![]() Next, I remove the brad from my scribe stick, and I transfer the nosing length of the tread onto the scribe stick. When I’ve marked all the level (tread) scribe lines, I mark a reference line along the top edge of the skirt so I can reposition the skirt accurately-at precisely the same angle-when it’s time to scribe the risers.Īfter pulling the skirt off the wall, I cut the bottom of the skirt at the lowest scribe line, and tack it back up on the wall, using the reference line to position the skirt at the original angle. In this photo, the scribe line I’m working on is referencing the finish floor- not the first tread. The scribe line has no relationship to the tread it extends from. The line in the photo extending from the top of the tread onto the skirt board is referencing the tread below the line. I darkened the scribes lines using a pencil to make them more visible in the photos. Making a thin, deep scribe line goes a long way towards preventing tear out when you start making the cuts. I typically make one light pass to “set” the initial line, and then follow up with a couple more passes to really engrave the line in the skirt board. Next, I scribe the level lines onto the skirt board, starting on the finish floor, and working my way up the flight of stairs. ![]() I like to sharpen the brad point for a near razor-like scribe line. Then I carefully drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the brad, and drive a brad through the stick. I start by transferring the top height of the tread onto a 3/8 x 3/4 oak scribe stick that’s a couple of inches longer than the tread depth. ![]() That’s why this scribing technique works so well-it accommodates any irregularities found in the final positioning of the treads and risers. It’s been my observation that no matter how fussy you are with the riser/tread layout and installation, there will always be some minor discrepancies along the flight. …you’ll notice that the lower edge of the skirt doesn’t touch the edge of each tread. After tacking the rough skirt board on top of the treads… I’ve included my comments and observations on the nuances involved with this scribing process below. The truth is that the process is quite simple, and it can be done without ever touching a tape measure…really.Īs you’ll see, the photos I took 20 years ago match up almost perfectly with the illustrations in Norm’s article. I mean, after all, it’d be foolish to think that you could make so many intricate cuts and expect to end up with a flawless fit. Most carpenters never even consider scribing a skirt board to a finished set of stairs. When I first read Norm’s article on skirt scribing, four thoughts immediately came to mind:ġ) He and I both learned the technique from the same instructor, Don Zepp.Ģ) Norm’s explanation of the process was spot on.ģ) I had a bunch of photos of a skirt board I had installed that I should share with others.Ĥ) I felt exactly like Norm did: Don Zepp was absolutely the best instructor I’ve ever had the good fortune of learning from.
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