Ending a slanted top-cap: square cut or plumb cut?
geoffhazel
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I have a half-wall on the side of a stairway, that comes down and ends at the foot of the stair. I’m putting a flat cap board on the top. I’m wondering about cutting the bottom edge. Choices are either a square cut, as it comes from the yard, or a plumb cut. I looked at the board as I held it in the air at an angle, and a square cut didn’t look too bad, but I could go either way.
Recommendations?
Replies
Usually, I'd ask the homowner how they want it.
Personally, I suggest the plumb cut. To me, all the parallel lines look the best.
Yeah, we have that on our main entry stairway, and it's a plumb cut. Looking at it I can't see how a square cut would look right.
Either
To me it depends a bit on whether there are miters in the other trim, or if it's square cut. If you do the plumb cut, you probably need to do something to soften the sharp edge at the bottom.
At the bottom corner you just round it over (with sandpaper) to maybe a 1/64th radius -- just enough to smooth the cut edge. No more radius than on the factory corners, probably less.
Square cut for me, corners rounded or nipped at a 45, top edge profiled with a router, small molding tucked under. Nothing sharp like you may have with a plumb cut, somebody will get dinging up.
It's not "sharp" -- never
It's not "sharp" -- never once in 36 years here gotten "dinged" by it.
Maybe you don't move all that fast, Dan, LOL! Actually, just a cap board looks a bit chintzy either way. What about going with a post to die against? Keep it simple or jazz it up.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E0oL_BlyVbk/TxPSsRKmHII/AAAAAAAAB6I/jvpiPMVAZvg/s1600/001.JPG
The post works if you're going after a colonial style, I suppose. Not so much if you want a simpler look.
yes
With that detail underneath, that looks better.