I was having a conversation with a builder yesterday who used the term “mop-board” being used in the early stages of stair construction. I am not familiar with that term. Is this the name for the 2 X 4 that goes between the stringer and studs to leave a space for the drywall and base to fit into the recess?
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My guess is that he was refering to what I would call the skirt board - the board that goes on top of the 2x4 spacer. We use 1x10. The 2x4 spacer leaves room for the drywall and the skirt board.
When I have heard the term mopboard, it was used interchangably with "base molding". I think the idea is a mop would hit up against this board when your grandmother mopped the floor. In those days the "mop board" was more tipacally a 1x6, 1x8, etc, topped with some kind of basecap molding.
I have never heard it used in reference to stairs though.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mopboard
Same here, Matt. I only heard the term mop-board after moving to New England and seeing more old places with taller base. Depending on layout, the skirt becomes an extension of said base-board/mop-board.
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I used to think as others have commented that, yes, a mop-board was just a name for what we now call base board, but I now believe it had a very practical name and was aptly named; i.e., when floors were wet-mopped/waxed frequently, it served as a barrier or shield between the bottom of the plaster and wallpaper and the wet mop.