I picked a 15-degree angle for my deck stairs and my buddy called me crazy

He insisted on the standard 30-degree cut for the stringers, said it was faster and everyone does it. I measured the rise and run three times, did the math, and went with 15 degrees for a gentler climb. It took an extra half day to cut and fit, but my client's older parents can now use the stairs without grabbing the rail every time. The inspector even commented on how safe it looked during the final sign-off. Has anyone else gone against the usual specs for something like this, and did the client notice?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettyk534d ago

Totally get it, I've done the same for clients with bad knees. @loganburns is right, that extra time is worth it when you see them use it easy. Did the inspector give you any trouble over it being different?

loganburns4d ago

Honestly, that's awesome you stuck with it. I mean, the whole point of custom work is to actually think about who's using it, right? Your buddy's "everyone does it" thing is how you end up with stairs that are just barely to code but kinda awful for real people. That extra half day is nothing compared to making something actually work better. Good on you for ignoring the noise.