# base trim around stairs/landings...?



## red86yota (Nov 26, 2008)

I have a landing at the top of my stairs, and then another step to the left to get onto the second level of the house. I can't come up with a base trim style that doesn't look goofy to me. Is there a preferred way to do this?









or









I'm kind of leaning towards #2, but then the trim might look funny at the bottom of the stairs...any pointers?

Thanks!


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

with #2; the angled piece at the left (going from the main floor to the landing). what would the base set against on the bottom of the base? It would look really odd (in my opinion) to just have it floating across that little bit of wall.

what do you thing of going full vertical at that point.

also, what are you using? an actual wood base mould or something such as vinyl cove base moulding.? That would make a huge difference how things could be dealt with and resultingly how they would look with a open end.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Red,
you could do option one if you return the base at the open ends. In other words miter it back into the wall. This is assuming the area where the one piece of base runs into the riser on the left side had a clean edge where the drywall runs into it. I don't care for the second option, the angle has no place there.
Mike Hawkins


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

5/4 by 6 with base cap on top. use #2 with vertical like nap say then at stinger stop 5/4 but continue with base cap


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## red86yota (Nov 26, 2008)

thanks for the feedback.

i have pine 4.5" (?) tall base trim - painted white.

for option two, I was thinking about putting in a fake stringer to look like the stained pine stringer you can see on the right. it does look kind of strange, but I thought it would look best to have a continuous run of trim.

i like the idea of 'returning' the trim at the two spot in option one. i would basically return the two butt cuts, right? i hadn't thought of the return, but that will make the end look nice and finished.

we will have carpet on the second floor, wrapping down the stairs like it is now. so the riser on the last step would be covered in carpet...if that makes any difference.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

red86yota said:


> thanks for the feedback.
> 
> i have pine 4.5" (?) tall base trim - painted white.
> 
> ...


That's correct. It should look fine with the carpeting.
Mike Hawkins


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

I always turn the piece at the top of the landing (shown running on an angle in option 2) as a vertical piece. This allows the base to transition the elevation change as a continious trim and looks much better than returning it on itself in the middle of the wall. Since the existing stringer down the wall is so thick, I agree that I would use 5/4 with a base cap instead of thinner factory base. This will be much more attractive, as you can use a fatter profile base cap profile to reduce visibility of the overly thick exposed stringer. Only the base cap should run up the stringer, not the entire height of the base and cap. This will require a little triangle filler at the top where the existing stringer flattens out. Glue it in place, spackle, sand and paint.


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## 01stairguy (Feb 26, 2009)

see if u can come up with something like this


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## 01stairguy (Feb 26, 2009)

one more:yes:


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

Nice, stairguy; ABSOLUTELY NOTHING transitions as nicely as an easement like you have here, but I think this is way beyond anything required in his situation, and probably not practical to assume that he the tools to profile the stock.


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