Starting on the glass splashback

Well the job was never going to do itself.  After 60 years I’ve learned to take things slowly when completing a new, difficult and expensive task.  The glass is definitely expensive and as I’ve never previously installed a splashback I was determined to take my time.  The fact that there isn’t much room inside the cabin also makes the job interesting.

The first step was to remove the 240V power outlets and their timber surrounds.  The latter had been both glued and screwed so I needed to use a piece of 4x2 and the club hammer to break the glue seal with the wall. Jan then cleaned any surplus glue and timber off the back of the mounting blocks using my Leatherman.  The next step was to check the delivered glass actually fits the galley.  Jan and I positioned each piece in turn noting where the gaps were required for the sealer.

In order to ensure there is room between the bottom edge of the glass and the bench top I have purchased some 4mm thick pine which I cut into short lengths to act as packing.  This will enable me to add a bead of Sikaflex after the glass has been secured.

The glass was then placed on two footstools and I marked the outer edges with paper tape.  I thought it would be easier to do it at this stage rather than attempt to apply the tape after the panel was in place.

There will be corresponding masking tape on the wall after the glass has been secured.  Then I’ll be able to apply the silicone sealer between the two sets of tape.  hopefully this will avoid getting silicone sealer and Sikaflex everywhere.  I don’t want my index finger glued to my nose!

Once the tape was applied the panel was turned over.  The Sikaflex was the applied in a series of vertical and horizontal 3-4mm beads using a caulking gun.  I deliberately avoided placing a bead of adhesive anywhere near the edges of the panel as I knew we’d have to get our fingers into those areas in order to position the panel.  As it was we managed to get Sikaflex onto the power sockets, cables and our fingers when positioning the first panel.  We needed to pause and clean the glue off ourselves as had already started re-contaminating our fingers and the panel.

Eventually we had the panel in position and I re-fitted the power sockets whilst Jan held the panel.  The power socket surrounds then held the panel in place.

The power sockets were then refitted to the timber mounting blocks.  Once the Sikaflex has set I will remove the mounting blocks and smear the reverse side with silicone sealer before re-fitting them.  This will minimize the potential for any water to get behind the mounting blocks potentially causing the timber to swell and split.

Fitting the main panel on the starboard side went better than we had expected so we moved on and fitted the main panel on the port side using the same method.

The is another piece of glass that fits under the side hatch and butts against the large panel.  I had requested this be one panel but the manufacturer told me they couldn’t make the panel as a single piece because the long thin portion might break during the firing process when the toughen the glass.  As a consequence we will have a join between the two pieces.

More to follow tomorrow…….