I have read almost every book and article on stairway construction and finishing. There are many aspects to this challenging job that most all of the article just say something like “cut the 45” or “install this or that now”. One of the areas that I am most interested in is the cutting of the 45 degree angle on the vertical edge of an exposed skirtboard the meets the riser face, which will also have a 45 degree angle.
Some articles show the cutting of this feature with a circular saw. To me this is very crude and I have not attempted it. A lot of the jobs I do are with pre-finished material and I am interested in what techniques are used to cut this feature to ensure a tight joint between the riser and the skirtboard. Keep in mind that the framing on most of these jobs leaves something to be desired and a lot of shimming is required to bring the riser square and plumb with the tread.
Any information or references to a book or article on this subject would also be appreciated.
Best regards
Steve
Edited 12/26/2008 9:10 am ET by Steve B
Replies
I try to clean up any framing issues I can before starting. In some cases it maybe better to frame it yourself.
Unless it is only 2-3 risers I think a circular saw is the best method to cut it. I have never used a prefinished material but you can always cut with the finish side down and use both RH & LH circular saws as needed. Leave the last 1/2" to do by hand.
I like Scott Schuttners Basic Stairbuilding
prefinished skirt boards and risers? never seen them. some cut the miters on a sliding compound miter saw. pics on here some where
I almost always cut mitered stringers on my slider - dual tilt Makita. Mine has a laser which I usually ignore but it comes in quite handy for this if dialed in accurately. I cut all the miters to 46* and finish them off with a good, sharp Jap saw. Overcutting the miter by a degree or two allows a nice, tight joint if you don't happen to wind up perfectly square at the junction of riser and stringer.
As far as layout goes, I always, always go for what is desired for rise/run and shim to match. Using a good construction adhesive like PL Premium will help with spanning smaller gaps while good, long shims span the rest. Some here - self included - prefer dadoing housed stringers/skirts. This not only toburies the joints at the riser, tread, and skirt but also helps to guide installation over existing framing: gives you a point of reference at either end.
If possible, always try to reframe the stairs if they aren't up to par. There is no sense in putting a few thousand dollars worth of materials over garbage. If you can reframe them, try using LVLs for your stringers. You will wind up with a stronger, straighter stringer that will not suffer from expansion and contraction like dimensional sawn lumber thus reducing the variations in the individual rise/run sections. Remember, the angle of a miter will either grow or shrink respectively every time a board expands or contracts across its width - in the case of a miter joint, this results in opening at either the heel or head of the joint. In the case of a stair stringer, all the individual "miters" of the rise and run cuts will be effected, leaving you with a very much out of whack stair frame.
Might have been a bit more than you needed, but I hope it all helped in any case.
Nick
I used a slidesaw for the miters. A handheld circular saw can be used with a pitchboard. A pitchboard is like using a speed square to make 90 ° except you make it to the stair rise and tread.Clamp the pitchboard to the skirt and cut with a 40 to 60 tooth blade.Make sure the saw base is 45° or slightly more.The last bit can be finished with a handsaw, this so you do not overcut with the powersaw.
mike