Stair & stringer guide · 4 min read
How to measure total stair rise
Measure finished floor to finished landing correctly before calculating stair risers, treads, run, or stringer length.
Start with finished surfaces
Total rise is the vertical distance from the finished lower walking surface to the finished upper landing or deck surface. It is not the height to the bottom of the framing, and it is not the length along the slope.
If flooring, decking, tile, or another finish has not been installed, include its final thickness in your measurement. A small miss at this stage gets divided across every riser—or shows up as an awkward first or last step.
A reliable measuring routine
- Establish the finished upper landing elevation with a level, laser, or straight reference board.
- Measure vertically down to the finished lower surface, keeping the tape plumb.
- Measure in more than one location when the lower surface may slope or vary.
- Record the measurement precisely; do not round it to a convenient whole number.
- Confirm all planned finish thicknesses before entering the rise in the calculator.
For an exterior stair landing on uneven grade, the stair needs a properly designed, stable lower landing. Do not treat loose or sloped soil as the finished reference surface.
Turn the measurement into equal risers
Choose an allowable maximum riser for your project, then let the calculator find a whole number of risers and divide the total rise evenly.
Riser count = round up (total rise ÷ maximum riser) Exact riser = total rise ÷ riser count
Always verify the resulting dimensions against the building code and authority that apply where you are building.