Installation Guide

10
STEP B.1 – Lay Out the Balustrade
B.1a – Find the Baluster Line and Mark
Baluster Positions
The baluster line defines the centerline of the entire
balustrade. Newels, balusters and handrail will eventually be
centered on it.
Traditionally, the balustrade centerline should allow the
outside face of the baluster to line up in the same plane as
the finished surface below the tread, i.e. sheetrock or
skirtboard. Therefore the centerline location (measured from
the outside edge of the tread return) should be equal to
1
/2
the thickness of the baluster plus the overhang dimension
(as determined in Step A.7, see Fig. 8-1 & 8-2).
Said another way, the baluster line represents the centerline
of a row of balusters whose outside faces line up with the
finished wall, or skirt board, below the tread. Mark the
baluster line on the first tread, and each succeeding tread in
the flight.
NOTE: If the handrail is to terminate against the end of a
wall, the baluster line should be centered on the wall to
allo
w for symmetrical mounting of a rosette or half newel
(see Fig. 8-3). Remember to maintain appropriate stairway
width for compliance with local building code requirements.
Tread leading
e
dges
B
aluster line
Tread leading
edge
Outside face finished
wall/skirt board
Note: Distance between
centerpoints of balusters
and newels is the same
throughout the overall run.
S TEP
B.1a
SECTION B
9
(Step A.6 cont.)
Remove the entire assembly and attach the 1" x 4" cleat to
the floor (see Fig. 6-3). Attach smaller cleats (approximately
1
1
/4" x 1
1
/4" stock) to the inside top edge of the riser. Space
these small cleats so they will fall between the stringers.
For final installation after installing the newels (see Step
B.3), turn the starting step (tread and riser) upside down
and assemble it with carpenter’s glue or construction
adhesive on all surfaces and screws through the cleats. Be
careful not to scratch the tread.
WARNING: Until newels are ready to be installed, do not
permanently glue the starting step.
STEP A.7 – Dry Fit the Stair Treads
Rip treads to allow 1"–1
1
/8" overhang (check local codes).
On a miter returned tread, this may involve remitering the
return or finishing the rip with a hand saw.
For a stairway open on one side, follow the same steps as
described for trimming the starting step to length, i.e.,
scribe, trim, butt, measure, rescribe and trim.
T
r
eads inst
alled between tw
o walls would be trimmed in the
same manner as descr
ibed in t
he r
iser section (Step A.6).
The s
t
air car
r
iag
e is now complete and ready for installation
of t
he balus
trade. Braced and blocked stringers are in place;
riser and skirt board are permanently mounted. The treads
and s
t
ar
ting s
t
ep ar
e just dry fitted to allow installation of
s
t
arting newel and for notching of treads as other newels
are installed. Go to Section B to construct the balustrade.
SECTION A
FIG. 8-1 - Baluster line location
S TEP
A.7
Front face
of baluster
Outside face
of baluster
Baluster line
(baluster centerpoint)
Outside face of
finished wall/
skirt board
Tread leading edge
Cove molding
Riser
Front/facing view
FIG. 8-2 - Correct baluster position. Outside face alignment.
C
ove
molding
S
hoe
molding
1" x 4" cleat
Tread
R
iser
blocks
1
" x 1" cleat
FIG. 6-3 - Cutaway view of the bullnose end of a starting step