I'm building box steps to go between the upper and lower portion of my deck. The total height difference from surface to surface is 24 inches. I'm planning to build the box out of 2x8s and use decking that is one inch thick.
To be even I need three steps of 8 inches per rise. Since the nominal height of the 2×8 is 7 and 1/4 inches, I would need to rip 1/4 inch off of the 2x8s. That is a lot of annoying finicky cutting that would be easy to get wrong or inconsistent.
Would I be okay not ripping the 2x8s and producing 2 steps that are 8 and 1/4 inches high, then one that is 7 and 1/2 inches high? Code says the max difference in steps should be no greater than 3/8ths, so I would be close…
Is there an alternative solution to ripping 2x8s that would serve me better?
Best Answer
You don’t set the fence at 7” and try to control wobbling. You set the fence at 1/8 inch plus a 1/8” kerf.
Easy cut that way.