Our kitchen is out of square and we need to fit an L-shaped worktop. Does the mason's mitre have to be a right angle or can it be a few degrees more open to cope with the way the walls run out?
If it's got to be a right angle then I've got the worktops ~18mm off the wall at their extreme ends and I need to tile the walls down to them. Will a thick layer of adhesive fill the gap and hold the tiles?
TIA
I think the usual method is to scribe the worktops so that they fit the wall. 18mm does seem like a large gap though so someone who might have a better idea than me may be along shortly!
Had a look at doing that but they wouldn't overhang the front of the units if we did that.
Most of the better worktop jigs, and certainly all the pro jigs have adjustments to cope with out of true walls. Be warned though, scribing the worktop for an out of true fit is not usually recommended for the novice. Good luck if you do decide to go for it.
You don't say what type of worktop it is - i.e. laminate on chipboard, woodblock, granite,.....?
Assuming that you mean chipboard or woodblock etc., the joint normally used is referred to as a postform joint. It would not be usual to make any type of mitre at 45 degrees, for example where the total is 90 degrees.
These are usually made with a routing jig and router with jigs having fixed angles set by locating pegs in them. Thus you can joint with a total angle of 90 degrees or on some jigs a total of 45 degrees for certain applications. I have never seen jigs with odd angles on them.
I suppose that you could modify a jig by putting in an extra couple of holes. You would have to calculate the angles and hole positions to do it, and 18mm change over, say 2-3m or so is a small amount on the jig.
However, this really isn't a good way to do the job. It is certainly not a good idea eitther to bodge the tiles with adhesive - too large a depth.
The correct way would be to joint the worktop at 90 degrees and to scribe it back to the walls to take out the depth variation.
This does mean that you should avoid anything with a reference on it, such as a regularly printed laminate or even a woodblock worktop because the variation of the wall would be very obvious.
If you don't want to tackle the cutting yourself, a good way would be to template the worktop in MDF of say 6mm or hardboard and to give that to a worktop supplier to do the cutting. This technique is usually used with granite worktops, for example.
Formica Axiom: laminate on chipboard.
It's the mitre that starts as a curve and then runs straight to allow the second leg of the L to butt up to it.
So a couple of degrees or so is out.
That's what concerns me. Would the adhesive ever go off!
We can't scribe it as there isn't enough width in the worktop to overhang the front of the cabinets at what would be it's narrowest.
I'm coming to the conclusion that I might have to get the walls skimmed out to meet the worktops...
Either that, or chop a channel in the plaster to take the worktop. You may have to get the base units back a bit as well to maintain the overhang at the front. Neither method solves the tiling problem though.
I always plaster the area between the worktop and the wall units. You only need a flat surface, not a smooth one, so it doesn't matter if you're no good at plastering. Just chuck on some bonding and level/ shave it with a length of wood as it dries. Tiling on a flat surface is a doddle and the end result looks the business. Packing with adhesive to that extent is very labour intensive, messy, and never looks good, even when the pros do it.
Thats the worry. You could always channel out the wall to accomodate the worktop which should give an even overhang and solve your tiling issue... dont get a linear patterned worktoip though or you will see it 'running out' so to speak.
Yes that's a postform.....
Possible, but you can work out that you'd have to get it *very* accurate.
You can get bedding adhesives that are specified up to about 10-12mm to deal with stone floor tiles, but they are not meant to do this kind of thing. I think it wouldn't be very strong and you would have difficulty getting an even surface.
You could get deeper worktops to order perhaps......??
Otherwise, it's really replastering or potentially you could dry line with plasterboard or perhaps tile backer board. It would be much easier to get a flat and square surface that way. With plasterboard you could tape and joint the joins with plasterboard filler - certainly a DIY job and not difficult. If you did this, you would need to put in decent mountings to take the wall cupboards. I would suggest wooden battens attached to the original walls.
If it were me, I'd go for one of these options. If you can true up the wall, you fix a load of potential fitting issues, including the cupboards.
The other way is to cut down the backs of the cabinets to make them a little slimmer where the wall sticks out furthest.
Ikea: the back goes on the back, there's no services space behind to eat into.
You can still cut them down, although it's easier with rigid glued carcasses than with flat pack.
[snip]
Right, made a decision. Plasterer coming 8:30 Monday morning to bring the walls out to where the worktop needs them to be. If you see what I mean...
Otherwise, as you say, I'm stuck with messing about with a whole lot of other related issues.
As for plastering it myself. I know my limitations and plastering and brick laying are at the top of the list. Any mistakes are on view for Management to refer to for ever and a day!
Thanks for the help to all who responded.
I have done it with Ikea stuff. You just need to trim the edge off the back to make it smaller (to allow for the loss of rebate), fix a few blocks inside the cabinet at whatever depth you need, and fix the back to them. If you wanted to go OTT you could cut down the sides and then route a new grove for the back to fit into.
On Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:50:00 +0100, F mused:
It can be a few degrees out. You have to cut one side square and then with some creative alterations alter the angle of the jg for the other half.
If it goes too far out then you'll be triming and faffing loads. Depends how many tools and time you've got.
I fitted a worktop last week and the joint was at 110-120 degrees. Fitted fine after loads of playing about.
18mm is a bit too far, I'd cut the join at the correct angle.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.