Hi all, me again. Never did finish the floor last year. Let me get my excuses out of the way: Got quite a bit done, then had to go to Iraq in Feb, got home in April. Decided best to study for my next rank, and start up on the floor again after that. So, studied, took my test (made E-6 by the way!), and right there after, got sent back again to Iraq. Got home last week, now I need to get started on this floor again. OK with my excuse out of the way...


What I have done so far has come out pretty decent for a first-timer:







This is the point I'm at now. I need to install the top stair nosing (nosings, not full treads), as well as the nosing that will be on the living room overhang on the (EDIT: RIGHT) side of the picture. I have already cut them at a 45* angle on the ends, and am grooving the ends with a biscuit joiner (jointer?) to put a large biscuit in there. I have PL400 already to glue it down with. Will I need to put a couple nails in too to hold it down?

The other question is addressing the areas in red. Previously there was molding there that met up at that top corner. I'm pretty sure I need to put molding back up there to keep it from looking ugly etc.

Regarding the molding that's going to run along the living room floor edge, is that going to go BELOW the nosing, or BEHIND it? Not sure exactly how to tackle this.

Thank you!

Hi Dave, first let me thank you for your service to our country.... it is much appreciated !

I like to use a 1 x 4 trim with a base cap underneath the 1x on landings. The 1x4 would tie in to your existing skirtboards coming up the steps. You could also use leave off the 1x and just use a simple cove or base cap instead.

You should be using 5 1/4" wide landing treads (nosing) for this instead of a normal 3 1/2" stair nosing. You need support for the guardrail to mount to.

I hurriedly throwed up some photos showing your situation. I apologize for no text and probably duplicates but I am having really bad server problems right now.
http://www.custom-surfaces.com/31.html

Thank you Jerry!

I need to clarify here. When you say 1x4, is that some type of molding? If it's 1" thick, I'm going to run into issues matching flush; unless it's like a 2x4, where it's really only 1.5" x 3.5"...

Not familiar with what Cove or Base Cap is either, I'll Google it though.

If I don't have 5 1/4" treads, will that be a problem? Reason I have the 3 1/2" is because that's what was available in pre-finished, and I was told by the place I got it from that it wouldn't be an issue. The guardrail can go through the hardwood into the subfloor for support right?

Thank you for the pics, that does help. Still a little confused on if the nosing is pushed back tight against the drywall, then the molding comes up and touches the bottom; or, if the molding is put on first, up high enough to be flush with the subfloor, then the nosing is placed over that and pushed back, in effect making the molding go BEHIND the nosing?

Ok, a 1 x 4 is a board thats 3/4 " x 3 1/2". When i remodel a job that has existing carpet on a landing I like to add a 1x4 right there flush with the subfloor. Then the nosing butts up to the 1x4. Then i add stair cove that is 7/16 x 11/16 to finish off where the nosing and 1x4 meet up. Underneath the 1x4 I use a base cap trim to finish off the bottom part that shows. The base cap would also be added to the top of your existing side skirtboards to finish that off.

The problem when doing that is your nosing is not quite wide enough for doing this safely. For 3" nosing's just butt the nosing against the drywall and use stair cove to trim where the drywall and nosing meet up. This stair cove is also used for steps and goes under the tread overhang where it meets the riser.

The 1x4 is just straight-up rectangle, no decorative cuts/curves/etc right?

From what Google Image Search shows, this is stair cove? I'm assuming it is 3/4" wide, or at least some does?




Is this the base cap you speak of?



OK so I will butt that 3" nosing flush up against the drywall. I'm confused about putting the stair cove directly under it though. The nosing only overhangs by 1/2", and with a 3/4" stair cove, it'll jut out 1/4"? Or does it come different sizes?

What will I be using on top of the riser, and how till that meet up with the stair cove under the nosing?

Sorry for all the questions, still a little confused. Thanks!

