# Sloping window ledge made flat ...help?



## tuk (3 Aug 2014)

I would like to turn my window ledge into a flat surface when required:

I have few tools or experience,

The pic is a side view of the window ledge(grey) & 4 part solution(red)....I will fix rubber on underside to prevent it sliding off.

The top 3 parts seem quite simple(90 degree joins), I could use pegs or brackets....the bottom piece is a bit more complicated...it's diagonal but both joint edges will need to run 90 degrees...hope that makes sense 

Is there a simple way of doing this?
Would another design be better?
What tools do I need?


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## RobinBHM (3 Aug 2014)

I suppose the simplest option is to construct with 2 softwood battens. If you look at the white space inside, 1 batten will on the left butting up against the narrow vertical board. The doing the same on the right. The difficulty is whether you can cut the battens with their top edge at the angle of the cill.

If you cant, then you could hand saw some 18mm ply to the exact shape of the white space, a number of these could then be used to glue screw it together.

The bottom piece doesnt have to have it's edges cut at an angle as they arent seen.

May I ask what it is for? A drinks rest?


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## tuk (3 Aug 2014)

RobinBHM":2drs5mv5 said:


> The difficulty is whether you can cut the battens with their top edge at the angle of the cill.


Any ideas for measuring the angle of sill? I thought about building up the right edge with blocks/spacers + using a level and flat board, then measuring blocks/spacers to get the height...but blocks/spacers will not be 90 degrees vertical due to the slope.



> If you cant, then you could hand saw some 18mm ply to the exact shape of the white space, a number of these could then be used to glue screw it together.


Nice idea, the flat bottom was for more grip, but a series of 'sled runners' should be ok if lined with rubber on the underside?



> The bottom piece doesn't have to have it's edges cut at an angle as they arent seen.


I was thinking more about the join, if top & sides are 90 degrees vertical while bottom is sloped ...then bottom edges wont sit flush when meeting sides?



> May I ask what it is for? A drinks rest?


20ft off the ground so gets the breeze, handy for drying things like washed jars etc, like a drying shelf, trouble is the sloped sill is painted metal, slope isn't very steep but objects just want to slide off....hence the rubber underside.


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## tuk (4 Aug 2014)

To the kind person who sent me a pm, I cant reply to pm because I'm new member...but just to say your method for measuring the angle is a stroke of genius, I'm not too worried about drainage as it will only be used on sunny days when I need a flat drying surface, it will be kept inside the house the rest of the time ....but please send me your lip idea.

Many Thanks,


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## nanscombe (4 Aug 2014)

If it's 20ft off the ground and you're going to be putting jars on it would you want to put something like mesh, or a rail, around it to make sure nothing falls off?

Any way of extending the shelf backwards so it hooks over the ledge, that way it would be less "inclined" to slide off.

If you could hook it over the ledge then you may be able to just have front and back supports and do away with the bottom.


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## tuk (5 Aug 2014)

Rail is a good idea, noted! ...unfortunately there is no access to rear of sill as its embedded into the window frame, if you look at left side of flat surface/shelf in pic below, thats as far as it goes, there is nowhere to clip under to anchor in place, but rubber on all parts touching sill should do the trick specially with some weight on board ..my only reservation is the wind getting underneath & catching it, I might close off front to prevent this.


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## dc_ni (5 Aug 2014)

I think nanscombe meant to have it so the lip is on the inside of the window. I imagine it is for the ledge of a sash window.


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## nanscombe (5 Aug 2014)

Yes that was what I meant, but from the reply above it may not be possible.

Would it be possible to stick some Velcro (hook and loop material) to the sill and underside of the shelf as that might give a more positive connection.

Although you may not want too much or you'll never budge it again. :lol:

A bit of rubber mat on the top surface might stop your jars from skidding around as well.

Can something be fixed, with adhesive, to the sill or would that be a problem?


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## nanscombe (5 Aug 2014)

You could use pieces of hardboard / MDF for the ends and attach battens to the ends at the appropriate angles, thus avoiding nasty angled joints. Place the battens and secure with double sided tape then screw them into final positions.





SillBox01001a by nanscombe, on Flickr


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