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End Gap Specs for a Solid-Surface Windowsill
Question
Forum Responses
From contributor J: This may or may not help, depending on your trim work. Usually when I install window trim, the sill is the first piece in. The rest of the molding is built up off of the sill. In that situation you can have at least an eighth inch on either end, as it will never be seen. As for expansion and contraction, your best bet would be a call to the tech guys at the manufacturer. They are the ones who will be able to give you factual info. From contributor B: The techs can give information but it is by the book, not thinking out of the box. You can bet their product has not been tested as a window sill, so there will be no specific information. From contributor R: Best way to go is to call the manufacturer... If your gap is off, that voids the warranty, then the trouble really begins. We do Wilsonart Solid Surface and have yet to come under a situation the fab couldn't help us out with. Great group of guys. From contributor U: I worked for one of the solid surface companies. One of the area managers made a jig to hold a 4" x 48" (approximately) strip of solid surface. One end was fixed and the other had a thumb screw to apply a little pressure. He'd do this for architects, designers or fabricators. Apply a little pressure - 1/8" or so will do. Now measure the height of the buckled material in the center. Try this at home. Leave the gaps as specified by the manufacturer. From contributor T: Expansion gaps should be proportionate to the length of the sill; a 72" sill would require half that of a 144" sill. If the window faces south, it would be best to err on the side of caution. Of course if the window will be trimmed out later, larger gaps are appropriate. From contributor O: The more tolerance you provide, the less possibility for problems. The most important concept in all of solid surface installation is to use the proper adhesives. 100% silicone is the only adhesive that will give solid surface the flexibility it needs. Would you like to add information to this article? Interested in writing or submitting an article? Have a question about this article? Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below? 
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