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What is the best way to attach the stringers to the floor joist?
Some carpenters attach a top riser to the two stringers, then lift them both up and attach the riser to the floor joist. The riser in this case would be 3/4" plywood screwed securely into the upright part of the stringers and into the floor joists. Allow for this thickness when cutting the end of the stringer.
What I prefer to do is attach the stringer to the floor joist with toe nails (from the side of the stringer into the floor joist). Then place posts under the stringer, every 4-5 feet. This also eliminates any spring in the stringers. Don't rely on nails alone holding the stringer. If posts under the stringer would look unsightly, say on an outside stair from a deck, I try to use 4x4 posts for the handrail to support the stringer (from a pad on the ground up to under the rail) a couple of carriage bolts at each intersection would do the trick there. (For more info see Unusual Stair Rise/Run Sizes.)
