Half an Inch of Splash in an Hour or Less

[Joe Corlett]

All:

I just finished up a solid surface job the day before yesterday and worked so late I missed pistol league. I hate it when that happens. I'll shoot twice next week and make it up. Anyway, I digress.

When I left, the lady loved it, but when her husband got home he wasn't happy with the length of a splash at a finished end. I stopped the splash just before the beginning of the edge profile, but he wanted it flush.

On this job, pullling and/or replacing the splash is more work than fixing it in place, which is what I did. I got lucky and had a forgiving color, Rocky Road by Pinnacle.

Always plug in the hot melt gun before you do anything else.

I popped the base off my laminate trimmer and using a straight cutter, I freehanded the rounded edge off the splash end. I cut the piece to add and dry-fitted it. Not bad. Sand and profile the edges of the repair piece now, not when it's on the wall.

Squirt some adhesive in a sandwich bag, check for catalyst and as your mixing by hand, heat the bag with the hairdryer you've borrowed from the lady. Three minute maximum.

Pull the tip of the baggie and pinch off the end and you have a perfect dispensing nipple. Put the adhesive on the fixed splash end and quickly dab some hot melt on the wall side of the repair piece. Push and hold the piece into position until the hot melt clamps it for you. If you've done this right, you've got a consistent 1/16" bead of squeeze-out with no drips because the heat increased the viscosity of the adhesive.

Keep some gentle heat on the area and in about 8-10 minutes your squeeze-out will be solid. Take a very sharp chisel and scrape off the squeeze-out lengthwise. If you chisel off the squeeze out perpendicularly, you risk pulling the adhesive out of your joint. Keep scraping until the pieces are dead flush. Hit it with some 180 and a ScotchBrite and you're done.

Not so fast. Suck up those flakes from when you routered the splash end.


Be professional,

Joe

[Patrick]

jobsagood'un

[jkbrand]

Joe,

I understand the fix you describe, but I wonder if I'm the only one who questions how you determine the length of splash.

We typically flare our edge profiling 1/2" before the back of the edge when we have to install a SS splash; thus, the splash is the same length as the top. We flare out at 1/4" if the customer tells us they're putting tile up there.

Jeff Brand

[Joe Corlett]

JK:

I like the look of the edge profile ending at the wall and stopping the splash end short of the top of the profile.

I worked for a shop that stopped the top edge profile at the point where it met the thickness of the splash. The result was a flush splash and top end.

The correct one is the one that causes the customer to issue final payment.

Finally,

Joe

[jkbrand]

JK:
The correct one is the one that causes the customer to issue final payment.


True 'nuf and fair 'nuf. I posed the query because only one time
did we end the splash at the profile (cut to the wall). The GC took
one look and said, "Looks like the splash was cut too short." The
homeowner said the same thing (no doubt influenced by the builder),
and we had a a patch to do and a splash to remake.

From that point on, we've always flared the profile and flushed the ends.

It'd be interesting to hear what others are doing....

Jeff

[John C]

I typically let the profile go all the way to the wall and end the splash at the edge of the profile. An exception to that would be if it is a re-model and we need to come out farther in order to cover the line or damage on the wall from where the previous splash had been removed. I have never had the appearance of the detail come into question..

When installing a long set on spash it simplifies the locating of the splash as it is applied. Give or take 1/32 of an inch really isnt' a deal breaker. if it is not quite perfectly flush when it should have been, that might be an issue. When doing a coved splash I do bring the spash all the way to the edge of the top.

John C

[joel@specialtytools.com]

I would have to agree with the previous poster. Of course a general rule of thumb, you can never ask the customer too many questions. Making up extremely scaled down models of what you are trying to convey to the customer is a bonus too. Even a picture of previous jobs. Taking a digital camara to the job and taking pictures of wall wrap arounds, cove splash, high gloss finishes, ect. ect. can really come in handy. Making up a small flip folder of laminated computer pictures would become a great resourse while doing a field measure. I understand though that the customer and especially new builders are not always there to answer all of your questions. A simple waver of responsibility for minute details faxed to the appropriate person/persons can be a little preventative measure. And ususally at the that point the individuals you are working with become extremely interested in answering your questions. Setting up an email with specific details that the customer can check off may be of good use too.

Those details are the killers of small businesses and the profit loss of any major countertop fabrication shop. Esp. with the gas prices fluctuating. Making return trips to jobs far away can definately justify the small investment of pictures, scaled down models, and waiver forms.

joel@specialtytools.com

[Joe Corlett]

Joel:

I have to disagree a bit with your wavier advice.

The only thing signed by a customer that matters is a check. You can have waviers and change orders and paperwork up the yazoo but it is all worthless if they don't sign that check.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm all for communication to resolve issues in advance. I don't care what they've signed, If they're unhappy, you're unpaid.

Life is unfair,

Joe

[joel@specialtytools.com]

I can't agree with you more. My only interest in using a waiver form is to encourage customers to answer the appropriate questions and get an understanding of exactly what they want. It's a small way to help them understand the importance of good communication.

I know the problem of getting paid is a common one with small business owners. I know of specific businesses that closed their doors over this issue. That is why solutions, good or bad, should be brought up to keep businesses alive and highly profitable. Your post would support the following statement, "there is no reason to own a business if no money is being made." And more importantly is customer satisfaction. Most individuals prefer the job goes in exactly the way they want it the first time. There will probably always be some re-work.

I would only use a form when the customer is reluctant to answer important questions and says "It's up to you." I have heard that said more than any other phrase before. Similar to that phrase, "pick what looks best, you see finished countertops all the time." This may be the customer you assume is easy going, and un-caring of small details. The reality is, they are usually the ones who nitpick about details in the end. I have seen details go so many different ways and in the end it all comes down to customer preferance. I can see standardizing a raduis on all standard overhung corners to 1" or 3/4" but occasionally you get the customer that wants it clipped, and the drawing they sent you for a quote doesn't show that. Those are the details that end up costing a lot of money.

To me, any business transaction is two way and requires the participation of the buyer as well as the seller. That check in the end is the goal, and also, giving a customer zero reasons to let it go. I really appreciate your post. You are 100% right and could not have said it any better. In my experience there are customers that create a lose lose situation for everyone who does work for them. I wouldn't expect to come up with absolute anwers to dealing with these difficult individuals. But, any reduction in return trips to a job site is one that has to be highly benificial to a companies profit margin. I hope the absolute best for you and your company!