Hiding screws on unpainted wood

[AdamW]

I am planning to install a windowsill, most likely made with square-profile pine windowsill board (if such a thing exists) or if not, from my trusty friend timber board.

I would like to ensure it is firmly fixed to the blockword underneath (there is currently no sill installed). This is easy if you want to paint the sill, just use screws and plugs, sink the heads and fill before painting. However, I would like to maintain the wood finish and use varnish. Obviously this makes filling the holes a little trickier. I don't want to use the plastic-wood style filler in such a prominent location, so I was planning to sink the screws down a centimetre or so into the wood, and use a piece of dowelling to fill the hole.

Is there a better way to do this? The main problem I can see with my plan is ensuring the wooden "plugs" are neither proud nor recessed into the sill (even a milimetre either way might end up looking dodgy). I guess if they are within a milimetre, and proud, then I can sand them.

Any suggestions?

 

[big-all]

several answers here drill a hole whith a combined countersink and drill bit
then use a plug bit to cut a plug from similar grained timber to fill the hole
dowling would show cos its the end grain that would be showing
http://www.toolstation.com/search.html?searchstr=64444&Search=1
http://www.toolstation.com/search.html?searchstr=98353&Search=1

or with a sharp chisel lift a slither up screw underneath then glue the slither down

or no nails

 

[AdamW]

Great, an excuse to buy more tools! (as if I need one)

Cheers Al

 

[big-all]

when you put the plugs in glue lightly knock them in and leave them half mm proud then sand with the grain[120 grit]to avoid scratches

 

[masona]

I would like to ensure it is firmly fixed to the blockword underneath

blockword ? did you mean blockwood or blockwork ?

Is there a better way to do this?

Yes, I have done many which don't show any screw hole at all but having said that it was easy before plastering was done when I used to work on building site. You put a Galvanised Band screw under the windowboard and glue the rebate into the window then pull down the galvanised band ( about 18" in length) and screw it to the wall, then the plaster come along and plaster over it. I have done one which was already plastered by chopping out 2 small channel in the wall for the galvanised band and made goods afterward. If you have no rebate in the window for the windowboard then nail a few panel pin into the window frame and cut off the nail head and tap the windowboard into it.

There is another way, 2 strip of 2"x1" screw to the top of the wall and panel pin with the nail head cut off then glue and tap the windowboard onto it, don't forget to use a block of wood for tapping to prevent hammer marks.
Just has a another thought, you could screw down a thin plywood on top of the wall and fix the windowboard with Grippfill adhesive.
All this depend how fussy you are and don't mind making goods afterward.

 

[danman]

Following on from Masona's Gripfill Idea, I did it that way.

I gave the blockwork a coat of pva and varnished the underside of the board, I don't know if it was needed but seemed to make sense.

A bonus is that if the window is running out, thick beads of gripfill, push down until level.

I did mine 4 years ago, still as good as new.

 

[AdamW]

Gripfill idea sounds the least faff.

Now the tricky bit: what if I wanted to replicate the windowsill, but at the top of the window... Sounds a bit odd, but I reckon it could look pretty nice on this window.

I like screws, because I understand how they work. And if it is going to fail, you know pretty much right away but glue can take a while. But seeing as it would involve drilling into the window lintel gripfill may again be the way ahead. I have 4 tubes of it in a toolbox so I won't go short! I will have to wedge it upwards with a couple of bits of wood for a couple of days until the glue is fully cured.

Thanks guys.

 

[big-all]

nothing stange in replicating the window sill above
you dont have to do anything just cos its "the norm" be adventurous

pink gripfill would be ideal cos its instant grab and goes off quite quickly
it holds dados on where the sheer force is greater than the pure weight up side down

i belive normal gripfill will probably hold till it goes off as well without support just make shure the surface your fixing to is clean and firmly bonded

although if your likely to hang heavy curtains from it you may need to screw it on as well/instead

 

[masona]

Now the tricky bit: what if I wanted to replicate the windowsill, but at the top of the window... Sounds a bit odd, but I reckon it could look pretty nice on this window.

You could chop out a channel carefully on the side to the thickness of the windowboard and slide it in with gripfill.
Another option is to make a square frame out of windowboard and slot it in ! I have done this for a number of clients who find it easier not to wallpaper round the corner, so just butt up to it instead.

 

[AdamW]

I read Masona's reply and was just thinking "Hmmm channels, yet one more excuse... erm... reason to buy a router." Then I remembered the window is a funny shape at one side, so it wouldn't slide in, no matter what direction.

Will let you know how I get on, might be a couple of weeks though.