Determine the Total Rise

What happens in this clip

Measure the total vertical distance from the *finished* lower floor to the *finished* upper floor. If the subfloor is exposed on the upper level, place a sample piece of your finished flooring on top of the subfloor before taking the measurement. Similarly, if the lower floor is not finished (e.g., dirt), place a sample of the intended finished flooring (e.g., patio blocks) before measuring. For this project, the finished concrete floor on the bottom and a finished pine floor on top result in a total rise of 36.5 inches (927 millimeters). Additionally, check if the floor is level further away from the stairwell header by extending a level beyond the header and measuring down; use the measurement from where the stringer will actually sit if there's a difference.

Goal: Accurately measure the vertical distance between finished floor levels

What's used

Tools

• Level
• Tape Measure

Materials

• Sample Finished Flooring (e.g.
• pine
• hardwood
• tile)

About the full video

This project provides a detailed guide on how to figure out the dimensions, lay out, and cut stair stringers for a basic set of stairs. It covers essential terminology, mathematical calculations for total rise, total run, unit rise, and unit run, as well as considerations for attachment methods and tread thickness. The instructions culminate in the marking and cutting of a wooden stringer using a framing square, circular saw, and hand saw.

Step 1 of 6: Determine Total Rise

Place a long level or a straight edge on the finished floor of the lower level, extending it to the edge of the upper level's finished floor. Measure the vertical distance from the lower finished floor to the point where the level/straight edge meets the upper finished floor. This measurement is the total rise of the staircase.

Open this step in the guide

Every video in How to Measure Stair Rise and Run

1. Step 1: Determine Total Rise

   • 0:04–0:30 Measure Total Rise
   • 2:54–4:34 Determine the Total Rise (this video)
   • 0:54–1:25 Calculate Final Total Rise

2. Step 2: Calculate Ideal Riser Height

   • 0:29–1:07 Calculate Rise and Run
   • 4:32–5:10 Calculate Individual Riser Height
   • 0:28–1:03 Calculate Approximate Number of Risers

3. Step 3: Determine Actual Riser Height

   • 4:32–5:10 Calculate Individual Riser Height
   • 1:03–1:44 Calculate Riser Height (Option 1)
   • 0:28–1:03 Calculate Approximate Number of Risers

4. Step 4: Determine Number of Treads (Steps)

   • 0:54–1:13 Determine Number of Treads
   • 3:54–5:04 Calculate the Number of Treads and Understand the Logic
   • 8:59–9:54 Calculate Number of Risers and Treads

5. Step 5: Measure Total Run

   • 1:31–2:57 Calculate Unit Run and Total Run
   • 1:13–1:29 Calculate Total Run
   • 9:54–10:28 Determine Tread Run and Total Run

6. Step 6: Calculate Actual Tread Run

   • 0:29–1:07 Calculate Rise and Run
   • 1:31–2:57 Calculate Unit Run and Total Run
   • 10:55–11:31 Calculate Overall Run (Treads)