Question aboult caulking

[frankx99]

I just finished doing a slate backsplash with 3" x 1" railroad tiles. Under the window I have a problem. My widow is about 42" wide and is not straight. The space from the top of the tiles to the wood moulding goes from 1/2" to about 3\16".

Any suggestion as what to do as far as sealing up this gap?

Would it be possible to caulk a 1/2" gap or might I cheat a bit and try grouting it.

The uneveness is not really noticable now and I think after filling, it will be even less so.

Any suggestions will be appreciated

[MHI]

Hi Frank,

Sanded grout will hold up to 1/2 inch gap. It may get a hairline crack where it meets the wood, but you can caulk it later.

[tileguytodd]

Ouch!!
Add a trimboard underneath rabbited out to fit over the cuts. it will have to be thin stock.
Or you could shim underneath and just lay in a thin rounded over piece of wood 3/4"-1" wide

[frankx99]

what do you mean by shim underneath?

What are the chances of the grout cracking in case i choose to go that route and how will it look to add caulk on top of grout as you suggested?

[frankx99]

also fill me in about rabitting please, as you can see I'm not much of a carpenter

thanx

[tileguytodd]

a small sliver of wood the thickness of the tile to fill in the depth followed by a small piece of wood trim stained or painted to match the window frame.

Now, if you really want to do a nice job, now would be a good time to build a window shelf and recut your trim.lay the shelf into the window and bring it out about 1 1/4" past your trim on each sie with a roundover returned to the wall.Recut your trim to end on top of the shelf and put a trim board of 1x2 below the shelf. Bring the shelf out about 1 1/2".
Do you fancy yourself handy with a tablesaw and router??

Window shelves in a kitchen are nice, ive got one and would never be without one again

[tileguytodd]

Not much of a carpenter, hmmmmm well,you werent much of a tiler before you got here either but look at you now

Rabbiting means to remove some material in a piece of wood.
If you look at a board from its end and you want the right side at 3/8" thick while keeping the left side full, you need to remove 3/8" of material from that portion of the board required to fit its designated location.
Multiple passes in a table saw can accomplish this as can a plunge router or a fixed router in a router table.
A Dado blade in a table saw is also a good way to accomplish this.
For all practical purposes,multiple passes is easiest if its just 1 piece of trim we are dealing with