Do I need a skirt board on stairs?

1 Answer. You don't have to install skirt boards. Just like you don't have to install any molding in your house. and then if you have baseboards already they look much better than when they meet a stair skirt.

Regarding this, what is a skirt board on stairs?

The skirt is basically a piece of trim used to cover the structural section of the stairs. Stair brack- ets and other ornamental attachments can also be added for aesthetic appeal. A skirt board is installed to the finished wall (sheet rock, paneling, etc.) once the open side of the stair has been finished.

Likewise, what to use to fill gaps in stairs? The easiest and most used product to fill each gap would be a latex caulking. A cartridge (or tube) is placed in a caulking gun and applied in a continuous bead along the gap. Once the gap is covered press it into the gap with a putty knife. This will also flatten the caulking so that it conforms with the flat wall.

Then, what wood is used for stair skirts?

Place the 1/2-by-10-inch piece of hardwood from which you'll make the skirtboard diagonally along the wall, with the bottom of the hardwood touching the nose of each tread as it descends the steps. The piece of hardwood should be at least 12 inches longer than the length of the steps, if possible.

How do you cut and install stair skirts?

How to Cut & Install Stair Skirts

Lay a staircase stringer onto a length of 1-by-12-inch lumber, which becomes one of your star skirts.
Hold the skirt board against the wall in the same position it will be mounted.
Attach the stringers to the rim joist at the staircase's top end and to the kickboard at the bottom end.

30 Related Question Answers Found

Do you install stair treads or risers first?

4 Answers. The riser is installed first for the reason that you want a nice tight fit along the top of the riser to the tread above it. An experienced carpenter will install the risers and treads from the top of the stairs down so that they can always be fitting the next riser against the bottom of the previous tread.

How do you cut stair molding?

Set the scrap piece of stair trim molding on the flat stair landing, in the position it would be if it were installed. Slide the trim along the landing until it overlaps with the position that would be occupied by the adjoining piece of trim. Trace along the top of the trim on the wall with a sharp pencil.

What is Skirtboard?

In architecture, a baseboard (also called skirting board, skirting, mopboard, floor molding, or base molding) is usually wooden or vinyl board covering the lowest part of an interior wall. Its purpose is to cover the joint between the wall surface and the floor.

What is a stair apron?

It is the transition from stair to floor level skirt boards that must be considered when determining the width of each type. Now, for the kickboard; this type of apron is a long board that trims the wall above the treads on enclosed sides of a stairway. It can also be installed on the stair side of a kneewall.

What is a stair stringer?

A stair stringer (also called 'string' or 'stringer board') is the housing on either side of a flight of stairs, into which the treads and risers are fixed. A staircase will have two stringers, one on either side of the steps.

How do you build a staircase?

Steps

Measure the height of the area where you will install the stairs.
Divide the total rise by the typical rise per step.
Divide the total rise by the number of steps to get the actual rise per step.
Establish the run of each step.
Find the total run of the staircase.
Decide if your stairs need landings.

How do you attach a stringer to stairs?

Rip the plywood 10 1/4" wide or to match your finish stair stringer board's width. Lay the template down on the stair treads, up against the wall on the angle it will be installed in, with the corner of the end of the board just resting on the lower floor. Fasten this board to the wall or have someone hold it steady.

How do you cut Skirtboard stairs?

Place a level vertically at the bottom corner on the end of the skirtboard at the top and bottom. Trace a line vertically up the skirtboard at each end. Cut along the lines with a jigsaw to trim the necessary angle on the ends.

Should you caulk stairs?

The use of caulk on a staircase provides a seal between the staircase and the wall and any gaps that may occur between the boards or joints of a hardwood staircase. The gaps are a dirt catcher and may be visually displeasing. The caulking process is fairly easy and requires the use of a water-based silicone caulk.

How do you fix stair risers?

Fill any cracks on the front face of the riser with wood glue. Use a damp rag to remove any excess wood glue that seeps out. Use a fine-grit sanding block to sand over the cracks, which will cause them to fill with sanding dust. Fill larger cracks with wood filler.

How do you fix separating stairs?

Tear away any wall sheathing that covers the underside of the stairs. Pry away any trim covering the edges. Hook the claw end of a hammer or pry bar under the paneling and pull it down. Drywall or plaster will generally break into pieces and need replacement, so create a hole and enlarge it to remove.

How do you fill gaps in wood shelves?

For gaps less than 1/8-inch, it's acceptable to use colored caulk or other products that come in a tube. If you plan on refinishing the cabinets, you can also use wood putty that dries hard to fill gaps or cracks. If the cabinets do not need finishing, apply color-matched caulking to the gaps.

What are floating stairs?

Floating staircases are designed to minimize or hide the supporting structure of the staircase. This gives impression that the stair treads are floating. Floating stairs are popular in open concept spaces. They remove visual obstructions and maximize living space. These stairs are well-known for their design.

How do you refinish wood stairs?

Tutorial

Pull any nails sticking out.
Rebuild any broken stairs or landings.
Sand the treads with 60 grit sand paper with the orbital sander, this will take the wood down to the raw finish.
Vacuum in between sandings.
Take a block sander to the hard-to-reach corners.