How you attach the stair stringers to the top of the deck and to any landings will be critical. You should reinforce the rim behind the stairs to provide a solid base for attachment. Use positive connections to install stair stringers using joist hangers or angled brackets to the front face to provide adequate support.

If your first tread steps down from the deck you must extend the rim joist to create a solid surface below the deck rim to attach to. You should attach a 2x6 or 2x8 under the rim flush to the bottom of the stringer using strap ties or bolted cleats for added strength. You may also want to use metal strap ties that can bend along the bottom of the stringer and over the top of the rim joist for added support.

Attaching to the top of a landing offers a similar situation in which you should always maintain a solid face connection.

For attaching stair stringers to the deck, the LSU26Z field slopeable joist hanger by Simpson Strong-Tie is a good choice. The hanger is sloped and skewed during installation to fit most stair projects. The LSU26Z has a ZMAX® coating for additional corrosion resistance and can be sloped up or down and skewed left or right up to 45°.

Stair treads also must be properly connected to the stringers in order to support the weight of your deck. The TA9Z and TA10Z staircase angles by Simpson Strong-Tie provide the needed stair tread-to-stringer support and eliminate costly conventional notching. The angle installs at each end of the stair tread with ¼-inch x 1 ½-inch Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Drive® screws (SDS) and has a ZMAX® coating for additional corrosion resistance.

For more information about deck connectors and fasteners, visit  http://www.strongtie.com/deckcenter