I have a job that is coved b/s but also full height. Thank god it is only an l-shape and one straight top. My question is do I cove to like 4" or so and then apply full height on site?

Not allot of cove in my area and definately not allot of cove with full height. How do you guys do it.

Travis, make the initial cove at least 5" high so you can get the paralligns on to clamp the full height piece. 

As far as the corner goes, cove the inside corner piece in the shop with at least 5" going out of the corner on each side, then just parallign the other full height pieces to the corner piece and the initial cove piece.

Travis,,   I have been pondering the   inside cove splash thing since a conversation with  Greg at the Avonite class.   One way to do it that made sense was not to cove the inside joint but  rather miter the 4"  splash off the counter  and with the continued full height  splash just do a very tight butt joint.

When you think about it it makes sense.   The walls will move at a different  rates  especially if there are int/ ext walls involved?    The full hgt butt joint would be more forgiving?   This is just a builder's theory.   The fact that one could reduce potential cracks or joint failure shows craftsmanship as much as a well made coved corner.  The horizontal cove takes care of the clean ability issue.  Again just a theory

  Norm,  good call on the 5' for Parallines

Good idea Norm.

Do this:

1. Make a regular 5" splash everywhere a splash is needed.
2. Leave the top of the splash with a nice router seam quality edge.
3. After 5" splash is in place and dry, attach the upper spash with paralligns and DO NOT GLUE
4. Set the inside corner up like you did on the lower section.
5. Come away from the inside corner about 5" and glue to inside corner of other splash piece.
6. Come away from the 5" inside corner piece and fit the remaining splash.
7. Cut the splash into manageable pieces so they can be fit on the job.
8. Install the counter
9. Template the upper section of splash down to the top of the lower section and up under the cabinets.

This system works good and it is pretty fast. 

Let me know if you have more questions, cove is our specialty.

Aloha all,

How about  going standard 4 " coved with 1/2" material . Then go up  the  rest  of the wall  with 1/4" material so there will be no problem in the corners. Just  butt  seams .

Darren

Don't be intimidated by a full height cove.  I takes more time, but just make sure the splash is square to the deck so the top of the splash doesn't hit the wall at the top under the cabinets.

Travis

I have avoided trouble with full height coved splashes by taking reference measurements regarding the squareness of the back wall with the deck.  Do this at the time of templating.

If the back wall leans toward you, say 1/4".  You better know it before you build the parts.  I try to make the splash lean in or out depending on the squarness situation.  I also try to make the splashes one piece with the deck.  (I hate sanding horizontal seams.  They are a back killer when you are reaching over a 25 inch deck.

Some overhead cabinets have the bottoms recessed up higher than the sides.  This can make installing a bit of a challenge.  I make the splashes meet the lowest points of the overheads and make filler pieces for the recessed areas, either SS or matching wood.

Inside corners, I always cove full height.  I will either pre- cove the cove insert piece prior to assembly or tip the counter up onto the backsplash so that I can easily run the cove router along the corner and not fight gravity.

Johnny C

I just finished a job that had full height backsplashes.  It required three sight seams.  It also needed a steel support frame for the extended eating bar and a window sill for the garden window that was integrated with the backplash.


The deck was built as one piece and cut up to the cove build up strip before the splash was applied.  When the entire top was completed the splash was cut to seperate the segments.

Metal frame installed at this point.




Recepticle cutouts were cut in the shop.

My install formula figured the I had 9 man hrs to install.  It actually took 8 3/4.  Notice the sun was shining in the earlier photo and in the last one it is pitch black outside.  Then an hour drive home.

Johnny C

Travis:

I've set full height splashes on top of 1" high coves with a color-matched silicone joint between them and it looks and functions well. No horizontal seam to finish and plenty of movement allowed.

If you're going to horizontal hard seam, make a rabet  at the top of your 5" splash and the bottom of your wall splash.  This makes getting the wall splashes flush very easy. Shim the wall till the splash is plumb. That's the great thing about full height splash, you can bring the wall to you and use fillers on the ends to cover the shims.

Joe

I also would have brough the splash right up to the window edge and then wrapped my window seat around the splash. But I think the way you did it looks nice also. I might have to try it that way next time I do a full height job.

Posted By Travis H on 20 Nov 2008 09:24 AM
I am with Gene on the side splashes. That looks fantastic. I found it interesting that you built a frame for the bar overhang. I have never done that. I usually just use solid mdf on that section to get me back to the cabs.