How to Measure, Fit & Care for Your Glass Splashbacks

(Part 1 - How to Measure)

Contents:

Page 3 – How to Measure – advice before you start and recommended tools

Page 4 – Templating 101 – a simple rectangular glass splashback template

Page 8 – Socket Cutouts & Cutouts – adding a cutout to your template

Page 11 – Completing Your Template – our final templating advice

Additional Information:

Page 12 – Splashback Returns – advice for adjoining splashback returns Page 13 – Cutouts in General – advice for creating cutouts and drill holes

Page 14 – Sockets and Notches – advice for creating socket cutouts & notches

Copyright 2014 – http://glasssplashbacksuk.com All rights reserved.

Recommended Tools

Basic Tools we think you will need In order to measure accurately it is important that you at least have a few basic tools. Although we recognise that it might be possible to measure without all of these tools, here are a few that we would recommend.

How to Measure

Advice before you start Even if this is not the first time that you have templated for splashbacks, it is worth reading this information before you start, not only because you might pick up some handy hints but more importantly because it will help you to provide us with the information we require to accurately produce your glass splashbacks. Here are a few things to bear in mind:

• Although large areas of wall can be covered with a single panel of glass, we would recommend that you limit the over all length to around 2 metres. This will not only reduce the risk of breakages but also make the panels easier to handle.

• Glass cannot be scribed to follow the finish of a wall but will have straight edges, therefore, if your walls or wall units are uneven, it is important that you determine the minimum width and height for your glass to fit and work to these dimensions.

• Wherever you have two pieces of glass butting up to one another, try to keep the glass edges vertical. • Once the glass has been produced it cannot be cut or altered in any way, owing to the toughening process and so

Get someone else to re-measure – if you find an error, then measure again!

Notepad, Pen and Pencil You will need to record your

measurements. The simplest way is on a scaled drawing of your splashback

A Laser Level This is the easiest and most accurate way to produce your horizontal and

vertical guide lines

Tape Measure To measure the longer distances you will need a measure of some sort. A

standard tape measure is fine.

Steel Rule It is often easier to measure the shorter

distances using a steel rule or good quality engineer’s ruler

Spirit Level A spirit level will help you to quickly

determine whether your worktop, walls and units are true and level

Soft Pencil or Marker You will need to draw horizontal and

vertical lines on your wall as guide lines for your measurements

Producing a Simple Glass Splashback Template

Templating 101 How to template a simple kitchen layout like the one below to produce a single rectangular glass splashback

Step 2 Before you begin the measuring process, ensure that the wall surface is reasonably smooth and free from bumps. (This is particularly important if you are also applying a splashback to an adjoining wall as significant bumps will cause the glass to sit proud of the wall) The image (left) shows that the wall is flat and free from bumps.

Producing a glass splashback template is actually a lot easier than most people think. There are, of course, one or two important details to remember which we will point out along the way but as long as you follow this procedure you should be fine Step 1 Make an accurate sketch of the surface to be templated so that you can keep a record of your measurements (right)

Step 3 Using a spirit level to guide you (or laser level if you have one) draw a horizontal line on the wall. This should be between one third and halfway up, ideally missing any wall sockets that you have. This is your datum line.

Ideally, these vertical lines should be between 50 and 100mm from the wall ends. [This will enable you to determine how true your walls are and therefore how square the sides of your splashback will be.] Your three lines should look something like this (see below)

Step 4 Next, you will need to draw a vertical line on the wall, on the far left and far right-hand sides of the template area; again, using a spirit level or laser line to guide you (to ensure that your vertical line is perpendicular – at 90 degrees to the horizontal datum line).

Step 5 From experience, wall units are not always fitted level , therefore as a precautionary measure it is good practice to draw a vertical line to the point at which each of your wall cupboards intersect (as this will help you to identify the maximum height of your splashback)

Step 6 Take three height measurements along the full length of the worktop, up to the horizontal “datum” line – the far left-hand and far right-hand sides (measuring along the vertical lines that you have drawn) and in the middle (preferably along another vertical line that you’ve drawn).

