Dear James: I think replacing the baseboards and moldings would look better. It is difficult to cut the stair molding to fit without gaps. What is the best way to cut and fit it? —Debra S. Dear Debra: Adding new baseboards and molding, especially ones with contrasting colors to the walls, can jazz up a room. Although planning and fitting the stair molding can be tricky, adding strong, solid wood molding can minimize damage from shoes and objects bumping against the lower part of the wall along the stairs. There are many vertical and horizontal cuts needed to fit around all the individual stairs, making the process somewhat complex. Plan the stair molding project completely for all the stairs before making any cuts. Attractive, high-quality, solid-wood molding is expensive, so you don’t want to make improper cuts and end up with scrap. Consider using finger-jointed material instead of using solid-wood …