- 1). Measure the width between the stringers and the height of the first rise from the floor to the tread support. Cut risers from ¾ inch thick hardwood. Use a table saw to cut your hardwood stock to width, at the riser height, and add 3/8 inch. Cut the pieces to length to fit between the stringers with a miter saw.
- 2). Measure the depth of the tread support and cut stair treads from 1 inch thick hardwood that is ¾ inch wider than the depth of the tread support and long enough to fit from outside to outside of the stringers by using the same cutting techniques as previously outlined.
- 3). Set up a ¾-inch dado blade on the table saw. Unplug the saw and use a wrench to remove the arbor nut. Pull the blade off the arbor and fit the correct combination of stack dado blades onto the arbor to make a ¾-inch groove, or dado. Replace the arbor nut and tighten it. Set the depth of the blade to 3/8 inch. Adjust the table saw fence to ¾ inch from the inside of the dado blade, so that the groove will be ¾ inches from the front edge of the stair tread.
- 4). Start the saw and run the stair tread over the dado blade, with one long edge against the fence. Do this for each stair tread. Fit the stair riser between the stringers so that the top edge protrudes 3/8 inch above the tread support and nail through the side of each stringer into the ends of the riser.
- 5). Fit the tread on top of the stringer, with the dado fitted onto the top of the stair riser. Nail through the tread into the stringer and the top edge of the riser with a pin nail gun.
- 6). Cut a ½ inch thick piece of hardwood that is 1 inch wide and as long as the stair tread is deep. Nail this piece to the outside end of the stair tread to cover the end of the dado. Make the top edge and front end flush with the stair tread.
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