Here’s a tight, code-ready guide on measuring and cutting a 6-step stringer, written for US readers who want the real numbers and cut order without fluff.
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A 6 step stringer is six risers and five treads cut from a 2×12: measure total rise, set stair gauges, and stop each notch cut a quarter inch short.
One omission ruins a whole staircase, and it happens before any cutting starts: the total rise gets measured while the finished flooring is still sitting in the garage. Add that thickness first, and measuring and cutting a 6 step stringer becomes the same notch marked six times on a 2×12.
The work splits into three parts: the measuring math, the marking and cutting, and the fastening order that keeps a finished stringer stable.
How Many Risers Does A 6 Step Stringer Have?
A 6 step stringer carries six risers and five treads. The upper landing acts as that final step, so only five treads get cut into the board.
Start with the total rise: the vertical distance from the finished lower surface to the finished upper surface. If flooring isn’t down yet, add its thickness now, because a rise measured from bare framing leaves the top riser shorter than the rest.
Divide the total rise by a riser height between 7 and 7 3/4 inches, then round up. More steps keeps each riser comfortable rather than tall. With the count set at six, divide the total rise by six for the exact riser height, which has to be identical at every step, then multiply your tread depth by five to get the total run.
| Measurement | How To Get It | Typical 6-Step Result |
|---|---|---|
| Total rise | Finished lower to finished upper surface, plus flooring thickness | Roughly 43 to 46 inches |
| Riser count | Total rise divided by 7 to 7 3/4 inches, rounded up | 6 risers |
| Exact riser height | Total rise divided by the riser count | Total rise ÷ 6 |
| Tread count | One less than the riser count when the landing is the top step | 5 treads |
| Total run | Tread depth multiplied by the number of treads | 5 × tread depth |
| Stringer board | Wide enough to leave solid wood behind the deepest notch | 2×12 |
| Remaining throat | Wood left at the deepest notch after cutting | 3.5 inches or more; some guides say 5 |
Board width matters as much as the arithmetic. A 2×12 keeps a solid throat of wood behind the deepest notch — commonly cited at about 3.5 inches or more at that point.
Marking And Cutting A 6 Step Stringer: The Step Order That Works
Mark every step with a framing square fitted with stair gauges, cut the notches with a circular saw, and finish each corner by hand.
Set the gauges so the riser sits on the square’s tongue and the run sits on the blade. Align the square to the top edge of the 2×12, mark the first notch, slide it down one step, and mark again until all six positions are laid out.
The stair stringer measuring guide from Home Depot covers the measuring math behind that layout.
Cut the top plumb cut and the bottom level cut first, so the stringer meets the upper support squarely and lands flush at the bottom.
Run the notches with a circular saw, stopping about a quarter inch short of where the rise and run lines meet — overcutting those corners removes the wood that carries the load. Finish each corner with a hand saw, a reciprocating saw, or a jigsaw.
Mark the first stringer carefully, use it as a template for the others, and check each one against it before cutting. A template that slips mid-line produces uneven steps.
On engineered lumber, span and spacing come from the manufacturer’s span table, which lists limits by material depth and tread width. No single number carries from one job to the next.
Buying pre-cut is an option, too — our roundup of 6 step stringers covers the ones that held up best outdoors.
Attachment Order Before Anyone Climbs
Both ends of every stringer need fastening before the first person steps on the stair — loose stringers are extremely unstable during installation.
Fasten the top plumb cut against the upper support, then seat the bottom level cut flush on the lower surface and fasten that end. Many residential codes cap riser height at 7 3/4 inches and require risers to stay equal within a small tolerance, so a stringer that drifted during the cuts is worth recutting.
- Measure the total rise from finished surface to finished surface, adding flooring thickness if it isn’t installed.
- Divide by a riser height of 7 to 7 3/4 inches, round up, and confirm six risers.
- Divide total rise by six for the exact riser height, then multiply tread depth by five for the total run.
- Set the stair gauges, mark all six step positions on the 2×12, and cut the top plumb cut and bottom level cut.
- Cut the notches, stop a quarter inch short of each corner, and finish the corners by hand.
- Fasten both ends of every stringer and check each one against the first before anyone climbs.
FAQs
What Size Lumber Should A Stair Stringer Be Cut From?
A 2×12 is the standard choice. The deepest notch removes a large bite of wood, and a narrower board would leave too little material behind it to carry the load. That remaining wood at the deepest notch is often called the throat, and most guidance calls for roughly 3.5 inches or more of it.
Why Stop The Circular Saw Short Of Each Corner?
A circular saw blade leaves a rounded bottom, and it’s easy to run past the point where the tread line and the riser line meet. Overcutting that inside corner removes wood the stringer needs, which weakens it. Stopping about a quarter inch short and squaring the corner with a hand saw, jigsaw, or reciprocating saw keeps the board intact.
Do All Six Steps Have To Be The Same Height?
Yes. Uneven risers are a trip hazard, and many residential codes cap riser height at 7 3/4 inches while allowing only a small difference between the tallest and shortest step. Cutting every stringer from the same carefully marked template, then checking each one against the first, is what keeps the steps equal.
References & Sources
- Home Depot. “How to Measure Stair Stringers.” Supports total rise measurement, riser and tread math, and