Hopefully these pictures clear up the issues and confusion I'm having. Next time I'm just paying the dude to do the stairs/top/landing thing. *mad*

Take notice at the big hollow area at the top of the stairs under the corner. Somehow, I'm going to need to fill this in? Am I best to just cut a block of wood to fit it the best I can, then fill in all the gaps with some sort of wood putty, sand and contour? I'm going to need something under there for support too.

Am I supposed to install the board at the top of the stairs, then, install the one running along the edge of the living room (right)? Or, am I best to glue the corner together with the biscuit, square it up, let it dry, and install them together to ensure a sure 90* corner there?

The floor was TERRIBLY uneven, necessitating me to shore up that edge with the roofing strip. Which of course makes the adjacent corner piece even more out of whack. *mad*

Also not sure how to use molding to transition from the riser to below the nosing. If I were to use a 1x4 behind the molding, it would be face-nailed into the 2x4s behind it, and then support the rounded edge of the molding wouldn't ? It wouldn't be walked on, so it shouldn't have any weight on it? I don't know how the heck to work this corner eh.

I just don't know.

Pretty frustrated, not sure what to do. This is holding me up from finishing up the rest of my living room.


















edited by admin to show images (typing error)

Yes, that is stair cove and base cap . Stair cove is sized same as base shoe ..... 7/16" x 11/16" instead of 11/16" x 11/16"

Whenever you have a landing ....... the side trim (skirts/carriage) should come up the stair rake and then turn back and extend along the landing.... flush with subfloor. The first two photos I put up show the correct 5 1/4" landing tread and the 1x trim and base cap i had to install after the existing carpet and old nosing was removed.

Since you have run the flooring almost all the way to the steps i would suggest finding a board that equals the width of your existing skirt/stair carriage. Cut out the drywall at the landing and cut the new board at the correct angle and nail it into you studs. That should bring the landing out equal to the carriage.

I was with you until this part.

I almost think I understand then I get lost. I think I have a stringer and not a carriage? I don't know how your MS paint skills are but that would help tremendously.

EDIT: I think I understand. Take out the top 5" of drywall or so, and screw MDF in its place, to give a solid overhang to attach the nosing to, which will also be the width of the stringer, thereby also acting as the "trim" once some base cap is installed under it on the drywall? Sounds good, except the damn stringer is shimmed out between 3/16" at the top to near 1/8" at the bottom. Where is the smiley for beating my face against the wall.

OK I bought a piece of that base cap to play with. Unfortunately, I can't put it directly on top of the stringer. The stringer measures 11/16" out from the drywall. The actual FLAT part on the 11/16" edge of the base cap is only 7/16" wide. Not going to work...sooo...?

I couldn't find 1" MDF, only 1/2" and 3/4" so I got a sheet of 1/2".

I don't know how you match the base cap up to a 1x4? The 1x4 is 3/4" thick, the base cap is only 7/16" thick on the 11/16" side, do you just leave it uneven or what?

They do have 7/16" x 3" stuff though.

OK I think this is what you are trying to explain. The next thing I would have to do is cut a piece of MDF to fill in that triangle area at the top left, then maybe some wood filler in between all the cracks, then sand, to make it solid?

There's gaps right now because it's loosely tacked into the drywall for the most part. I do need to get tighter cuts. Just shows you how shitty the wall is, all crooked and whatnot.

What it sounds like is to cut out the top ~4" of drywall, and replace it with MDF. It will be the same thickness as the drywall (1/2"), and give a solid base for the trim to mount to (yeah I know it goes through into the studs), and more importantly a solid edge for the nosing to sit on top of. The mdf/drywall seam would probably be beneath the smaller molding.

Thoughts?

Dave, your side skirtboard looks to be maybe 5/4 material.... a full inch thick. You don't need to add more wood on top of the side skirt unless you just want. If your house a a split foyer then you would have to do that to make everything match. I would pull that shim out and nail to skirtboard tight to the rim joist. A little Rock Hard Putty will fill in the exposed gap at the top and then you sand it flush, caulk and paint.

There are probably numerous ways to tackle this, the 1X trim and base cap is what most guys do around here.