Next, use a level to mark a plumb line on the skirt board at the top and bottom that matches the height of the flat portion of your baseboard. Also if there's a large gap between the floating stairs and the wall, a skirt board cannot be installed there. Skirt boards give a finished neat appearance to stairs. How should stair treads and risers be assembled? What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? After that the scribing is just a straight-edge set against the face of the riser and a line drawn parallel from the top of the tread with a scrap of wood. So from this distance, use a level to mark a straight line vertically near the bottom end of the skirt board. If your stairs will be showing the treads or if there is an overhang I would suggest installing the skirt and then the treads. Now, there are some professionals who prefer installing skirt boards after fixing the treads and risers. Reforging Glory. It has a far less busy look than using trim to frame around each step and is easy to work with. Fix the height by measuring if the skirt board extends past the nosing by 2-1/2" ( or a value you prefer). Your treads are particle board or fiberboard, both of which are fairly soft. Given the rough treads were only 9 inches with no overhang, I'm assuming the new treads being a little more than an inch deeper is a good thing, but wanted to double check before I start gluing/screwing them in. There are two kinds of skirt boards for stairs. Table of Contents: 1. They are also generally pre-finished quite well with a white color avoiding the need to paint over them. My installer is not a big fan of caulking and for now I'm going to do nothing. Why? The stringers appear to but cut properly but the treads and risers have large gaps on the sides next to the skirt board, as much as 1/4 inch. The risers should be OK remaining MDF, if that's what they're made of. Here is a link that might be useful: tread brackets. Re-attach it lightly with two finish nails just as before. His man is getting paid for this, if the homeowner did it I would not have made that comment. If done afterwards it seems like it would be nearly impossible to cut accurately (around the nosing etc). You can use similar colored caulk at any seams to hide any other gaps. Unless the house was rebuilt there is no way to make them code. 2. shimming is not going to help much because your cuts are off for those treads. 01-05-2006, 11:07 PM. In this article, well take a look at the variety of ways you can use a stair skirt on your stairs. This will give me slightly more than 10 inches of depth. You can also pocket screw the back top of the riser below to the tread above (if you have just a bit of room to work or a right angle drill. I intended on staining the stairs. First, youll have to precisely measure the rise, run and stair nosing cuts for each stair. Gaps occur on stair treads where the riser meets the tread. I use my 10" Hitachi compound slider. My plan of attack was to shim between the treads and stringers to ensure that they were well-supported. If you are not comfortable doing this job yourself, hire a carpenter who will do it for you in the morning. To install a skirt board before the stairs, follow these steps: If you dont prefer the look of a stair skirt, or you have a non-traditional stairway, then you have a handful of other options. When using the jig to measure the tread, I may cut to exact measurement, if it seems to tight, I can use a power sander to knock it down so I have a 1/32 clearance between the tread and skirt. Transition strips are a type of molding typically made from metal, wood or vinyl that is designed to transition between two different floorings. Is the skirt board supposed to cover the gap between the tread and the wall? MDF and softwood are used if the skirting board is to be painted. The dimensions should be no less than 9-1/2 wide because the skirt must sit at least 1-1/2 above the nosing of the stairs. Drop me a line or comment below! It'll blend into the joint and be invisible and will just look like the shadow gap that was there before. Home Decor Bliss: How To Fix The Gap Between Stairs And Walls. Tack the skirt board into place. I think it's money and time well spent to make up some plywood rips thatare temporarily shimedsomewhatsnugglywhere the treads will be to keep the skirt firmly against the wall. If the gaps are not too severe, consider using colored caulk to cover them. I only brought up the "tread end gaps" because my wife was abit overboard about it. Summary. It would stand to reason that youd want that same trim along the length of your stairs, too. You need an accurately measured uniform gap between the drywall and the stairs for installing a skirt board. IMO if you want a tight-looking fit, make housed stringers. Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 5:19 pm . So what would be considered "touching" them in a way that would break the exemption? Reforging Glory. I'd say the gap on the right is a little over 1/4 inch and the one on the left is just about 1/4 inch. I really like the jumbo craft sticks sold at walmart $3/200 or whatever the amount is. So, you might be able to hide some of that with white caulking, and the skirt board paint. In this article, we take a deep dive into everything you need to know about stair skirt boards. They'll be pretty fiddly to get a nice joint where horizontal meets vertical - you'll want cope those joints so they stay nice looking and don't open up over time. there is a poor bond with end grain and as said by others, it would create a messy situation that will result in a less than acceptable finish on treads.Prefinishing treads works great. Engineered Floor Joists vs 2X10 Lumber: Which is Better? Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Well you basically cut your tread width to the point where you have to gently hammer them home (maybe 1/16 inch long). Another issue is that stores often do not have MDF boards of the width you need for a skirt board so they are usually pre-ordered. Hold the gun forward at a diagonal angle. He showed up at 6:30 pm and the original plan was to put on the first coat of finish that night but they hadn't gotten 4 steps completed on the main entry steps and they still had the smaller sized steps to go. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Cut a piece of carpeting with shears to fit the stair tread exactly. The most popular size for a skirt board is a 1x10 board. 2x10s are increasingly being replaced by Engineered Joists. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. View unanswered posts | View active topics. Those gaps are there by design. Placing the quarter round around the entire profile of the stairs is difficult as youd have to make awkward cuts around the tread nosing. The deck design must allow unrestricted air flow under the deck at the open joist ends for ventilation and drainage. I want to put new treads on these stairs which are finished wood so that there is no visible gap between the end of the stair tread and the wall or skirt board. June 22, 2022; Posted by . Staircases move, and you don't want tight-fitting treads and risers or you'll have a symphony of squeaks and creaks. Skirt boards look best when they are in one single piece, unspliced. The skirt board bows out for some 3-4 steps in the run, following the countour of the wall. Use caulk Using a gap filler, such as caulk, is the easiest method to cover crevices in the stair. They are tight fitting at the bullnose of the steps but then as you get farther back to the riser there is a wedge-shaped gap. Your stating radial and tangential directional concerns. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Houzz utilise des cookies et d'autres technologies de suivi similaires pour personnaliser mon exprience utilisateur, me proposer du contenu pertinent et amliorer ses produits et services. If you don't want to do that, leave a tiny gap (1/32" is enough) and supercarefully apply and wipe a bead of clear sealant to the joints, so it doesn't show as open. I think the main problem here now that things are finished is that my installer simply "overbooked" himself. Negatives of using PVC are that it's sometimes too brittle to work with and you need to be really careful when installing. With the help of a friend I managed to fix the problem without to much work. Euler: A baby on his lap, a cat on his back thats how he wrote his immortal works (origin? Fine Homebuilding has some good articles on this; it's typically known as "housed stairs". I'm sorry to say its your call. How to follow the signal when reading the schematic? Is this good? Most stairs have this type of trim. They are bone dry maple right at 1/16" thick and 3/4" wide. It doesn't look like it takes much gap width for the human eye to tell at least not when your looking for something. But what are you supposed to say? I'm Susan. The solution is to get it from your local lumber yard where they'll most likely be able to get very long boards for you. They finished both staircases by about 10:00 pm. 3) How can I minimize scraping up the newly finished skirt boards in the process? Some home reno stores offer oak project pieces, but its doubtful youll find a piece of hardwood skirting that will be long enough for your stairs. Peoria, I'm not quite picturing where your problem is--Slateberry's answer is totally different from what I was thinking. The risers should be the same color as all the trim. He used construction adhesive and nailed the treads and screwed the risers into the treads. And can't extend them because the last step is already less than 3' from the exterior foundation wall. Can archive.org's Wayback Machine ignore some query terms? (Answered), For getting great DIY projects in your mail. Deck board labels should identify the allowable load and span. The rough treads under the carpets were 2x10 pine. Extend the lowest scribe mark fully across the bottom of the skirt board with a straightedge and darken it with a pencil so you. Otherwise, youll have to fit the skirt board around the stairs, which is harder. It's the fastest way to fill minor gaps, and if you're not happy with the way it looks, you can always install molding over it. So the actual tread depth was9 inches (no overhang), I am replacing the rough treads with oak and factoring in a 1 inch overhang. Having your stairs already assembled helps when installing a skirt board. The cabinetry can also be shimmed up from the floor to close the gap between counter top and backsplash, however, the