Skirtboards on Stairs

Heading across Newfound Gap this Friday, we were greeted with snow and ice.  The roads were fine but there was some remnant snow from a storm earlier in the week and the familiar large icicles were hanging from the rocks and ledges along side the road.

The skies were clear all weekend but the temperature did dip in the evenings.  On The Ridge, the temperature highs were in the mid 40's but the lows were dropped into the upper teens.  We did enjoy a nice fire both Friday and Saturday.

Work continued on the stairs.  This weekend the goal was to install the skirt board along side the stairs.  In a new construction, this would be placed besides the stringer, but as usual nothing is easy.  Brent had to cut and notch the skirt board to fit the rise and run of each step.  This was very easy and went really fast. NOT.  After using a square and cutting the board, it average another four trips outside to trim to the skirt board to fit.  The fit does not have to be perfect because the tread will hid a 1" gap and the riser will hide a 3/4" gap.  The problem was getting all the gaps to fit within that range.  Well practice makes perfect and Brent did have a lot of practice.  Additional foundation work on the stairway was completed and additional finish work should be completed next weekend.

We have decided not to install the stair treads until after the New Year holidays.  Brent has decided not to doing any work during the holidays (or very little) and does not want people walking on the stair treads before they have been sealed.  The treads will first be installed and then any screw and/or nail holes covered in wood putty.  Then the treads will be sanded, stained and protected.  The less traffic during this ordeal the better.  We have one more work weekend before breaking for Christmas and the New Year holidays.

The girls have finished their tests and the 2011 fall semester at UT is now a memory.  They met us at The Ridge on Friday and followed us back across the mountain on Sunday to the rental house and will stay with us till the Spring semester begins.   

NOTE:  Sorry about the rotation of some of the pictures below but I am unable to change the attachments to a profile view.

Driving through the park on Friday and Saturday was beautiful.

The skirt board is cut and ready for one of many fittings.

Skirt board in place after final fitting.

Even with the rough construction treads the stairway is taking shape.

The new treads are waiting to be installed.

Since there is no third stringer, the added 2x4 in the middle provides additional support for each tread.