I decided to build a half hexagon shaped set of deck stairs. Basically the custom shaped deck stairs consisted of three sides.

To build this type of custom shaped deck stair, I built three frames out of 2x8 pressure treated material, each one smaller than the next by approximately 10 inches in depth and length.

After building the separate custom deck stair frames, I placed the largest one down on the deck and secured it to the deck boards with 3 inch deck screws.

I then placed the next smaller frame on top of the first one and fastened it to the bottom frame with 3 inch deck screws.

I repeated this process on the last and smallest frame structure.

After building the custom shaped deck stair frame I used standard decking material to create the stair treads. I mitered the ends of each deck tread board at a 45^o angle to achieve the finished deck stair surface.

As an alternative to the deck stair framing approach, I could have used stair stringers, with two stringers running parallel and adjacent to the family room wall, and another four running out perpendicular to the wall.

To add rigidity to the stair stringers I would have added blocking along the bottom and between each stair stringer.

So while considering the construction of deck stairs think out of the box a little, and jazz up your deck with some custom shaped deck stairs.

Photo by Mark Donovan