# Forum Home Renovation Stairs, Steps and Ramps  Need some advice on rebuilding the stairs for a raised Queenslander

## bydant

Just looking for some advice on rebuilding the stairs for a Queenslander that we are currently raising. 
Not total sure on the final height of the house, but the drop from the front landing to the ground is about 3.3m, which works out to 19 rises. Regardless, this is the design that I will be going for:   
The landing will be about 700mm off the ground and will be a platform the is not attached to the house. Steel stringers will be used between the ground and landing and landing to top landing. 
The landing will be around 1200x1200 
Is the landing something that needs to get engineered? 
If not, I was intending on making a simple platform with timber. Can anyone give any examples of how I might construct the platform? should I just bolt some 250x38 to the face of the posts and use hangers off that to attach the joists, or would sheer be too much of an issues. 
Thanks!

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## ringtail

The landing is pretty simple. 100 x 100 HWD posts. On the face where the upper landing attaches check out the posts and run a HWD bearer ( 150 x 50 0r whatever suits the leg of the stringer). Do the same on the opposite side of the landing. Then using HWD joists (125 x 50) gal batten screw(100 mm) one at each end of the landing on the outside of the posts. Don't check the posts out or there will be no meat left. On the end joist that the lower stringer bolts to, run a M12 bolt through the post in addition to  the batten screws. You can mitre the ends of the bearers and the end joists for a cleaner look. Then use joist hangers between the bearers to fill out the platform. Joist protectors and decking as usual. Put a HWD diagonal brace under the joists.  Oil based primer to everything during assembly. Because the landing is less than 1 mt high you won't need any engineering. Make sure you run your posts high enough for handrail and balustrade. Post holes should be 300 diametre min and 600 deep min  depending on soil type. High wind type stirrups with M12 Gal bolts & washers for anything that needs a bolt

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## bydant

Thanks for the advice ringtail it is really appreciated. You seem to be fielding all of my questions at the moment.   

> Don't check the posts out or there will be no meat left.

  Given that the stairs take a right turn at the landing, what do you recommend I do with the corner post that will take both the bearers that attach to the stringers?

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## ringtail

I would only check out the posts that take the main ( upper landing) and just hang the lower landing off the end joist which would be bolted and batten screwed to the posts ( no post checking). I've replaced so many landings over the years because the posts have been checked out on both sides which leaves a piece of post 50 x 50. Ridiculous. If I do a high landing I will put a ledger batten beneath the end joist ( the one not housed into the posts) for added support and security.

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