Hi guys - I wonder if anyone can help? Had a granite worktop fitted with 100mm granite upstands. Thing is the wall isn't straight so there are areas where there is quite a gap between the wall and upstand (up to approx 8mm) what would be best to fill this gap with?. The granite fitters recommended stuffing newspaper down there and topping off with caulk. Stuffing newspaper in places always seems a bit gash to me - or am I just being picky? Cheers,
I would have chased the high bits of the wall back and then filled the remaining small gaps with silicon.
i also would have chased the highpoints out, but its a bit late now. newspaper is a bit bodgy, expanding foam is a better gap fill. if it was my house id look into bonding the lowpoints out and skimming the wall, but its cost/mess factor
TBH, the granite fitters should have done this as part of the fitting service. There's no need to stuff newspaper or anything else down the gaps. Just squeeze plenty of decorators caulk in and run a filler knife flat across the top of the upstands to pull off the excess. Simples.
Dear Tarquin, it all depends what newspaper you stuff down the gaps. If it's the Daily Sport or The Sun, then it will be a gash job. However if you perhaps use the Financial Times or the Observer, then you will have a class job. HTH
save the newspaper for 15mm gaps, 8mm doesnt need anything besides caulk. I've never met any granite fitters who would chisel high points off a wall when the gaps are only 8mm. They would fit it, and you can plaster it if it bothers you.
i have found that using tubed fillers means when they dry it will collapse in slightly causing a dip for moisture and dirt etc the best product to use is light weight non sanding fillers they are extremely easy to use and no mess , just pull a flat blade accross the top of the 20mm thick upstand to make a perfect flat 90 degree corner the next day paint this dried filler the same colour as the wall, this method has the advantage that the grannite often contrasting in colour to the wall will be a sharp line 20mm thick which not only looks better but will not highlite the wobly wall. hope i explained that ok
Seems to me that the original plasterer is to blame for your granite fitters having to use the Daily Mirror down the back of your upstand. Anyone hoping for a near perfect fillers or upstands needs to check out the plastering first and if necessary get the walls replastered before bleating about the finish if they don't. The guys who fit your granite are granite fitters and not plasterers.