Deck framing and stairs: what holds it all up
Decks & Porches · 6 min read ·
A deck is held up by its frame, not its boards. Posts carry beams, beams carry joists, joists carry the decking, and the stairs hang off that frame on stringers.
Posts: the part you stop noticing
On the cream house pool deck in August 2026, the first day was posts in the yard between the house and the pool wall. Each one was braced in place, because a loose post will lean the moment someone bumps it with a board.
Those braces are temporary. Once beams and joists tie the posts together, the frame holds itself square and the bracing comes off. Get the posts plumb and in the right spots, and everything above them goes faster.
Beams and joists
Beams run across the tops of the posts. Joists run across the beams, or from a beam back to the house, and the deck boards fasten down to the joists. Think of it as three layers stacked at right angles.
Joists do not have to run in a plain grid. On the farmhouse pool deck in May 2026 we shaped the framing to the round edge of the pool so the curved decking had support right at its cut ends. Our pool deck build log follows that job day by day.
Tying into what is already there
The cream house frame did not start in open lawn. Its joists ran off the existing covered back porch and out along the pool, so the new deck meets the older stained porch deck and gives one straight walk from the back door to the water.
Not every deck job starts at the posts, either. On a two-story house in September 2026 the work was new deck boards, run along the back wall, past the sliding patio door and out to the railed edge.
Stringers and stairs
Stairs hang off the deck frame on stringers, the notched boards that carry each tread. On the farmhouse deck we set the stringers at the deck edge on May 7, then built the stairs out over the next few days.
Where the stringers land at the bottom matters as much as where they attach at the top. The ground there should be firm and level enough to keep the stairs from settling unevenly, and the landing spot decides your path across the yard.
Why we spend the time down here
The frame decides whether a deck feels solid underfoot, whether the boards stay flat, and whether the railing posts stay tight. None of that shows in a finished photo, and all of it shows after a few seasons.
Footing depth, joist size and spacing depend on the deck's size and height and on local rules. Check with your township, and ask us about your deck at the site visit; we do not guess at those from a sketch.
Picking a size to start from
The deck builder in the Design Studio starts at 12x12 (144 square feet), 12x16 (192 square feet) or 16x20 (320 square feet). Choose house deck, pool deck or porch, a railing style, and add stairs if you need them.
Your real deck will be framed to your house and yard. The studio just gets the conversation started, and the final price comes after we see the site.
Questions
What holds up a wooden deck?
A wooden deck is held up by its frame. Posts set in the ground carry beams, the beams carry joists, and the deck boards are fastened to the joists. Railings fasten to the frame along the open sides. Schaub and Sons braces each post while the beams and joists go up, then removes the bracing once the frame holds itself square.
What are stair stringers on a deck?
Stair stringers are the notched boards that run from the edge of a deck down to the ground and carry each stair tread. Deck stairs hang off the deck frame on stringers. On its May 2026 farmhouse pool deck, Schaub and Sons set the stringers at the deck edge on May 7 and built the stairs out over the following days.
Can a new deck be connected to an existing porch?
A new deck can often be connected to an existing porch when the old structure is in good shape. In August 2026 Schaub and Sons framed a new deck off an existing covered back porch and out to an above-ground pool, so the new boards meet the older stained porch deck in one straight walk. Each connection is checked on site first.
Can old deck boards be replaced without rebuilding the whole deck?
Old deck boards can sometimes be replaced without rebuilding the entire deck, depending on the condition of the frame underneath. In September 2026 Schaub and Sons laid new deck boards across a deck on a two-story house, running them past the sliding patio door and out to the railed edge. The frame is looked at during the site visit.
What deck sizes does the Schaub and Sons Design Studio offer?
The Schaub and Sons Design Studio offers three starting deck sizes: 12x12 (144 square feet), 12x16 (192 square feet) and 16x20 (320 square feet). You can pick a house deck, pool deck or porch, choose black metal, wood or no railing, and add stairs or a roof cover. Final dimensions and price are set after a site visit.