toe kick of base cabinets might need to be remounted flush with the floor afterwards. In that way, you are using the paint and narrow molding piece to fool the viewer into the appearance of a stair skirt. Norm of an integral operator involving linear and exponential terms. Remember, you will be able to push the skirt out if either the riser or tread is just a bit too long. Should the skirt board or the stairs be installed first? If you're going to remove the carpeting, you'll probably want to replace the treads with solid wood. The treads are housed so I can't pull them up easily to fill the gaps. And often, they are painted. Ask an Architect: How Can I Carve Out a New Room Without Adding On? Start your subscription today and save up to 70%. They now want us to paint the risers and skirt boards. They are used to create a finished look in a home that features baseboards, unifying the different levels of a house. Could you clear things up? The reason stair skirts exist is to simplify the finished look of a set of stairs. You'll need to measure and mark the height of each riser and tread onto the skirt board and cut the triangles out accurately. Again, a slight back angle when ripping your risers helps. Ray, the board is cut. WeekendBuilds.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. A stair skirt board is an unbroken piece of trim for your stairs. It was clear to me that they got behind and I did'nt feel good about it. They are pre-made and available at most home improvement stores. It's impossible for a PVC skirtboard to be damaged by fungus/mold/moisture as it doesn't contain any organic constituents. I am snug where the nose meets the skirt, end up having 1/8" to 1/4" gap as you approach the riser. Hi! Square cut the lines on the skirt. Those look like poplar skirt boards, so I am assuming that those areas will be painted. Question, how much gap width is too much? by Dreaming_Magpie. If you dont have baseboard trim in your house, but want a finished look on the closed end of your stairs, then youll still want a skirt board. They're extremely cheap, and are easy on the eyes. Choosing a hardwood that matches the one that you use for your treads and rises gives a classic, elegant look. Well also investigate alternatives to stair skirts for those looking for a non-traditional finished stair appearance. I would never leave a gap either on the tread or the riser where it meets the skirtboard. By doing so, you can connect the trim at the top of your stairs to the bottom. Get sleeper installation tips. I told him don't worry about it as I wasn't bothered by 1/16" gaps. I'm a DIY nut, and the founder and chief editor here at Weekend Builds. You'll want to look at something that's specifically designed for floors, or something that you can add some fine sand or grit to in order to give traction. If you install treads and rises first, make sure you leave enough gap for the skirt board to be inserted (typically 3/4"). How can we prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? The dimensions should be no less than 9-1/2" wide because the skirt must sit at least 1-1/2" above the nosing of the stairs. It won't look perfect, but the only other option is to remove those 3-4 treads and template new ones. Fortunately, my installer was on site today replacing the red oak tread with a matching white oak tread. Use a good block plane to fine tune the . Stair Skirt boards are supposed to tie into existing baseboards that run on the lower and upper floors of your house. Apply colored silicone caulking to stringer gaps, advises Remodelaholic. In your scenario, I'd throw temp treads on until the drywall was hung and finished. If in the future she is still bothered by the gaps I can always caulk at that point. If the staircase will be carpeted or if there is no overhang on the treads then the answer is tread first. All of your stairs wont be the exact same measurements, walls are not perfectly flat One of the things that I source out now for sure. Start by checking underneath the tread to see if there's a scotia molding bridging the tread with the riser. Anything less than 1 inch will make it difficult to merge with the other baseboards. Answer (1 of 5): Skirting boards or baseboards are actually used to cover the gaps between the floor and wall. If you get something like construction adhesive on things make sure you have mineral spirits in a spray bottle or ketchup bottle and that same brushto wipe and scrub the stuff out of the pores. It would seem to me that if every step is that way, then they were either poorly done to begin with, or the outside trim was replaced at one time, and the cuts were off. Block vs Poured Foundation: Whats the Difference? For the inside skirt board he cut it and installed before installing risers and treads. Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/38514553. This choice gives you the benefits of using wood without being as expensive as hardwoods. For example, 40 psf load on a 16-inch (406 mm) span would be expressed as "16/40" on the label. The most common reason why skirt boards are installed is simply aesthetics. Skirt boards are one of the hardest things in my opinion to do. It is dead. treads are almost 6' lengths. Any minor gap between the cut notch and skirt is shimmed tight. You then need to install the 2nd riser. They may have been Jerry, I'm not sure. If you are ready to embark on a stair skirt board, your next question will be what size lumber to use. Question, how much gap width is too much? Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. 2. Was looking at molding options but didn't know how to fit around curved edge of the tread, as well saw on several DIY sites that molding is a sign of poor carpentry. One final question regarding replacing carpeted stairs with new oak treads. The skirt board bows out for some 3-4 steps in the run, following the countour of the wall. Also good luck notching out the skirt to match all of the overhangs on the tread if you decided to do it last. I'm doing the treads out of white oak and most likely will do either oak or hard maple for the skirt board. Stairs with two closed ends will have a stair skirt board on both walls. Flooring - Should a skirt board on a stair case be installed over the treads Skirt boards are one of the hardest things in my opinion to do. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Step 3. The same steps apply to shaping the skirt board at the top as well. Heres How to Choose the Right Runner for You, 12 Fresh Alternatives to the Carpeted Staircase. (front of bullnose to where tread meets riser). Place weights on the carpet for 2 to 3 hours. If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? Using a two-foot level, scribe a line plumb with each riser. 4 years). I will be using PL400 on the stringers and Tightbond glue on the back open grans of the tread where it will meet the riser, if I am to glue the tread and riser ends to the skirt, Im assuming I would use the Tightbond glue as its open grain. If you just want to trim a piece out to cover the hole, I recommend using a pine board that 1x8 of proper length. Level across each tread and scribe a line on the skirt. Ways to Fix a Gap Between Stair Tread and Wall Method 1. You should leave them a littleloose, and not glued. 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For the best look and for tying well into other baseboards at the bottom and top of the stairs, skirt boards should ideally extend past the nosing by 2-". everything about fiberboard as sheathing. I use my 10" Hitachi compound slider. To diagnose problems, start with a visual inspection for gaps, and a walking test to feel out any movement (or give) and to identify the location of squeaks. They are not the easiest things to build, particularly if the treads and risers are solid hardwood. If there is any more gaps you can fill with wood putty. Plywood resembles a pine board after a few coats of paint and is easy to cut and manipulate. Installing a stair skirt board before the stairs are installed is the recommended method for installation. There are several instances when stair skirt boards just dont make sense. Why is this the case? It doesn't appear there's a skirtboard in your photo. I will also planon shimming the risers up so they meet the bottom of each tread evenly (glue and finish nail in place) thanI will also screw the risers into the back of the tread below. If the gap is more than 1/4 inch or you just want a more substantial look, move up to 1/2- by 1/2-inch, or even 3/4- by 3/4-inch. If you do not plan to paint your board and want it to match your hardwood treads, then youll have to contact a local lumberyard. View unanswered posts | View active topics. I had my stairs professionally done but I watched the carpenter so I'll mentioned what I observed. After plasterboarding and skimming the wall to be flush with the door frame, there will be a 10mm gap between the wall and the staircase. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. This way the treads and risers hide any gaps. Typical stair skirtboard size is 9-1/2" wide and a minimum of 5/8 thick. If you have access underneath, the best option is to rout tapered slots into the skirtboard. go under the stairs and shim the stringers in, to close the stair carriage. Hardwood is usually used to match the stair treads. Learn more about affordable, modern floating stairs, from design to manufacturing to installation. You do not need a skirt board on stairs. How can I place treads on these stairs around a corner? Just remember, When your heads in the lions mouth-----pet him! I hope I understand what he is trying to explain? Aluminium-Look Illuminated Running Boards with Rubber Studs; AMG Bodystyling - Front and Rear Aprons - Side Skirts in Polished Aluminium . It's also easy to work with and most professionals are familiar with using it. The advantages of MDF are that it is treated to not be affected by mold or fungus. Most large home reno stores will have MDF, hardwood, and other types of softwood with thicknesses of and greater in stock of common lengths i.e.8, 10, or 12. The stair skirt board is a long, unbroken piece of trim, 9 inches wide and inches thick. I'd try putting masking paper, (the 12 or 16-inch wide stuff with the preattached masking tape), over the skirts. You can retrofit the entire staircase using stair kit You can make and slip a new wall stringer and trim it out, etc. Since a skirt is a finish piece, once you measure and cut your stair skirt, you use a finishing nailer or finish nails to attach the skirting board into the studs behind the drywall or paneling behind the skirt. It doesn't look like it takes much gap width for the human eye to tell at least not when your looking for something. Many people will find that removing their existing stairs to install a skirting board isnt an option, in which case youll have to attach it over the existing stairs. Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain, Styling contours by colour and by line thickness in QGIS, Euler: A baby on his lap, a cat on his back thats how he wrote his immortal works (origin?). So we shimmed between the skirt and the stair stringer, Treads and risers will cover everything up. Also gel stain will blend the filler into the surrounding wood better than most other stains. Try it on a few, and make sure it works, before installing the whole run. While hardwood skirt boards can last decades without much maintenance, the upfront investment can be a tall order for many. Either way, a stair skirt board negates the need for individually trimming around each step. Therefore, if you arent able to remove your existing stairs and arent confident in your ability to cut a skirt around your stairs, then hire a carpenter. If you opt for no skirting, you run the risk of an awkward transition between your existing home baseboard trim on either end of the stairs. When you get glue of any kind of the surface of the wood use a small nylon bristle brush and scrub the stuff out of the pores of the oak - you'll go mad trying to sand it down enough. Otherwise, white risers could make the creamier trim look dingy. Create adequate ventilation for the deck by widening side-to-side spacing between boards to inch (6 cm) with a maximum of 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) gap. If it's water based keep a bucket of clean water, clean rags and a scrub brush right there and clean it up before it dries. While there are alternatives to having a skirtboard, it remains highly popular due to its ease of construction and appearance. (2) install skirtboard, cut treads and risers to butt tightly against skirtboard. Alright Bob, you got me. Hardwood is usually used to match the stair treads. A stair skirtboard is an elegant and practical feature found in most modern homes. Building Steps - Install the Step Riser First. Crypto The remaining 3/4 inch overhang was plenty of reveal to look good against the skirt board. When dry fitting the treads against the skirt board there is an uneven gap between the end of the tread and the face of the skirt board on every step, it varies between 1/16" and 1/8" depending on which step you are looking at. I square up and shim the skirt boards before I cut any treads or risers. I have, on many occassions, cut the tread perfectly with a 2 degree back bevel, only to have it not go in because the skirt tapers up narrower, not allowing the tread to be fitted. Width if gap varies in each step. This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. Builders Advocate: An Interview With Viewrail, Podcast 543: Affordable Flooring, Replacing Replacement Windows, and Low-Flow Fans, Podcast 537: Members-only AftershowConversation With Builder Sam Friesen, Balancing Density and Privacy in Los Angeles, Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20, Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights, The Fine Homebuilding Interview: James Metoyer, 10 Steps to Install Crown Molding on Cabinets, Choosing the Right Construction Tape for the Job, Expert insights on techniques and principles. It might be less than 1/16 inch, up to 1/4 inch or. You can also use plywood as stair skirting. Generally, baseboard trims for the stairs have the same style as the rest of the baseboard trims used in the lower and upper floors. Is there any benefit to having a walkout basement? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? If you want to pursue this, it's typically done with a router and a template. What Gary said about existing skirtboards is exactly right, they're never square and a real pain to deal with installers just do the best they can when dealing with somebody else's work. Question, how much gap width is too much? Stair skirt boards are used wherever a set of stairs has a side abutting a wall. Step 7 Diagram Step 7 Instructions Treads and rises can also butt into the skirtboards tightly when they are installed after skirt boards. 2-7 Measuring and cutting the wall skirt. My stairs have a gap between the skirt board and the treads and risers on one side. PVC is a good choice when you want extreme resistance to the elements for your skirt board. Even very rough plywood can be sanded lightly and painted for a finished look. The gap may be only in the middle where it sags or has a bad cut, or along the length of the tread because it didn't fit in the first place. Fortunately, my installer was on site today replacing the red oak tread with a matching white oak tread. poway high school athletics; remserv held funds; billy robinson newcastle; satellite go around the earth at height Share Improve this answer A good solution in such a case is to use a flexible material like vinyl or PVC as the skirt board. "I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website.