# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  stairs question

## ger

I have finished my deck.
now I have to start on stairs
I want to have  trated pine frames
and screw on top merbau 90 X 19
the frame is to sit on the ground (soil)
which treated pine rating is ok 
not sure if  if it is one of theese F4 or F7 or H7 
thanks

----------


## UteMad

dont really know what your asking but if your sitting on the soil then no not any treated pine is ok .. Has to be atleast H4 treated and only certain sizes come in h4.. 
the aim is not to sit the structure straight on the dirt if your after a long lasting stable set of stairs  
utemad

----------


## ger

> dont really know what your asking but if your sitting on the soil then no not any treated pine is ok .. Has to be atleast H4 treated and only certain sizes come in h4.. 
> the aim is not to sit the structure straight on the dirt if your after a long lasting stable set of stairs  
> utemad

  thanks UteMad
what would you recomend
where my deck finishes and the strairs will go is grass
so the bottom part of the stairs (frame) will have to touch the soil
so will F7 be ok
or is there another way 
thanks

----------


## Ronaldo451

I suggest you either pave or concrete the area which the bottom of the stair rails sit on. If not an entire landing, then at least the bit that the rails sit on - even a couple of substantial concrete stepping stones/pavers/tiles is going to be an improvement over sitting in dirt....

----------


## binda

what he said.

----------


## UteMad

Depends how high and how wide the stairs will be and what the finished look is to be.. 
Are we talking like these below     
If so we sit the front on a gal post support set into concrete footing to keep the frame off the ground .. All your F and number is a strenght code all your H and number is its treatment code .. totally different  
cheers utemad

----------


## ger

Thanks for all the info
UteMad the deck height is only 580mm high
I will have 2 steps about 2.5 - 3 metres wide 
thanks

----------


## UteMad

Ok .. build a deck structure the height of the lowest step .. build it the full width of the stairs and all the way back to the deck then put another box stucture on top to create the second step.. Sit the front of the bottem deck / step platform on stirrups set into concrete and either attach the back to the deck or sit it on stirrups too 
utemad

----------


## Bloss

> thanks UteMad
> what would you recomend
> where my deck finishes and the strairs will go is grass
> so the bottom part of the stairs (frame) will have to touch the soil
> so will F7 be ok
> or is there another way 
> thanks

  You are confusing two different rating systems the f-rating relates to the timber strength. What you need to ask about is the timber treatment rating - the H series. For on or in-ground use you need H4 or H5 treated pine as has been said. 
There are a number of other ways, including how Utemad has described, but treated pine straight onto the ground is simple and works - and no concreting.

----------


## UteMad

if you dont want to concrete you could lay a sleeper on the ground nice and level and use it as a bearer.. we just do the stirrup way as its simple to level up and keeps everything off the ground  
cheers utemad

----------


## ricey250

Thought a few photos might help.
These are the steps I'm currently working on.
90x90 H4 straight in the ground wear the steps meet the grass. As utemad said you could use galv stirups if you prefer, i just had the 90x90 left over.
It sounds like you could do a similar thing to this? 
Cheers, 
Ricey.

----------


## UteMad

yep as per above 
utemad

----------

