Thread: Consideration for extending a Meranti window sill?

Using a silicon bead to fill the air gap is a good idea, for a number of reasons.

Personally, I wouldn't glue the cladding on; I'd just brad it every 250mm or so and possibly punch in the heads to use suitably coloured wood-filler.

It looks like there'll be foot traffic through there? If there is, I'd recommend rounding over the top front edge of the cladding to make a small bull-nose, preventing it from rounding over with wear. (Actually it still will, but will be much less obvious than if you had a crisp arris.)

One approach to hiding the variation between the sill & the top of the cladding is to step the cladding down a mm or 5 to create a shadow line. Of course, instead you could simply mount flush and sand them both flat at the same time.

At 2m long, I wouldn't be overly concerned about movement unless the ends are butted up against vertical frames, in which case you may see a small gap come & go.

Me, I'd simply use a length of KDHW (for the afore-mentioned wear issue) or source another length of meranti or red cedar if I was really concerned about potential movement.

(There is another timber which closely resembles meranti that seems to have come on the market of recent years, with very similar properties. We bought a pack for trials in the joinery, but it didn't meet our requirements. Sadly the name of the timber eludes me... but it's readily available here in Bathurst for architectural trim; architraves, beads & coves, etc. Heh. A 2m length of 65mm architrave would probably be perfect for your job.)

Can you post another photo with a more general overall view please,

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Using a silicon bead to fill the air gap is a good idea, for a number of reasons.

Personally, I wouldn't glue the cladding on; I'd just brad it every 250mm or so and possibly punch in the heads to use suitably coloured wood-filler.

It looks like there'll be foot traffic through there? If there is, I'd recommend rounding over the top front edge of the cladding to make a small bull-nose, preventing it from rounding over with wear. (Actually it still will, but will be much less obvious than if you had a crisp arris.)

One approach to hiding the variation between the sill & the top of the cladding is to step the cladding down a mm or 5 to create a shadow line. Of course, instead you could simply mount flush and sand them both flat at the same time.

At 2m long, I wouldn't be overly concerned about movement unless the ends are butted up against vertical frames, in which case you may see a small gap come & go.

Me, I'd simply use a length of KDHW (for the afore-mentioned wear issue) or source another length of meranti or red cedar if I was really concerned about potential movement.

(There is another timber which closely resembles meranti that seems to have come on the market of recent years, with very similar properties. We bought a pack for trials in the joinery, but it didn't meet our requirements. Sadly the name of the timber eludes me... but it's readily available here in Bathurst for architectural trim; architraves, beads & coves, etc. Heh. A 2m length of 65mm architrave would probably be perfect for your job.)

Thanks for the informative reply.
It's actually just above a benchtop in kitchen so shouldn't get a beating. From benchtops to top of wood sill is 170mm for reference. I'll post another picture.

I'm glad timber choice isn't an issue. My plan was to raid Bunnings for something 65mm X <19mm in DAR (ideally 12mm due to tapware clearance). I wasn't sure if plane old pine would suffice.

I don't own a brad nailer but will nail by hand. What gauge would you suggest and how much penetration would be required?

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Can you post another photo with a more general overall view please,

See reply to other post above. There actually boxes covering the entire area do just a snap shot.
What I've described was how it was originally hidden but using MDF skirting.