Finish Stair Stringer

[Brett Nelson]

When I rough framed my staircase, I used a 2x4 spacer between the wall framing and the stringer. This gave me a 1.5" gap for drywall and finish stringer. I thought that would be plenty. My designer then comes in and decides that I need shadow boxes/or raised panel wall frames that follow down the staircase. As that goes behind the baseboard/finish stringer, that adds another 3/4" to the finish material thickness. There goes my hopes and dreams of not having to cut the finish stringers.

So now that I have to cut them to go on top of the treads anyway, I'm wondering which method is preferable. Right now the stairs are framed in rough lumber, and the treads are bullnose PB tread material. They are 4' wide and will have a 3' wide carpet runner up the center. Walnut false treads on either side and painted maple ply risers.



I could cut the finish stringer to sit on top of the rough treads first and then butt up the stained false treads.
I could install the false treads first and then cut the finish stringer to overlap it.

I 'm leaning toward #1 since I wouldn't have to incorporate the bullnose into the finish stringer. But #2 would give the look of a housed stringer, and I was wondering if that is considered the proper way to do it. ???

[Richard Wolf]

Go with choice #1. I have used choice #2 and it is very difficult. #1 will at least give you some room for error, which you will have.
Good luck with it.

Richard

[Bob Lloyd]

Choice #1. I have done a number of stairs and have always done them that way. I also cut the stringers so that I can slip the risers behind them. In a closed stair situation, the risers can be slid all the way behind one finished stringer and pulled back half way behind the other stringer. The risers can then be shimmed tight to the rough stringers. That way you are not butting both the risers and treads to the finished stringers. Good luck, it takes a while.

[Brett Nelson]

Go with choice #1. I have used choice #2 and it is very difficult. #1 will at least give you some room for error, which you will have.
Good luck with it.

Richard

Thanks. You seems to be a fountain of stair knowledge. If you have a hard time with #2, then it will be impossible for me.

[Brett Nelson]

Choice #1. I have done a number of stairs and have always done them that way. I also cut the stringers so that I can slip the risers behind them. In a closed stair situation, the risers can be slid all the way behind one finished stringer and pulled back half way behind the other stringer. The risers can then be shimmed tight to the rough stringers. That way you are not butting both the risers and treads to the finished stringers. Good luck, it takes a while.

Yeah, I had seen guys slipping the riser in behind the finish stringer. Mine will just be false risers anyway as the carpet runner goes between them. I was thinking I would actually just install the risers first and then the finish stringer. Both will be painted so that isn't the joint that I am really concerned about. I can use a little painters caulk there to make it look pretty. Not so with the stained treads.