Be sure to record your measurements on your template sketch as you take them

Step 8 Proceed by taking the three horizontal measurements at worktop level; from the wall to the left-hand vertical, from the wall to the right-hand vertical and the distance in the centre, between the two vertical lines.

Step 7 Repeat this process taking the measurements above your horizontal datum line, from the horizontal line to the wall units. Do this wherever you have drawn a vertical line and record these measurements. Once all of your vertical measurements have been taken and recorded on your template sketch, you can begin measuring the horizontals.

How to measure for Cutouts and Socket Cutouts

Step 9 Repeat this process, as before, along the top edge (on the underside of the wall units) remembering to keep a record of the results as you go

Once you have completed all of these steps you should have all of the measurements that you need to determine the over-all size of your glass splashback panel.

A tolerance gap of 2mm is required between the glass and any other solid surface!

Step A Measure the width and height of the socket opening (or socket facia plate if it is already fitted) and determine both the vertical and horizontal centres. Mark these points

If you have a socket facia/face plate, it may be easier to mark the actual centre of the cutout

Step B Continue the vertical line down until it meets the worktop.

Step C Measure the vertical distance from the top of the worktop to the middle of the socket cutout (vertical centre) or the socket centre if you have marked it on the face plate (as shown)

Completing your template drawing

Step D Locate the position of the socket centre from the wall by measuring the horizontal distance from the left-hand corner of the wall to the vertical line that you have just drawn (that is, the horizontal centre of the cutout)

If you have other sockets or cutouts, simply repeat this process until you have all of the measurements you need

The single-most important factor when completing your template drawing is to remember to create a 2mm “tolerance” gap between your glass panel and any other surface that it may come into contact with

Splashback Returns

When the splashback returns along an adjoining wall; either as an internal or external corner you will also need to allow for the thickness of the glass and the adhesive (see illustration below). Internal corners – because the left edge of panel C will be covered by the thickness of panel B plus 2mm of adhesive, you can finish panel C as much as 6mm from the wall and in most cases this can be cut as a vertical side and not have to follow the inclination or deviation of the wall; provided, of course, that these are less than 4mm. Similarly, when calculating the length of panel B you will need to allow not only the thickness of the glass and adhesive but also a 2mm tolerance, where the two glass panels meet. Therefore, the total length of panel B should be reduced by 10mm. It should also be noted that because panel C will be fitted vertically, the right hand (or respective) edge of panel B should be finished as a vertical edge. External corners – because panel A will need to cover the thickness of panel B plus 2mm of adhesive, panel A will need to be increased in over all length by at least 8mm. [If you are concerned about the quality of your wall finishes it might be worth increasing this by 1 or 2mm to compensate, as panel B can always be brought out slightly further from the wall.] Unlike the internal corners above, panel B needs to run the full length of the wall, all the way to the corner. [If the corner of your wall is inclined so that the bottom and top lengths of panel B are not equal your panel will need to be produced based upon the longest measurement and so that the panel side that meets panel A is vertical.] Note: Where the glass splashback returns along an adjacent wall, the vertical edge against the wall can be created with a true edge (i.e. not following the incline of a wall that has a deflection) as the overlap will hide the deviation of the wall finish, up to a maximum depth of 6mm.

Note: Where splashback (B) meets another panel that is against a wall or vertical surface (A or C) splashback (B) should be produced with a true vertical edge (i.e. no inclination) as panels are fitted vertically irrespective of the wall’s condition

Exposed splashback sides should be created with true vertical edges and not inclined!

Toughened glass cannot be modified so if in doubt make it smaller!

