Adding Moulding Underneath Stairs

Adding Moulding Underneath Stairs

Hey there friend!

We’re finally working on our staircase again! Yay! While I still had plenty of room to work without the railing and spindles, I wanted to squeeze in a bit more character by adding moulding underneath the stairs! This is a fairly easy and inexpensive way to add character to any staircase! Also if you missed it we started this project awhile back. We actually took down a wall creating an open staircase. Then we rebuilt the staircase itself.

You can check out how we built it HERE!

Adding Moulding Underneath Stairs

What You’ll Need

I chose a this 11/16 MDF cove moulding from Home Depot. I specifically chose an MDF option because I have found it’s more forgiving when conforming to a surface that isn’t perfectly straight or flush. And in an old house this is important! I had also planned on painting the moulding so there was no reason to spend extra for wood.

You’ll also need a finish nailer and I used 2 inch 18 gage nails, and a saw to cut the moulding. After the moulding was in place I used caulk to fill the holes and gave it all a fresh coat of paint.

How to Add Moulding

Adding the moulding is pretty straightforward. I placed the cove molding tight underneath the front of the stair and tight against the wall. Then I marked behind it with a pencil where I needed to make my cut. I always added a reference line of the direction I should be making the 45′ cut. This is just something that I’ve found that helps me prevent mistakes.

Once my first 45′ angle was cut I made sure it’s a good fit and then nailed it in place. I preferred to start on the side where the cut was made so I could make sure it was in the exact place it needed to be to meet up with the next piece.

Watch a timelapse of the process below!

Adding the Molding to the Side

After the first piece was added under the front of the step I followed the same procedure for the side of the stairs. I held the cove piece in place, and marked where I needed to make my cut. This time I would need to make my 45′ angle cut in the opposite direction as the previous one, and then a straight cut on the end.

Again, when nailing I started near the 45 so that it was lined up with the other one and worked my way to the straight end. I worked step by step because since it is an old house I knew each stair would be slightly different in dimensions.

Finishing Up the Moulding

After I had all the mouldings added I used caulk to fill in the nail holes. Then I gave the entire moulding a coat of paint. And that’s it! For about $25 I was able to give our stairs a little extra character! I’m honestly surprised by the impact a little piece of moulding could add!