Making the Best of a Stupid Mistake

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CHarr

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We have a newly constructed kitchen extension, and I was going to fit an MDF window cill and then hang a vertical blind in the window.

To cut a long story short, I ordered the blind, but forgot (duh!) to deduct the thickness of the intended cill from the measurements, and now there isn't room for it. The plasterer has left a perfectly flat and smooth surface, though, and I was wondering whether if I used something like gripfill to stick a D shaped timber trim to the front edge of the bottom of the window, and with appropriate sealing and priming, whether I could just paint the plaster (and trim) and 'fake it'. I was going to apply satinwood, and wonder whether I just might get away with it.....
 
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Depends on the design of the blind - but it is sometimes possible to trim the blind without too much trouble.

We have a local, independent, blind shop. They are happy (for a reasonable price) to make adjustments to blinds so that they fit.
 
you mean, the blind is now too tall for the opening? can't you

a) alter its length or
b) dont lower it all the way down

?? am i missing summat here?
 
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WabbitPoo said:
you mean, the blind is now too tall for the opening? can't you

a) alter its length or
b) dont lower it all the way down

?? am i missing summat here?
Click to expand...

It's a vertical blind: the drop isn't adjustable. The only things I could do with it are:

a) Scrap the fabric and have it remade (reusing the rest of the parts)
b) Take out the weights that slip into sewn pockets on each section, unpick the stitching, cut the fabric of each section (there are 22) and resew to a shorter length.

Both are a pain - which is why I wondered whether I could just PAINT the plastered window reveal (with a wooden moulding on the front edge to make it 'look' like a timber cill.

Anyone?
 
Is there any space at all between the sill and the blind?

I was thinking that maybe even a piece of 3mm MDF with a bullnose timber stuck to the face of the wall would be a better solution than just painting the plaster. Also bear in mind that some vertical blind brackets can be sunk slightly into the surface above if you cut a small notch in the plaster - I've had to do this on a few jobs where I've tiled the windowsill.

You could mist the plaster with diluted emulsion, then a slightly thinned oil undercoat and the satinwood to possibly 'fake it', but a lot of windowsills take a fair bit of wear so I'm not sure it would last, even with the undercoat as an extra layer. :confused:
 
misterhelpful said:
Is there any space at all between the sill and the blind?

I was thinking that maybe even a piece of 3mm MDF with a bullnose timber stuck to the face of the wall would be a better solution than just painting the plaster.
Click to expand...

Yes, there's enough room for 3mm material, and I fitted it yesterday, together with an 18mm half-round trim on the front edge, both stuck directly to the plaster with gripfill. If it seems secure, this morning, I'll sand it over and give it a coat of primer. It looks fine.
 
I'd be more worried about the MDF window sill than anything else.

Chocolate teapots spring to mind.
 
emilybronte said:
I'd be more worried about the MDF window sill than anything else.

Chocolate teapots spring to mind.
Click to expand...

Pretty well 99% of all window board generally available is MDF, and while using material as thin as 3mm isn't ideal, I have to make the best of it, or scrap an expensive custom-made blind. I'm putting quadrant bead around the inside of the window reveal to help keep it flat, and it is stuck down very thoroughly. If the material fails, I'll just have to try an alternative.
 
CHarr said:
emilybronte said:
I'd be more worried about the MDF window sill than anything else.

Chocolate teapots spring to mind.
Click to expand...

Pretty well 99% of all window board generally available is MDF, and while using material as thin as 3mm isn't ideal, I have to make the best of it, or scrap an expensive custom-made blind..
Click to expand...

Oh, I know. It's ridiculous though, don't you think? Unless they are sealed over their entire six surfaces in a nuclear-proof kind of way (which they rarely are, believe me), MDF boards will sooner or later find some water in the wall/running down the window/spilt down the join between sill and wall and enthusiastically soak it up, swell, warp, go bumpy and look hideous.

Builders (not real joiners though) love mdf because it's predictable, easy to cut and adjust, and cheap. It takes no skill. Enough said.

Whereas, if builders spent a few pence more per sill they could have real wood and treated properly, it would last centuries.
 
Never seen an MDF window cill to notice, but we do enough other stupid things, I wouldn't be surprised. Most I have seen are solid wood.

If I wanted to rectify your situation and was going for some 'something paintable thats only 3mm' I would use a half decent grade of plywood. My house has uPVC cill boards currently. I dont really like it, but it works, and they are wafer thin!


Daniel
 
dhutch said:
Never seen an MDF window cill to notice...
Click to expand...

Really? Practically all new builds have them, along with skirting, architrave and even the doors are pressed MDF. It's a sad situation, but we live in a world where everything has to be done on the cheap for the building industry (not necessarily the builders) to make the maximum profit! :cry:
 
misterhelpful said:
dhutch said:
Never seen an MDF window cill to notice...
Click to expand...

Really? Practically all new builds have them, along with skirting, architrave and even the doors are pressed MDF. It's a sad situation, but we live in a world where everything has to be done on the cheap for the building industry (not necessarily the builders) to make the maximum profit! :cry:
Click to expand...
Fair enough, never owned, or looked at buying, a new build.

Obviously painted up, it looks the same, until it gets wet...


Daniel
 
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