DIY Network

Finishing the Staircase From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-101

The finishing touches are added to the staircase.

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Cutting and Fitting the Skirt Board

Many traditional style staircases have a skirt board. This skirt runs along the outside edge of the stairs and can either be above the steps where a wall exists or against the outside of the steps where the staircase is exposed.

In our project, the exposed staircase means the skirt will have to be cut to fit along the outside of the steps. This skirt board matches the stair's structural stringer boards in its zig-zag shape and also in where its placed – against the outside stringer beam.

• Select a board long enough for the staircase run and wide enough to span the tread width and riser height. Typically, this is a one inch by 12 inch board. Since this is a show piece in your home, use a quality lumber like a grade, clear lumber stock.

• Place the board against the edge of the staircase. You may want to fasten it in place temporarily or get help holding it in place.
  

  Figure A

• Carefully mark the inside of the board where the treads and the risers meet the board. The risers should have a 45-degree cut end (figure A).
  

• Lay the board out and clean up the markings.

• Move the line for the stair tread down one inch so the skirt will end up fitting under the stair tread.

• Next, move the line for the stair risers back the thickness of the risers; typically 3/4 inch.

• Recheck your lines with your staircase, taking your time to make sure all of your cut lines will match your staircase.

• Cut the stair tread lines at a standard 90-degree angle. Start with a circular saw, then finish the cut with a handsaw or saber saw. Your second series of cuts will be for the risers, and should be cut at a 45-degree angle. Finish the cut with the jig saw.

• Now you can fit the cut board against the side of the staircase. The 45-degree angle cut on the skirt and on the riser should mate together. If not, you may have to make adjustments.

• Note: where the skirt and riser board meet is the critical cut. The cut for the stair tread doesn't have to be as accurate, since a cove molding typically covers the seam. The cove molding is a standard design element of many staircases.
  

• Once the skirt board has been fitted, you're ready to fasten it in place.

• Apply carpenter's wood glue to the 45-degree surfaces of the skirt board and the 45-degree end of the stair riser.
  

  Figure B

• The best tool to hold the board in place are spring pin clamps (figure B) made for making this part of the process much easier. These round pin clamps and the tool needed to install them and remove them, are available from specialty wood working shops.
  

• Once the skirt is clamped in place, it's nailed in place. A pneumatic finish nail gun is the best tool to use as it reduces the physical work of nailing and avoids making any marks on the wood that might be made using a hammer.

• Nail the corners together with short 1 1/2 inch finish nails and nail the skirt into the stringer board with longer 2 1/2 inch finish nails.

Figure C

• Apply construction adhesive to the stair stringers (figure C).

• Then, set the fitted treads in place.
  

  Figure D

• Nail the treads to the stringers (figure D).
  

• For the bottom tread, glue the edges where the tread and the return-tread meet and insert the joinery biscuits. Then, place the tread sections into place and nail the tread to the stringer and the tread and tread-return to the newel post base.

Figure E

• Slide the hollow newel post over the four inch by four inch newel post support base (figure E).
  

• Attach the lower end of the missing handrail to the newly installed missing newel post.

• Fit the balusters in their appropriate place. Remember there are three different lengths of spindles for each tread.

• For the new treads, cut a notch in the tread to fit the tenon of the spindle into the tread. For spindles with dowel shaped tenons, drill appropriate holes in the tread to accommodate the dowel portion of the spindles.
  

  Figure F

• With all of the spindles set into the treads and into the handrail, fasten the top end of the handrail to the upper newel post (figure F).
  

• Toe nail the spindles into the handrail.

• For notched treads like in our project, reattach the end caps of each stair tread. If any end caps are missing, new end caps can be made from the same tread material.

• Finally, install cove moldings under the ends of the treads to cover any gaps and provide a decorative detail. Use short finish nails for this purpose.

• Installing the Existing Newel Post and Removed Balusters:

• Reinstall the existing newel post using the same method to install it, as it originally had. In this project, it's screwed to the bottom tread.

• Reattach the existing handrail to the existing newel post with screws.

• Next, reinstall any removed spindles.

• Reinstall any removed end caps back onto the end of the stair treads and any removed cove moldings under the stair treads.
  

• Finishing the varnished wooden surfaces of the staircase depends entirely on its condition. Ideally, the original finish be it varnish, lacquer or oil can be saved by cleaning and re-conditioning it by using one of the available antique finish products.

• Any new wood utilized can be stained and varnished to match the original. If need be, the wood can be distressed with dents and cuts to better match the original.

• For painted surfaces, if the paint is intact with minimal chips, it can be lightly sanded and repainted.

• If the finishes both painted and varnished are beyond salvaging, the wood may be stripped bare and refinished. This can yield a beautiful result that may look as good as when the house was built. However, stripping paint from a staircase is very time consuming and does take away the antique patina left from the many hands that used the stairs over the years.
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Assessing the Staircase
  	Removing the Staircase Treads
  	Balusters
  	Finishing the Staircase