Stairs skirting board gap

[Magicalwonders]

I have a renovation project on the go but have an issue with the stairs skirting board on the first two steps.

I will be putting some decorative rail on all my skirting boards, and it will be stepped back a few millimetres.

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. This will position the rail too far back as shown in the pic.

The easy fix would be to clad the door frame with 10mm timber and bring the plasterboard out a bit further. However, the door frame is already pretty substantial, and I have another door almost next to it on another wall that is half the depth. I really don't want to increase the difference between them any further.

Plan B is to remove the staircase skirting on the two steps at the bottom, probably with a multiTool, make a new bit of skirting and reposition it flush against the wall.
I'm just wondering if I'm missing any other solution, and would a MultiTool be the way to go? I probably wouldn't be able to reuse the bit I cut out as it will get butchered when cutting around the front curves of stairs. But it should be intact enough to use as a template.

Any thoughts?

Myles

 

[jacko555]

10mm Baton behind the decorative strip going up first 2 steps.

 

[Magicalwonders]

10mm Baton behind the decorative strip going up first 2 steps.

Unfortunately, that will give me a top edge of 16mm, compared to the rest of the skirting board that it connects to, which is 6mm. It would be transferring the problem from the bottom of the rail to the top.

I'm going to remove it, and reposition it, but wondering if the multiTool is the best tool to use.

 

[jacko555]

Plan B is to remove the staircase skirting on the two steps at the bottom, probably with a multiTool, make a new bit of skirting and reposition it flush against the wall.
I'm just wondering if I'm missing any other solution, and would a MultiTool be the way to go?

Do you mean remove the riser on the staircase with a multi-tool? T

 

[Notch7]

I have a renovation project on the go but have an issue with the stairs skirting board on the first two steps.

View attachment 278542

I will be putting some decorative rail on all my skirting boards, and it will be stepped back a few millimetres.

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. This will position the rail too far back as shown in the pic.

View attachment 278543

The easy fix would be to clad the door frame with 10mm timber and bring the plasterboard out a bit further. However, the door frame is already pretty substantial, and I have another door almost next to it on another wall that is half the depth. I really don't want to increase the difference between them any further.

Plan B is to remove the staircase skirting on the two steps at the bottom, probably with a multiTool, make a new bit of skirting and reposition it flush against the wall.
I'm just wondering if I'm missing any other solution, and would a MultiTool be the way to go? I probably wouldn't be able to reuse the bit I cut out as it will get butchered when cutting around the front curves of stairs. But it should be intact enough to use as a template.

Any thoughts?

Myles

What you are suggesting is cutting the stair string around the treads and risers on the winder.

If you do that, that part of the stairs will fall apart.

If you really want to have same margins on your ogee architrave you are using as a moulding, make the door liner wider.

 

[Magicalwonders]

Do you mean remove the riser on the staircase with a multi-tool? T


View attachment 278582

What you are suggesting is cutting the stair string around the treads and risers on the winder.

If you do that, that part of the stairs will fall apart.

If you really want to have same margins on your ogee architrave you are using as a moulding, make the door liner wider.

No, it's not the riser or stringer. I'm referring to the skirt board, like what this guy is talking about -

It has no structural or load-bearing properties. I am thinking that a multitool may be my only option for removing a section unless there are other tools that I haven't thought of.

 

[jacko555]

Did you see the stairs/skirt go in and are sure its not the stringer, or are you assuming it's a skirt?

Either way, a multi tool isn't the correct tool. You'll have a bad time.

Ask the mods to move this to flooring and stairs forum. There's some very knowledgeable people there who can advise.

 

[Magicalwonders]

Did you see the stairs/skirt go in and are sure its not the stringer, or are you assuming it's a skirt?

Either way, a multi tool isn't the correct tool. You'll have a bad time.

Ask the mods to move this to flooring and stairs forum. There's some very knowledgeable people there who can advise.

Yes, I was on site when it was fitted. I'll reach out to the mods and ask them to move the post.

You say a multitool isn't the correct tool? Do you have an alternative tool in mind?

 

[jacko555]

I'd wait for the advice of a skilled carpenter/joiner than listen to me. I'd use sharp wood chisels and a plane.

You're still gonna have to make up the 10mm somewhere. Are you suggesting leaving 10mm of the skirt in situ, like a fillet?

Tbh, I reckon a 16mm top edge for the moulding will look better / be invisible, compared to leaving in a fillet of wood on the stairs

 

[Notch7]

No, it's not the riser or stringer. I'm referring to the skirt board, like what this guy is talking about -

It has no structural or load-bearing properties. I am thinking that a multitool may be my only option for removing a section unless there are other tools that I haven't thought of.

I don’t see what that will achieve?

you seem to be overthinking it TBH

 

[Magicalwonders]

I don’t see what that will achieve?

you seem to be overthinking it TBH

I'd wait for the advice of a skilled carpenter/joiner than listen to me. I'd use sharp wood chisels and a plane.

You're still gonna have to make up the 10mm somewhere. Are you suggesting leaving 10mm of the skirt in situ, like a fillet?

