What Is Cove Molding on Hardwood Stairs?

Appearance

• You can find cove molding in a range of sizes and shapes, but it is always concave on one side. Larger cove molding can be used at the juncture of the walls and ceiling in a room, and might also be called an inside corner guard. Cove molding for use on stairs is usually smaller and less ornate. One side is cut at a 90-degree angle, and the other is slightly concave. Most cove molding is made from wood, but flexible vinyl or polyurethane varieties are also available.

Function

• Cove molding acts to hide joins in the wood. It also smooths the visual transition between two surfaces set at a 90-degree angle from one another. When used in stairs, cove molding hides the seam between the stair riser and the tread, producing a more attractive appearance, but does not perform any structural function. You can build hardwood stairs with or without this kind of molding.

Installation

• Installing cove molding is a relatively simple process. After you have put the risers and treads into place, cut the molding to length and place it against the back of the stair. Attach the molding to the riser using small trim nails, then countersink the nails and cover them with wood putty. Repeat for all the rest of the stairs. If any of the stairs are uneven, with gaps between the molding and the tread, putty or caulk the gap. Stain or paint your molding to match the rest of the stairway.

Considerations

• While most cove molding is used at the back of the stair tread, a separate type can be used to smooth stair edges, especially on the first one or two steps. When the bottom of a stairway spreads out, and the steps have rounded edges, you can apply semi-circle cove molding to the base of the rounded part of the riser. This special type of cove molding allows you to match the shape and look of other steps. Flexible molding is an easier-to-install alternative, but does not come in real wood, and works only with painted stairways.