Advice Needed on Hiding Mistake

[Mark Vago]

Good Morning –

I have a little bit of an issue, and need some advice. I recently built a floating shelf below my f/p and am in the processing of painting. However, when I as attaching the trim around the three sides, I was not exactly accurate and it is not quite even with the top. It’s only a fraction of a difference, and so I thought it would not be noticeable. However, after the first 2 coats of black paint, I can notice the variance on 2 of the three sides, especially when looking at if from a certain angle. I am actually embarrassed by my lack of refinement. J

Other than pulling the trim off and re-attaching, are there any methods to make this look uniform? The wife is starting to get impatient with the mess, and she says it looks good. Maybe I’m too picky!

I probably should have posted this on the “Project Finishing” forum or the “Woodworking Projects” forum. Oh well.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[David Weaver]

Block plane it flush (assuming you can do that, I'm not sure i can fully visualize the issue).

Think about what it will look like in 15 years after it dries out and moves around. If that seems like more than the error now (we can't see it to decide how much we think it will move), then maybe you can live with it.

At least your wife is happy!

[Paul Steiner]

+1 Block plane or smoothing plane should make that flush. Sharpen your plane and tune it on some scrap of the same type of wood you used on the mantle.

[Tom Walz]

Don't know if you are too picky or not but I have had real master craftsmen show me beautiful work and point out how it could be better. I am sure they were correct but it still looked beautiful to me.

[Mark Vago]

Thank you for your responses. I could block plane, but can I plane the maple ply that is the top until it's flush?

[David Weaver]

Thank you for your responses. I could block plane, but can I plane the maple ply that is the top until it's flush?

I wouldn't, though I don't know if it matters too much if it's painted, haven't ventured there. So, you have a floating top that's maple ply, and the trim is solid?

If it was solid, this would be an easier job.

If the trim is solid and the top is maple ply, you can still trim, but be careful. You could do any number of things to protect the veneer on the ply until you are very close to it, but your error may be less than that, anyway.

[Callan Campbell]

top layer, it could get worse I guess. But, since you're painting it black anyway, you could shave it down and add some filler or bondo to coat any major difference in the grain of the wood ply below the top ply. This way the paint should be even and not blotchy in case of uneven absorption from the wood. A good primer might do the same thing. But then you need to just look at the "new" angle that you'd create from taking some material off the top to match the trim that isn't in the exact same plane as the top. Will THAT bother you more than what you've got now? Pulling the trim off and renailing it dead even with the top may solve things best. Can you provide a picture of the issue at hand.?:confused:

[Mark Vago]

I don't have a pic on hand, but the trip is solid, and the top is maply ply. I probably should just pull it off, and re nail, since it's not glued on anyway.

[Callan Campbell]

I wouldn't, though I don't know if it matters too much if it's painted, haven't ventured there. So, you have a floating top that's maple ply, and the trim is solid?

If it was solid, this would be an easier job.

If the trim is solid and the top is maple ply, you can still trim, but be careful. You could do any number of things to protect the veneer on the ply until you are very close to it, but your error may be less than that, anyway.
David, I reread his post twice, it sounds like the trim is below the top, so I now ask for a picture or two to clarify.:o

[Gene Waara]

I don't have a pic on hand, but the trip is solid, and the top is maply ply. I probably should just pull it off, and re nail, since it's not glued on anyway.
+1 - It is a quick fix to do it right. If you don't it will bother you everytime you look at it. Others may not see it but you will - this, from my personal experience.

[Mark Vago]

Many thanks to all. I'll am going to pull and re-nail. I'll give an update and hopefully provide a pic once done!

[Mark Vago]

Ok, so before I do this, just need to be sure that I am doing it right. Exacto knife where the trim meets the shelf so that I don't ruin the paint that is already there. Use a flat pry and pry the wood away. Re-position it and re-nail. Cover nail holes and re-paint to hopefully seemless look.

[David Weaver]

David, I reread his post twice, it sounds like the trim is below the top, so I now ask for a picture or two to clarify.:o

oy...things like that are why i stopped using plywood two years ago, though I recognize its usefulness, just a downer when you find something like this after you've done it.

[Mark Vago]

Hi -

So, here are some pix. You can see (hopefully) where there are issues. Of course, this is only one small area, and there are a few other "spots" that look similar. after wet sanding a little and applying another coat, the mistakes are a little less noticeable. Question is, even if I pull the nosing off and re-nail, will I be able to correct the problem? Or, will I make it worse?


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