Install the Risers

Risers need to be trimmed to the proper height and length. Measure the rise of all steps to ensure consistency. Rip the risers 1/16" less than the smallest rise. Each riser must be cut to length individually. For a stairway that is open on one side, place the riser across the stringers and butt up to the wall skirt board. Scribe a line on this end, transferring the actual contour of the skirt board to the end of the riser. Trim to this line. Butt the riser back to the wall skirt board, allowing the other end to project out past the mitered skirtboard. Make a mark on the front side at the bottom of the riser where it intersects the outside of the mitered skirt board. Make a mark on the back side at the top of the riser where it intersects the skirt board and transfer this mark to the front side using a tri-square. Draw a line connecting these two marks and cut on this mark at a 45˚ miter. Use carpenter’s glue on the miter and apply construction adhesive on the stringers before nailing securely. Follow this procedure on each riser.

For a stairway that is open on both sides, follow the same procedure as described above to rip the risers. Marking the length is a matter of placing the riser across the stringers so that each end of the riser projects past the long point of the skirt board miter. Make a mark on the front side at the bottom of the riser where it intersects the outside of the mitered skirt board. Make a mark on the back side at the top of the riser where it intersects the skirt board and transfer this mark to the front side using a tri-square. Draw a line connecting these two marks and cut on this mark at a 45˚ miter. Use carpenter’s glue on the miter and apply construction adhesive on the stringers before nailing securely. Follow this procedure on each riser.

If the stairway is closed on both sides, the task of scribing both ends must be done on scraps and transferred to the actual risers. Rip all risers and scraps as described above. Cut all scraps 1/2" shorter than the smallest inside dimension. Place a scrap riser across the stringers, butt one end against the skirt board, and scribe a line. Now do the same at the other end. Trim both ends to the scribe lines. Now place the scrap back on the stringers and butt either end tightly to the skirt board. Precisely measure the distance from the other end of the riser to the skirt board. Lay the scrap on the actual riser blank and transfer one scribe line to the riser. Slide the scrap toward the other end the exact distance that was measured above. Scribe and trim the other end. Use a 3˚ bevel to make this cut and it will be easier to swing this end into place.