how to install flooring on a large winder step?

Hello all,

I am working on a large winder step and need some tips on how to best install with T&G flooring on it. The shape of it makes it challenging to measure things and won't let "slide" the planks in. It's a triangle with one curved side and 2 straight sides. The nose is 65" long.

If you look at both ends of the nosing piece (2nd picture), you can see, because of its shape, it will be locked in by the square corner and can't be moved back and forth. I can only think of building the whole piece and drop it in. I am measuring and cutting one piece at the time. I use a straight edge to mark the location of the previous piece (the 1st picture shows the 2nd piece butted against the straight edge marking the location of the nosing). First, start marking the nosing piece and work inward to the back of the step. I find it pretty hard to carry and place this big piece that is only attached by T&G. There will be 6 rows of flooring w/ the nosing.

Should I use wood glue to secure them together? Is it easier to use one or 2 pieces along the length?

How would you approach this?

Thanks much

Tough situation. I think I would abandon the T&G joint on the nosing piece and rip off the bottom of the groove so the nosing can be installed "from the top down" without having to slide back to engage the tongue. (It becomes more of a "shiplap" joint.)(Or you could keep the groove intact on the nosing piece and modify the second piece instead, and install the two as a single unit. Make sense?). Use some construction adhesive and a few finish nails to secure.

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Originally Posted by Jerry Miner

Tough situation. I think I would abandon the T&G joint on the nosing piece and rip off the bottom of the groove so the nosing can be installed "from the top down" without having to slide back to engage the tongue. (It becomes more of a "shiplap" joint.)(Or you could keep the groove intact on the nosing piece and modify the second piece instead, and install the two as a single unit. Make sense?). Use some construction adhesive and a few finish nails to secure.

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Thanks a lot Jerry. That's an easy tweak and would make it much easier to install as 2 pieces. Something like this right?
Awesome :-D

With this shiplap joint, I am now thinking going back laying the flooring perpendicular to the nosing. I can slide the whole flooring in and drop the nosing on top. It is easier to cut the round side as one piece instead of having that curve spanning over 2-3 pieces.

Exactly! Hope all goes well.

I would start buy removing the baseboard and install the flooring piece by piece, removing a groove shoulder where necessary. Reinstall the base when done.

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Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness

I would start buy removing the baseboard and install the flooring piece by piece, removing a groove shoulder where necessary. Reinstall the base when done.

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This. And then build the piece, drop it in and use the trim to hold the edges and adhesive for the field.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness

I would start buy removing the baseboard and install the flooring piece by piece, removing a groove shoulder where necessary. Reinstall the base when done.

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Thanks Kevin. I usually put the baseboard or the shoe moulding over the flooring but with stairs, I cannot figure out how the trim goes over the bullnose section. That applies to rectangular treads as well. I see people cutting the treads flush to the trim instead of installing the trim on top.

Would you have a picture showing how the trim overlap w/ the bullnose?

Regards

You would have to cope the vertical trim piece to the bullnose or vice versa. Seems to me it is easier to get a clean look by running the treads under the base, but you are right that the bullnose is the difficult part.

If you reuse the vertical piece then the base would have to be cut down by the tread thickness, otherwise the vertical piece would have to grow. In any case, you could offer up a section of bullnose tread to the mating trim, scribe the profile with a knife and cope with a coping saw and rasp, then install the actual bullnose tread and finally the vertical piece.

If that seems too complicated then go back to your original plan and follow Jerry's advice on removing the groove shoulder.