Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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Dano
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Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

Post by Dano »

Got started on my backsplashes today...wanted something cheap and light but that also had to work with everything in place such as the Corian side pieces that sit on top of the counters and my existing bed trim. The clear oak plywood I got is only 1/8" thick so sits on top of the Corian and creates a nice transition downwards and doesn't stick out too much. It's pretty light and the G1S (good one side) face will take paint perfectly which is important as Shiplap is usually painted white like mine will be. Finally, my fridge panel was broken so it's also the perfect thickness to do matching panels in the bottom and top panels for that. As many of you know, getting a new panel into the bottom almost means taking the fridge out to do it. These horizontal panels will load up from the bottom easily. I ripped each piece down to 5" width plus 1/8" gap and they fill the walls just about perfectly in terms of height.

Plenty to do like outside corner moulding, small infill pieces on the cabinet sides, etc., but I am very happy with how it's all going together. 5/8" brad nails and PL Premium glue have everything holding tightly. As a side note, each piece needs it's inside corner ends scribe fit because the outer walls are curved. Beveling them a few degrees worked perfectly.
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Blue~Go
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

Post by Blue~Go »

Nice! I sure miss having access to good lumber.

Scribing those pieces you are into boat-style work now :D
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Dano
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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LOTS of respect to those old ( and new ) boat builders. Just watched an old documentary about a restore on an Italian boat and TWIN Lamborghini motors...watching how many people it took to virtually hand make this thing was unbelievable. So, my mitre cuts certainly don't enter that arena but I guess I can claim I took my time to do it right. Well, and the fact that's it's called SHIPlap doesn't hurt my case either ;)
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Blue~Go
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

Post by Blue~Go »

Oh but it's the scribing that makes you shippy :D

Have you ever used a tick stick? That's what I do to get "shapes" when I need them.

This is one of those things that takes twenty paragraphs to describe and about five seconds to "get" when you see it. But anyway, you take cardboard or maybe rosin paper or for something huge I suppose even 1/8" plywood (I use rosin paper most of the time; cardboard sometimes). You cut it roughly to the shape you want (getting it to within and inch or two of the edges) and tape it in place in the area you want to make a perfect sheet for (or collection of things to make a sheet like your boards).

Now you make a tick stick. It can be anything really, as long as it's sturdy enough to last through the job. Mark it well and don't lose it! Let's say it's a smallish panel like what you have, I might use a large tongue depressor and cut one end to a point (doesn't have to be a symmetrical point as long as you label the top side).

Next you take the stick and lay it on the pattern with the pointy end just touching where you want the sheet (or boards) to touch the wall or whatever you are aiming for. Trace around the whole stick. Then you move it along and do it a whole bunch more times, always putting the point of the stick on some place where you want the edge of the "good" panel to end.

When you are done with that step you have a piece of paper or cardboard with a whole bunch of crazily angled tracings of the back end of the tick stick.

Now you carefully remove the paper or cardboard from the wall and set it on the good piece (or pieces) of wood. Or if you are not sure (or the wood is very expensive or the fit needs to be super tight), you can make the next step a practice piece on say some junky 1/8" plywood.

Once you have the pattern lying on the good piece of wood (or the intermediate piece) you tape it down again. Then you lay the tick stick down so it fits into each of the tracings. The point will now be lying on the wood (since it was overhanging the paper when you had it in the area you were patterning). Make a dot right at the tip of where the stick falls each time you place it in one of it's "homes." Then connect the dots, cut out the shape, and Voila! you have a perfectly fitting piece. Or if you did this on a secondary pattern piece, you can take that over to the wall you want to fit and try it, then make any necessary adjustments.

You can also make notes on the paper or cardboard as you are doing the initial tick sticking.

I've used it for other similar purposes too, the last time being patterning the insulation board sheets for a friend's conversion to compressor refrigerator. The compressor refrigerators are typically smaller outside/larger inside (finally the physics barrier is broken :mrgreen: ), so there is room for some inches of added insulation in the compartment.

Probably there are a thousand youtube videos showing this nowadays. It seems almost too simple but really works well.
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Dano
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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This tool is also excellent for setting compound shapes, just push the pins into your object and it creates the outline for you. It's never exact but gets you close so you can finish it with a chisel and some sandpaper. These cuts have to be made with a jewelers/coping saw and they create a lot of tear out, especially trying to get angles so tiny but it looks pretty good. A small bead of caulk around the entire edge will finish everything nicely.
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SMan
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

Post by SMan »

Nice work Dano. Enjoying your projects. I have one of those templating tools. They are invaluable in woodworking.
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Dano
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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Thanks Steve! After looking at the final photo, I just noticed I cut one of the tiny ogee curves backwards! It will still completely cover but still! I blame the tool! (...and I'll leave that up to you to decide which one is the tool :mrgreen:
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Dano
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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Well, one side is pretty much done. I actually got to add on a piece of final moulding which is unbelievable after this many months! Looking forward to when it's completed...
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

Post by Blue~Go »

I have a side question: How did you prep the melamine surfaces for priming/painting? What paint did you then use? After it dried thoroughly, is it pretty scratch resistant? (What I mean by that is, if you were to drag something across the surface of the paint, does it stay stuck to the melamine or "drag a path" back to melamine?)

I don't have much if any melamine left, but it is something I wondered about when I was thinking of painting my original cabinetry. I read up on it, but opinions varied on if it would be successful, how to do it, etc. (melamine being a bit Teflon-y).
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Re: Shiplap backsplash install: cheap and light!

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I wiped everything down with acetone then primed it twice using Zinser Bullseye 1-2-3 and then two coats of paint. I actually might regret not sanding everything down to create a better mechanical bond but it would have taken forever. I was going to clear coat everything but I think I am going to go over everything again with an eggshell finish of the same colour to gain some additional durability using an all in one primer/paint combo to save a step. That way, if it does chip, scratch or mark, I can simply touch it up without too much trouble. Clear would also work. Melamine is tough but people reported good wear using the Bullseye primer...time will tell!
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