My staircase hits the floor at a 40 degree angle. How an I bring it and the base trim together?
My thought right now is cut the top contour off the bottom trim and run the upper into it like that.
The contour won't meet perfect but likely clean it with some caulk and just let it be.
Just seems too long of a cut given the angle to get a perfect meeting joint if I try to cut angles for the contours on top of the trim as a whole. Hardest cut I have ever had to do.
I get the impression that you're using the same molding for the skirt under the finish stringer as for the base trim. If so, they'd meet like any other base trim corner... with a miter.
You'll split the angle you mentioned (~40°) so that each piece has about a 20° miter. It's long and fussy, but that's the right way. Try it out with some scrap until you get the exact angle. Both cuts need the same angle or they won't match at the inside. With that long of a cut any error is compounded.
One trick is to use a square (90°) jig mounted to your miter saw to invert the angle. You'd orient the workpiece perpendicular to the saw's fence and make the 20° cut instead of trying to make a 70° cut, which most saws won't do.
You can also use any other convenient angle for your jig, just as long as it's mounted securely.
