Working on hardwood stairs (nosing+planks with painted poplar riser), would like some confirmation on my plan from experienced pros. Please correct me if I'm off. I've removed the carpet, tacking strips and nails; cut the nosing off the rough wooden stair underneath; sanded the paint off etc.

Glue-down:
I chose the method where you go from bottom to top - riser sits on top of tread, tread is made up of nosing+planks with last plank row rip cut at the back leaving expansion gap. All cuts except top nosing already done, only need to install it now. Originally I was going to glue down the nosing with full spread, put a couple of 18g brad nails (into pre-drilled holes) at left and right side of nosing, then continue with the planks behind row by row, with the last row being face nailed again (and covered by the riser). But the nosing fits very tight into the plank behind, so I'm concerned that I won't be able to tap/pull it flush with all the glue mess. So my plan now is to tap the nosing with all the planks, assembling it into a full tread as it were, and then put the whole thing down onto the glue; then do the finish nails. Is that OK or will the glue squeeze out somewhere or something else I haven't foreseen?

Caulking:
Is there any tool or method to apply a very thin strip of caulking to cover the edges - mostly about 1/16" or less.

Aligning topmost nosing with upstairs planks:

In the pic above, I'm coming up towards the top step (treads/risers are not yet installed, just laid out to dry fit). But I've already finished the flooring behind it - in fact, the entire upper floor is completely nailed down. Now I need to somehow join the top nosing to the rest of the floor (both sides are grooved, so I'd have to glue in a piece of spline). It so happens that the top nosing is parallel to the planks, but it is about 3/16" shorter than required. So my plan is to remove a 3/16" notch off the top of the riser, to let the nosing fit in - basically using a table saw with the blade sticking out 3/16". Can you confirm this is OK safety wise, as I don't really know how to make the entire riser thinner?

Aligning with stair railing:
From the pic above, you may be able to see that the top nosing must go into a railing on both sides; the railing on the left has planks scribe-fitted with a 45 deg bevelled edge. So my nosing must match this line (and same thing done to other side for symmetry).

The railings have a funny cross-section, essentially a rounded edge with a coving like bottom, like this (sorry to have to make you turn your neck to the left):

I can't do a 45 deg bevel scribe-fit on the nosing as it will show in the front, so my plan is to carefully cut a thin vertical slice on the white railing with a Dremel tool (for the left side, it must be in line with the scribe-fit line of planks behind), with a rounded contour scribed to match the front curve of the nosing. The same on the other side railing as well. Now all I have to do is make normal end cuts to the nosing itself. I would end up leaving a small portion under the coving with no nosing... Is this OK, I don't how how / feel confident about somehow cutting a notch in the nosing to go under the railing and cutting the coving to match...

Rounded rectangle:
The end of the railing at right is a rounded rectangle.

I'm wondering if I should (A) fill up the space with a triangular piece and/or white filler or (B) cut the nosing with a little piece sticking out that fits the curved hole -- if so can you provide any tips on how to do that? Any better ideas?

Nice post Anand

1) Prep- Sounds good.
2) Gluedown- Your method should work fine. Although planks slide/fit together easier in adhesive.
3) Caulking- When using the Colorite tubes....I find it important to cut the tip of the tube just slightly, and at an angle. Cutting the tube right, I'm able to caulk in clean. Looks like your walls are smooth...so if you like..you can also tape the walls and hardwood off with blue tape. I like to stay away from just caulking and using rags...makes a mess out of the walls and wood. ( Looks better to caulk in with the wood color, other than the wall color).
4) Aligning Top Nosing- I always install that nosing 1st, then proceed with the floor.
RE: 3/16th riser- Wouldn't recommend doing what your talking about, without being experienced on a tablesaw. Sounds like your painting the risers. Maybe go with thinner riser stock, at that step, and shim it out where needed.
5) Aligning at Stair Rail- I would trim just the underneath rounded section of the plate, and notch the front of the nosing. Sometimes in this situation...I'll take 2 pieces of scrap nosing, and cut them to fit. Then transfer those cuts to the nosing, (measuring the distance of length between the 2 scraps. Kind of a pattern of sorts.
6) Rounded Rectangle- Stay away from filler and dutchmans. I would notch that tiny rounded section out, exactly at the point of nosing contact, so it fits flush. Use a scrap of nosing, and trace it. I would normally use a sharp utility knife, to trace and notch something like that.

Thanks. Re: #6, I didn't understand "notch that tiny rounded section out". Did you mean undercut the white plate to allow example an extended portion of the nosing to fit underneath? If so, the thickness of plate left would be so thin that it might easily snap off. I'd face the same problem with undercutting the stair railing (#5).

If you meant cut the nosing to fit into that hole around the rounded rectangle, I would have a problem trying to install the nosing - couldn't slide it in from the front because of the extra piece sticking out (that mates with the rounded rectangle). And I couldn't put one end in and then the other if I have those notches in the front.

Your just squarring (?), off the curves, don't want to cut off too much meat. Then notch the nosing.
It's either that or 45 the flat section of the nosing, then make a pattern with something, & get out a coping saw for the nose.

Wish I was there...I'd fix it right up for ya

Thanks, just so I understand:

All I'm doing to the plate is:
- square it at the side to allow the top of the nosing to come right up against it
- remove a piece off the underneath near the front of the nosing to give space for the nosing notch

And for the nosing:
- cut that arc-like shape to meet the rounded rectangle into the nosing (e.g. using a table saw coming at the corner radially?)
- leave a rectangular notch on the front side of the nosing to go under the plate

Exactly



If you square off the s-shape of the plate profile...this is easier than notching the curve in the nosing. And it will look like the nosing is growing out of the plate.
You can do as much cutting as possible with a table saw, but ultimately your going to want to finish the cut with a coping or hack saw, ( the table saw blade will cut too far into the underneath side of the nosing,if trying to finish your cut that way)

Maybe some of the guys will chime in, with what works best for them.

I vote for using the coping saw.