Thought some might find this useful – I recall it’s come up lately. Basically, how do you scribe a 1×10″ or 12″ skirt to fit an existing and crooked stair?
Here’s my quick and easy paper-doll method. These stairs will be carpeted, so light-tight accuracy is not required, though it’s easy enough to do.
First, I snap a line at some arbitrary distance from the tread nosings – here it’s about 2-1/2″. This will be the top of the skirt. Then, working from the top, I cut and fit pieces of printer paper (old cases of fan-fold) to each triangular space.
Fit the bullnose, slide the paper back, taper the riser line if it’s not vertical, and mark the paper where it crosses the snapped line – cut it along the line joining the marks. NOTE – it’s important to match the chalk color to the tape color – (actually, blue chalk can be painted over). Use the offcut triangle to fill in and strengthen the gap.
Carefully cut through the tape bits holding the long pattern to the wall, and lift off your 14′ pattern piece.
Tape it to your skirt material (here, two pieces of MDF 1×12), and trace it. Don’t worry, it’ll have an oak trim cap that wraps the weak MDF top edge
Here are the cut lines, ready to go – no trimming and fitting required. The “good” side is on the top.
I’d show the finished product, but it was getting to late at the client’s for the saws and compressor.
Forrest
Edited 4/15/2007 7:00 pm by McDesign
Replies
Thanks Forrest,
That's very helpful for some skirt work coming up this year.
Best,
Steve
<skirt work >
That just SOUNDS fun!
Short job?
Forrest
Short skirts, slit skirts, it's the only way to go! :)Gotta find that Townshend album now.
Thanks 4 taking the time to post. It now goes filed in my "Things to do with MDF and printer paper" mind folder : )
and we even get to see what your hand looks like...lol
andy..
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/magazine/17BUSH.html?ex=1255665600en=890a96189e162076ei=5090
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
and we even get to see what your hand looks like...lol
Thought Smith had that copyrighted? Now Forrest will have to pay an infringement fee. :)
jt8
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."-- Mother Teresa
Those are some great upskirt pics!
Instead of scribing around the nose, I use a block of whatever I'm skirting with ½", ¼",¾", and using that as a guide, I cut the nosing with a thin saw. (Japanese pull saw works beautifully)
I then chisel out the little piece of nosing flush with the riser. That way the new skirt only needs a tread and riser cut and installs behind the nosing.
It also works well when fitting ¼" hardwood ply over existing painted risers.
Gord
Nice job as usual. I also notch the treads with a gents saw.
Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
I was gonna say the same...save a buttload of time and aggravation...plus you could get out the Multimaster for that!!!I don't Know what I am doing
But
I am VERY good at it!!
Okay, sounds like the concensus is to notch the treads - guess I'll have to try that next time.
Cheaters.
;-)
Forrest
Stan -
Oh, you are so great, you're just really merciful and huge; we're all real impressed down here; please don't kill us . . .
So what do you think - is notching the treads for the skirt in a retrofit "Fine"?
Your humble servants await enlightenment
Forrest
It takes an incredible amount of patience and skill to pull off what you did. I applaud your dedication and work ethic.
I was impressed.
"how you do anything is how you do everything"- Zen
Yeah....great job on the paper skirt.
Funny how he "ran outta time" to post pics of the actual skirt.
I aint aplaudin' till I see the finished product!
Come McPaper Design....show us whatcha got!
Democrats.The other white meat.
Here are the skirts, oh ye of little faith!
View Image
I bedded them in a bead of liquid nails to help any squeaks. Screwed the treads down a bunch, but it's not really a good stair - I'll be happy to take it out next year.
Forrest
Edited 4/16/2007 10:59 pm by McDesign
Oh sure...
use an angle that hides all the caulk from view!!!:)I don't Know what I am doing
But
I am VERY good at it!!
Yer on to me!
Actually, what you'd see is goopy Liquid Nails squeeze-out, squooged back in with my trusty worn-out index finger.
Remember, they'll be carpeted edge-to-edge.
My story and I'm stickin to it!
Forrest
Nice job brotha.....great technique as well.
Democrats.The other white meat.
Alright Forrest,
I have two follow ups for you...
Did you cut this out with a Multimaster? :)
And, why MDF? I'd have thought that that wouldn't stand up to the general shoe kicks, vacuum bumps, etc. of daily life. I think I recall that you are pulling this out in a year anyways, but I'm still curious.
Thanks,
Steve
Morning, Ezra!
The MDF's just easy to cut, and flexible enough to conform to the old walls. Once I reinforce the top edge, it's pretty durable. Just a kids' room up here. Cut it all with my PC jigsaw and one of the tiny blades - another reason, because they break in any other 3/4" material.
The pre-primed surface is pretty hard - foam sanding blocks won't cut through the primer NEAR as fast as they will on pre-primed wood, when you're blocking nail hole filler.
Forrest
LOLThanks Forrest. I appreciate the explanation. Now I can get back to the Cantos :)