Simple DIY methods ensure cutting your next set of stringers is fun carpentry, not a math-intensive hassle.

"You can absolutely cut a stair stringer if only you only knew the way the math works," my dad once said to me. So, long before I ever had a geometry class, I knew the math behind determining a ...

You can even buy precut stringers from some lumberyards and home centers. Some old-fashioned lumberyards may even make custom-cut stair stringers for you if you provide the relevant measurements.

Building a set of stairs is a tricky endeavor. Using a pair of brass stair gauges and a builder’s square to mark the stringer (the zigzag boards the steps and risers attach to) can make the job ...