st deck huh?
Its really more labor than much skill needed,so unless your like me and just plain old lazy,you will be fine.
1.Check local building codes and get the required permits before starting,youi can call you loacl building inspector in the city where you live to obtain this.
2.Get a good plan of how the deck will be.How wide,how long or deep.Will it have a railing?(if its over 2 feet off the ground you need a railing build to code.)If so what typeof deck railing?
2a.What will you build this out of?Pressure treated is the most cost effective,but you can also use cedar.
2b.Where the deck comes upto the house will you exit a door and step down or will it just be and inch or so below the doors threshold?
Will you use screws to hold down the decking boards or just nail them in place(I like screws as the lumber tends to stay in place and screws will not back out
Now Building the deck
 Building a Deck by Scott Schuttner (2002, Paperback)  US $4.99
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 BLACK & DECKER BUILDING DECKS BOOK US $.01
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 QUICK GUIDE BUILDING DECKS US $.99
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 The Complete Guide to Building Decks NEW Black & Decker US $4.00
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 Home,Landscape,Deck Building Design Autocad Software US $15.79
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 The Complete Guide to Building Decks (2001, Paperback) US $4.99
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 Advanced Deck Building - Step-by-Step by Black & Decker US $5.99
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 Outdoor Decks your guide to Designing and Building US $.99
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Pole Buildings
These are mostly for storage,but can be converted,or used for almost anything, even commercial uses.
Poles are set in the ground at specified spacing(depending on what material you are using for roof,headers ect)
8' increments or sections so you can build 8'-16'-24'-32'-40' -ect. wide.Wall heigh (if you are planning on building them now ort later)should be 8' or 12' or 16' high,plan acordingly. The poles are set deep into the ground (depends on the size and height of the building) and then extends upto the top of the building to support the roof.
These can be put up very quickly , again depending on if you are adding sides for an enclose space or just for a weather cover for hay or equipment.
A pole building
 Monte Burch's Pole Building Projects, 25 Low Cost plans US $5.99
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 Dept 56 North Pole Porcelain Building Works US $49.99
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 Tracks Buildings Street Signs Bridges Poles Train Parts US $2.00
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 Pole Barn/Util building CAD plans & details US $1.25
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 POLE BUILDING CABIN HOUSE SHED HORSE BARN GARAGE PLANS US $18.97
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 LOG HOME BUILDING CABIN STONE MASONRY POLE ADOBE CEMENT US $18.97
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 HANDICAP METAL $ 50 FINE SIGN...BUILDING .POLES. GARAGE US $4.95
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 Monte Burch's Pole Building Projects 25+ plan US $1.95
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 BARN TOWN HOUSE TRUSS POLE STALL SHED BUILDING PLANS CD US $9.99
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 HAWTHORNE P.O. BOX #1, NORTH POLE COLLECTION 4 BUILDING US $34.99
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Prefab steel buildings are, by design, expandable and very flexible. If you start to outgrow your space, simply add another section.Prefabs are like building blocks,they are already put together but only so far,so they can be shipped to the desired location.Prefab buildings go up very fast as most of the normal construction is already (Prefab) before it has arrived.So this is just like putting together building blocks.
Pre-engineered metal buildings can be designed to endure the harshest weather environment, such as heavy snows, tornadoes, hurricanes, intense heat, and even earthquakes. By utilizing the proper insulation and construction materials, steel and metal buildings are often the most energy efficient buildings available
Steel buildings are popular for industrial applications. The common types of pre-engineered building available include truss-type, rigid frame, post-and-beam, and sloped roof. Prefabricated building engineered at the factory in accordance with pre-decided dimensions and completely recyclable material guarantee that there is no residual waste.
A Pre-engineered metal building are the most economical way of building commercial projects in the building industry today
There are good points, and they are not so good points in prefab buildings.
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