Stair parts made in Montana
Stair Skirt Board and Skirt Board Trim
A stair skirt board is the finish board running along the wall beside a flight. It covers or defines the joint where treads and risers meet the wall and connects the stair visually with surrounding trim.
Finish trim, not a substitute for support
A skirt board normally serves as trim. A stringer supports the steps; the two can be close together but have different jobs.
A wall-side skirt is also different from a return nosing, which finishes the exposed side of a tread.
How skirt boards meet treads and risers
A skirt can be scribed around existing steps, or installed before new treads and risers are fitted against it. The sequence depends on the stair construction and finish plan.
Walls, skirt boards and step openings may be out of square. Record front and back widths for each tread rather than using one width for the whole flight.
Coordinate the finished edges
Agree on skirt thickness, trim finish and joint details with your installer before measuring finished parts. A change to wall-side trim changes the tread opening.
Send photos showing the wall-side joints, open ends and landing transitions with your flooring details. Tread Space supplies reviewed stair parts; skirt installation and structural work belong to your installer.
Common questions
What is a stair skirt board?
Finish trim along the wall beside the treads and risers of a stair flight.
Is skirt board trim structural?
Ordinarily it is finish trim, not the load-carrying stringer. Confirm the actual construction before changing it.
Does the skirt go in before the treads?
It can be installed before fitted treads or scribed around existing steps; the sequence depends on the construction and finish plan.
Do I measure between skirt boards?
Measure the actual finished tread opening at the front and back of each step and note any planned trim changes.
Is a skirt board the same as a return nosing?
No. Skirt trim meets the wall; a return nosing finishes an exposed tread end.
Related guides
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