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Wraparound built-in desktop HELP

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  kocgolf 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am doing some more work for a friend, and what she would like is a desktop next to the kitchen that slides between two extended stairway walls, wraps around, and joins the side of the kitchen cabinets. After checking the squares of the walls, as expected they are not square. The problem is that the one wall is pretty severely cupped, about 1/2 inch. Even if I scribe and cut the finished slab top, I won't be able to slide it in because if I cut to the shape of the walls, it won't fit in the smaller gap at the front corners of the walls. I can't slightly bevel and tip it in because it has to wrap around the wall. Only thing I can think of to suggest is to cut it with a gap and then trim it with either quarter-round of do some sort of decorative wood backsplash or something. Am I missing something that would work? I am not too experienced in this style of woodworking.

 
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#3 ·
What about floating some drywall compound down the cupped wall and fixing it, painting it, then the desktop won't be an issue? You can use a wide blade spatula. I've done a lot of drywall and I'm not very good at it, but this would be one of the easier things to try if you're new to drywall. Let the spatula do all the work.
 
#4 ·
I had floated the idea to my friend that we might have to do this as two or more pieces, and she was reluctant. I had not thought about doing it with veneer. Perhaps plywood and veneer would be the way to go as we were going to trim the front anyway and that would cover the exposed plywood edge.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
The problem is with they way the outside corner bead has been installed. The corner bead is nailed into place and then joint compound is built up and feathered in from the outside corner bead to rest of the wall to make a smooth transition. This results in a wall that is not completely square.

My suggestion is to skip the gyrations with the work piece and just build it to what ever are the smallest dimensions and know that you will have to chop out some drywall and/or some drywall patching after installation. For me, it would be much easier to fix drywall than come up with some complex woodworking work around.

Good luck,

Greg
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
I think if you decide to cut the corner bead, you will wind up with a mess on your hands. I feel your pain. I had the exact same thing trying to put base molding around a corner in our bathroom. I wound up making the trim as square as I could and installed it with shims and nails, then caulked it. After it was painted, it didn't look to bad if you looked up at the ceiling and not the floor! :)

Since 2009, no one has complained or mentioned that crooked corner. The caulk and the paint helped ease the misery.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
You can do a few little things to help get closer, just depends on how far you want to go.

Mark the corner bead where the top will be and remove the taping mud.
Use a block and smack the corner bead in just a little, not so much to break the corner bead mud.
Cut the top to match the cup in the wall about an 1/8 - 1/4 less.
Force the top in place going past the corner bead. Use L brackets or mount a cleat to the bottom of the countertop and use screws to pull the wall to the top to help close the gap.
Doing a little to everything may get you close enough to only have to caulk a small gap.

You might even be able to come through the wall on the other side under the counter top at a slight angle and screw the wall to the countertop to help close the gap. Drill a small hole in the sheet rock and use a long extension bit.

It's easy to offer advise online without actually being there to see it, check walls with a square and being able to evaluate the whole story, so this is just food for thought.
 
#9 ·
All great advise, thank you all. I only had about 10 minutes to survey the situation onsite. I will be getting back in a few weeks to take a serious look and talk things over. If I remember correctly, it was a significant amount it was off square. At least 1/2 inch in the 24 inch span. We'll see. There is no timetable from her, so I am going to have to chew on it and I will relay all these great suggestions to her as options. Thanks everyone.
 
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