kinhell
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I’m new to this forum and I wish I’d found it ages ago instead of today. I’ll start by telling you what I’ve been up to before I ask my question.
I’ve built a new kitchen extension and utility of which the kitchen is 24ft by 12ft. Its taken me the best part of a year as I only get a chance weekends and evenings. The only people I’ve had in is a piling company, brickie for 4 days, plasterer, sparky for connecting up wiring and my corgi registered mate to run me a gas pipe. The rest I’ve done myself inculding roofing, some bricklaying. removing a wall and putting up an rsj Dry lining, plumbing, wiring, undefloor heating, dry lining, fitting double glazing tiling and fitting the kitchen. I’ve just finished fitting the units which are Symphony medium oak ones. All appliances are in and working other than the sink which the granite fitters will do. The next job is putting on the cornice.
My question is do you put the longest length up first and then match up the corner joins or do you put it on a flat surface and get the joints right before putting it up as I know from what I’ve read that mitre bond goes off quick so you have a limited amount of time.
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timfoley
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Welcome to the forum and thanks for the comments.
I can only advise as to the way I undertook this and installers have different ways of fitting the trims but one thing we would all agree on here is the use of a good quality mitre saw and blade, my recommendation would be an 80 tooth TCT.
It may not be considered the best way but it worked for me in the time ago when I could spring up a ladder like a rat up a drainpipe.
From above the units draw a layout of the cornice and measure each length noting this down on your pad.
The bottom radiused, or in some cases, 90 degree edged profile of a traditional cornice, that sits on and is fixed to the units, should, in my humble opinion, line up or be flush with the door front edge.
To ensure this occurs, reflect this by transferring a pencil line along the cornice face edge and use this line when cutting to length. Others may transfer the line to the rear edge but I preferred to be certain the length cut was spot on.
To undertake the cuts on a mitre saw you must first cut a supporting piece that allowed the cornice to be supported upside down with the finished profile facing you at 90 degrees against the fence. This to reflect the angle it would be sitting at when fitted. To determine the height of the supporting piece, which can be a melamine off-cut, on a flat surface, lift a piece of the cornice until the bottom profile is level to reflect how it will be fitted on the top of the units. Measure the height of the piece required and lay this against the fence placing the cornice on top of it when cutting your sizes to length. Hold the cornice securely against the fence and make your cuts. Hold at a safe distance away from the blade or you’ll have no fingers to cut anything. For longer lengths these will need supporting and adjustable height saw horses each side, come in very handy here.
Once you’ve made all your cuts, drill the fixing holes with a 5mm drill bit.Don’t forget, no fixing holes are required above an integrated extractor.
Using a quick bond two part adhesive, fix the mitres on a flat surface and using the co-operation of another, offer the cornice up and on top of the units. Ensure all overhangs and lengths are correct then fix down using appropriately sized screws.
Should you have a number of long lengths of cornice in your design and gluing the whole configuration as one proves a little difficult, it’s better to glue two areas seperately and manually join at an internal mitre whilst holding the mitre in place. To do this, drill one side with a 5mm bit in two places, making sure that you don’t drill at an angle that may screw through the face edge, and, whilst holding the mitre in place, use a smaller pilot bit to drill into the adjoining piece. Tighten with appropriately sized screws, stand back and admire not forgetting to call all and sundry to do the same – if it looks good that is!.
I know this explanation would be better accompanied by image examplse and I will be adding this to the articles series of how to fit your own kitchen in the near future.
Good luck.
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kinhell
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Many thanks Tim. I understood it clearly and I shall have a go at it on Saturday. I fitted 1 kitchen in the past about 10 years ago and the mitred corners weren’t 100% perfect and this time I vowed to get them absolutely perfect. I didn’t even glue the mitred faces last time but screwed into the wall units very close to the corners as I wasn’t aware of mitre bond at the time. I won’t be able to screw from the top this time as the units are 900mm ones and close to the ceiling.
Cheers
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timfoley
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Sorry, I forgot to add that should your cabinets be close to the ceiling you will have to fix from the cabinets using matching push on caps to conceal the scew heads.
Let us know how you go on with this.
Tim
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kinhell
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I used some old mdf cornice from the old kitchen to try the mitre bond out. I put a few drops of glue to one piece and sprayed the other and put them together. It didn’t stick at all. The sprayed side instantly soaked up the chemical. Did I do anything wrong? I’m using Sirolflex mitre bond.
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marc1106
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Kinhell
you must make sure the faces of your mitres are dust free, spray one side and let this dry out thoroughly!
then use a good helping of bond on the other face (i usually use a spreader to cover the whole face) then align them, resting on a board and STICKEM ( try not to have any excess as this could stick to you and your board).
personally i cut and glue an entire run then fix it up as a single piece, but then im doing them on a weekly basis 8).
you may be better to do your long runs first then measure and cut the returns then glue them in place>
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timfoley
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Marc,
Thanks for your answer here. Much appreciated.
Tim
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kinhell
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Many thanks for your advice. I’ve managed to do the cornices and pelmets. After spending some time getting very accurate measurements and being patient when putting them together I have absolutley perfect joints without even the slightest of gaps.
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