Note – For an internal

Cutouts – A General Guide

Advice for creating any type of cutout A cutout refers to any area of glass that is removed from a panel, perhaps to accommodate a beam or cupboard, for instance or where the glass extends up to a section that is higher than the wall cabinets, like the area under an extractor hood. If you require a cutout in one or more of your panels there are a few important details that you will need to consider: Drill Holes

Advice for creating drill holes If you require drill holes in your glass splashback for a utensil rack or something similar you will need to have them pre-drilled as you can’t drill the holes once the glass has been toughened. Therefore, you will have to make these decisions prior to ordering your glass splashback. Once you know where the holes are to be located and the size of the drill hole required it is simply a case of identifying the position of the centre of the hole in relation to the bottom left-hand corner of the splashback. The simplest way of doing this is to mark the centre of each hole on the wall with a cross and then to extend a vertical line from the centre down to the worktop. Measure the distance of this line from the far left wall (LD1 or LD2) and the height of the line to the drill hole centre (HD1 or HD2) and don’t forget to deduct 2mm from each one of these measurements.

HD

1

LD2

HD

2

Diameter

LD1

• You cannot have a completely square cutout from a panel, as in Image 1. The cutout will be created with a small radius in the corner of approx. 6mm.

• If you require a rectangular cutout as in Image 2, then the solution would be to create the panel in two pieces as illustrated by the vertical dotted line.

• You must avoid deep cutouts, as in

Image 3, as the glass is likely to fracture. Once again, the solution is to create this panel in three sections as illustrated by the vertical dotted lines.

• If the cutout is simply a recess to accommodate an extractor or beam, for instance, as in Image 4, then this can be created from a single panel.

4. Single panel recess cutouts are fine

1. Panel with cutout and radius in corner

small radius

3. Avoid deep cutouts by dividing into 3 pieces

join lines

join line

2. Panel with square cutout in two pieces

If you want square cutouts you will need to create separate pieces and have join lines!

Sockets & Apertures

Electric sockets or switches are generally located by their centres. So in order to identify the position of S1, for instance, you will need to measure the height from the worktop to the centre of the socket (H1) and the distance from the left-hand corner of the splashback to the socket centre (L1). Similarly, to locate the position of S3, take the height measurement from the worktop to the socket centre (H2) and again measure the distance from the left-hand corner of the splashback to the centre of the socket (L3). Don’t forget to deduct 2mm from each one of these measurements.

• You must have a minimum of 20mm of glass between each cutout or it will be produced as a single cutout. • There must be a minimum of 50mm of glass between any socket cutout side and the edge of the splashback.

Notches

The actual size of the cutout will be cut according to our set sizes (see table below) which are approximately 5 millimetres smaller, all around, than a standard cover plate, so it is very important to be as accurate with both measurements as possible. The convention here is to fit the cover plates before you measure so that you can easily determine the centre.

A notch refers to any area of glass that is removed from one of the four corners of the splashback either to accommodate existing features or to fit around furniture; it is therefore more common for these to be located at the top of a splashback. The simplest way to locate the notch is to identify the position of the internal corner (i.e. the corner that is closest to the centre of the splashback) in relation to the bottom left-hand corner of the splashback wall. Then, as with the drill hole positioning, it is best to draw a vertical line from this corner down to the worktop. You can then easily measure the height (HN1 or HN2) and the distance to this line from the left-hand corner (LN1 or LN2). Then all that is required is the size of the notch itself - i.e. (L1 x H1) or (L2 x H2). For a notch that is on the base of the splashback the principle is the same except that the height to the internal corner is the same as the actual height dimension (H1 or H2) of the notch and for a notch in the left-hand corner the length and height are the dimensions of the notch. Don’t forget to adjust the measurements to account for the 2mm of tolerance around the perimeter of the splashback and the notch!

Socket Cutout Sizes Single Sockets Double Sockets

Double Socket + Single Socket

75mm x 75mm 135mm x 75mm

218mm x 75mm

Socket Cutout Sizes Single Socket Double Socket

Double Socket + Single Socket

75mm x 75mm 135mm x 75mm 218mm x 75mm

S1 S2 S3 S4

The information contained within this guide is based on practical experience and reflects our current state of knowledge. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee in terms of the products we are supplying. The accuracy of any measurements that you provide is your responsibility.

If you require any further assistance then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to assist you further in any way that we can. Unless otherwise stated our General Terms and Conditions apply.

Copyright 2014 – http://glasssplashbacksuk.com All rights reserved.