Tbh, I reckon a 16mm top edge for the moulding will look better / be invisible, compared to leaving in a fillet of wood on the stairs

I would be replacing the existing skirt on that portion of the stairs with a new piece that goes flush to the wall. The 10 mm gap disappears and the stair treads will be 10 mm wider than the staircase going up to the next floor. 10mm of the existing skirt will be visible, but it's all going to be carpeted, so not an issue.

The reason I'm thinking of using a multitool is that the skirt is 27mm thick and has an awkward location. I know I can get very straight cuts with the right blade. As to what it will achieve, I would be getting the aesthetic look that I want.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

No, it's not the riser or stringer. I'm referring to the skirt board, like what this guy is talking about...

Firstly point I'll make is that the video you link to is an Amereican video - and in many states in the USA they do not build stairs the way we do in the UK (and a goodly chunk of Western Europe). So for stairs in particular I'd NEVER refer to an American video because they will often mislead you, especially if you are unaware of the national differences

It has no structural or load-bearing properties. I am thinking that a multitool may be my only option for removing a section unless there are other tools that I haven't thought of.

If that really is the case, just how thick is it? Maybe it's the angle, but it looks like it's something like 28 to 32mm thick in comparison to your top "skirting" moulding which is maybe 16 or 18mm thick. Why put in a massively thick piece of timber when all you needed was an 18mm thick piece, That makes no sense at all. If is thick, I think that sort of confirms @Notch7 's point about that probably being a stringer and therefore structural. It would need to be at least 28mm thick in order to house the treads and risers of the kite winder into it. TBH, if you saw that go in did the carpenter simply plant the "skirting" on the wall then bring-in a ready-made stair box that he fixed to it? Seems improbable to me, but then I'm only a carpenter and joiner

 

[Magicalwonders]

Firstly point I'll make is that the video you link to is an Amereican video - and in many states in the USA they do not build stairs the way we do in the UK (and a goodly chunk of Western Europe). So for stairs in particular I'd NEVER refer to an American video because they will often mislead you, especially if you are unaware of the national differences

View attachment 278601

If that really is the case, just how thick is it? Maybe it's the angle, but it looks like it's something like 28 to 32mm thick in comparison to your top "skirting" moulding which is maybe 16 or 18mm thick. Why put in a massively thick piece of timber when all you needed was an 18mm thick piece, That makes no sense at all. If is thick, I think that sort of confirms @Notch7 's point about that probably being a stringer and therefore structural. It would need to be at least 28mm thick in order to house the treads and risers of the kite winder into it. TBH, if you saw that go in did the carpenter simply plant the "skirting" on the wall then bring-in a ready-made stair box that he fixed to it? Seems improbable to me, but then I'm only a carpenter and joiner

Yes, you're right. The thickness is 27mm and the moulding is 18mm. You've got a good eye!

Installation was at the end of 2019, and I think my memory of events is faulty. I've had a very close look and found one area where I can see that the tread goes into the side! So it does seem to be a stringer, which I guess as far as looks go is doubling as a skirting board.

As the stringer supports the tread from underneath, would it really be a problem to cut away the top bit? Support for the two treads affected would still be intact. I'm having trouble understanding what the stringer areas above the treads do, apart from looking good.

Edit. I've just found a discussion online where someone else wanted to do the same as me, albeit on the whole staircase and not just the bottom two steps. https://diy.stackexchange.com/quest...inger-staircase-without-affecting-the-structu

The jury appears to be divided on this one. I'll try and track down the manufacturer and see what they say.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

As the stringer supports the tread from underneath, would it really be a problem to cut away the top bit? Support for the two treads affected would still be intact. I'm having trouble understanding what the stringer areas above the treads do, apart from looking good.

Yes, it would be a problem. The stringer is housed (i.e. grooved) the hold both the treads and the risers in place, but the housings are also tapered so that the stringers and risers can be wedged in place. It's the wedges which hold a stair together, but those housings are only 10mm or so deep, so if you start ciutting back the stringer you risk weakening the timber which holds the treads and risers in position - and the stairs can start to fall apart.

These illustrations may help you visualise what I am talking about:

although they are for a straight stair, the principle is identical for a closed riser stair manufactured in the UK and much of the EU. The second illustration clearly shows how the wedges work in the tapered housings

 

[Magicalwonders]

Yes, it would be a problem. The stringer is housed (i.e. grooved) the hold both the treads and the risers in place, but the housings are also tapered so that the stringers and risers can be wedged in place. It's the wedges which hold a stair together, but those housings are only 10mm or so deep, so if you start ciutting back the stringer you risk weakening the timber which holds the treads and risers in position - and the stairs can start to fall apart.

These illustrations may help you visualise what I am talking about:

View attachment 278606

View attachment 278607

although they are for a straight stair, the principle is identical for a closed riser stair manufactured in the UK and much of the EU. The second illustration clearly shows how the wedges work in the tapered housings

Thanks for the pics and explanation. That's very helpful.

Would it be possible to add back some strength to the stringers? I have access to underneath the stairs for those two steps.

I can screw the stringer to the wall and make sure there is no movement possible. Or add in extra support under the stinger. Also, I can add a couple of screws to the two risers if needed.