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 ...

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 ...

To lay out a set of stair stringers from scratch requires a little math, but not much. Equally important is some quiet time to run the numbers and at the same time to think about the construction ...

Late last fall I got an email from a friend, John, looking for advice on building a new set of stairs going down into the basement of the house he’s renovating. John is pretty handy with tools, but ...

Well-designed steps create a great first impression, and when properly built, they will last for years. Popular Mechanics Senior Designer Michael Stillwell and his father Tony Stillwell recently ...