STAIR WAINSCOT - OVERVIEW

Stair wainscot is installed on top of the stair stringer. The stair stringer is a structural part of your staircase and can end in one of several shapes or "end cuts". The end points of your stair wainscot will vary depending upon the shape of the end cuts on your stair stringer (see illustration). Note these points carefully when measuring.  In many cases, its common for the height of the stair stringer at point(s) D & E to be greater than 0 and finish at a point above the finished floor (see drawing). In these instances, the regular wainscot sections immediately adjacent to the stair wainscot will be increased in height by Raisewall Panel Systems during the design process to maintain the continuity of the wainscot cap moulding.  The shape of the end cut on your stair stringer may differ from the common end cuts shown here. If so, simply locate the point on the stringer where the slope of the stinger changes direction and use this point as your stair wainscot end point.

MEASURING FOR STAIR WAINSCOT

Measuring for stair wainscot is exactly the same as measuring for regular wainscot. We simply need a few more measurements relating to the slope of your staircase to make your wainscot.

1) Measure the length along the top of the stair stringer between points D (the lower floor) and E (the upper floor). Record this length in the STAIR WAINSCOT portion of your order worksheet.

2) Measure the height of the skirt board at points D & E. Record these heights on your order worksheet. These measurements may be zero.

3) If your stair wainscot contains a nonstandard section, label the section as such on your layout drawing and record it so in the nonstandard wainscot column of the STAIR WAINSCOT portion of your order worksheet.

MEASURING THE STAIR STRINGER RISE & RUN

1) Place a 24 framing square at any point along the stringer with the 24 edge of the square positioned horizontally (see illustration, part ).

2) Position a level on top of the square so that both the level and square are perfectly level.

3) Carefully remove the level and draw the inside edges of the square with a pencil. Continue these reference lines to the point at which they meet the stair stringer.

4) Measure the length of lines A, B & C, where: A is the rise of the stair stringer B is the run of the stair stringer C is the distance between where lines A and B meet stair stringer (see illustration, part ).

5) Record these measurements in the STAIR WAINSCOT portion of your order worksheet.

6) Standing at the base of the stairs, is the wainscot to be installed on the left or right side of the staircase? ( as you are looking up the stair case) Record the orientation on your worksheet.

7) On your layout drawing, indicate the elevation change of the stairs with an arrow.

C OMMON ERRORS TO AVOID WHEN MEASURING FOR STAIR WAINSCOT

1) Measure the full length of the lines drawn along the square completely to the stair stringer.

2) Be cautious not to transpose measurements A and B when recording them on your wainscot order worksheet.