Cutting Dado Rail for Staircases

Video Demonstration


At The Foot of The Stairs

To determine the angle of mitre cut required for your stairs, take the Template to the staircase stringer (that is the part of the staircase against the wall) and the horizontal angle of the floor or skirting (fig. 11) and lock the Template in the required position.

Measuring the right mitre angle for dado rail up stairs

Then use the Template to set the workpiece holders at an external angle (fig. 2) and lock the pivoting workpiece holders in position.

Setting external angles for dado rail mitre cutting

The dado rail that is to be fitted to the wall of the stairs to the left-hand side of the mitre joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the left-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig 12.

Cutting mitre joints in dado rail

The dado rail that is to be fitted to the wall of your staircase to the right-hand side of the mitre joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the right-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in Fig 12.

At The Landing

To determine the angle of mitre cut required at the top of your stairs, take the Template to the staircase stringer (that is the part of the staircase against the wall) and the angle of the landing (fig 11), making sure the landing is level, and lock the Template in the required position for your mitre joint.

Then use the Template to set the workpiece holders at an internal angle (fig. 1) and lock the workpiece holders in position. The dado rail that is to be fitted to the wall to the left-hand side of the mitre joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the left-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig. 12.

Cutting angles for dado rail mitre joints

The dado rail that is to be fitted to the wall to the right-hand side of the mitre joint should be placed (on its back) for cutting in the right-hand locked workpiece holder as shown in fig. 12.

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Please Note

These TOP TIPS for cutting Mitre joints are provided as a service from MML (QS) Ltd. The information is intended to help with the cutting and fitting of mouldings around the house with the use of the "Magic Mitre" product.

MML (QS) Ltd assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader and user of the product must always exercise all reasonable caution and follow all applicable codes and regulations and the safety instruction.