Bathroom Vanity Restoration
#11
Sometimes the small things are the precursors of bad news.  Miss Tina asked me: "WHAT the heck is wrong with that paint?"  She was sitting in the tub soaking, I was sitting on the closed lid of the throne talking to her. 
No  "What Paint?"

"On the vanity, below the doors to the cabinet."  She said, pointing.  I looked, the paint was crackled, about three inches long. 
Confused  Wasn't wet, reached under the edge, not wet.  Opened the door to the cabinet.  Not wet inside. 
No  Not a clue.  This was a couple days before Christmas and the Daughter, Son-in-law, and Granddaughter were due in the next day.

Two days later, Miss T said, "I knew something was leaking."  The crackle had spread.


   


The paint was crackled about three foot wide on the trim.  Pulled the drawers, and the hot water pipe behind the drawers, leading up to the sinks, was drip - drip - dripping.  Had been for a while.  The bottom of the vanity between the two sinks was ... mush.  The people who plumbed the vanity thought they were plumbers, look at the snarl.     They installed four cutoffs, one in each line,  rather than a single cutoff in the hot and cold feeder lines below the T.   When they glued it all in they glued it so close you couldn't shut off the water...They thought there were plumbers, but... they were wrong.

Several months before we had to call the plumber out for the Jacuzzi Tub knock off.  The hot water there had been leaking since they installed THAT... and it ruined the surround and the trim on that as well.  We learned they had used pipe that had been specifically banned from that application because it fails when used with HOT water.


   


The plumber also used a cracked pipe to plumb in the left side of the dual sinks... note the top of the drain pipe leading to the T.


   


OUR plumber shut off the water, and removed the plumbing, and the granite top and sinks, took the base to my woodshop.  I started on the mission to see if I could restore the base.  The first step was removing the rotted / waterlogged base and trim.


   


There was some damage to the base, swelling and cosmetic damage.  But considering that a replacement would run in the $1,500 range, I was up to the challenge.  The first step would be to remove the glue and leftover mush from the bottom and measure for a replacement base.  Careful work with a mallet and chisel cleaned up the bottom nicely.


   
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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#12
Next up, cut the new bottom from 3/4 cabinet grade ply


   


After checking the fit, I used forstner bits to countersink the threaded brass bases for the six pedestal feet for the vanity. The bases will be installed but the feet MUCH later.


   
   


After careful alignment, and check for square of the vertical portions of the vanity, the base was glued and screwed in place.


   
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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#13
Molding to match the surviving side molding wasn't available so I had to make molding to match.  I didn't have a molding plane in the dozen I have, so I had to use my router.  I used a 2x4 and cut the molding on the edge.   I set the router up carefully and made several passes, checking the height after each pass.


   


Once I was happy with the profile, I ripped the molding twice to achieve depth and height. 


   


Then I planed the molding to achieve the perfect fit.  It needs to fit between the two side moldings here on the base of the vanity.  


   


I would test, plane, test, plane.


   


Eventually, it fit very well.


   
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
#14
We were getting closer to the time to start the finishing, but not close.  I was worried about the cosmetics.  Miss T said we were going to redo the bathroom in twelve to eighteen months, make it functional.  I'm not built that way.  There are things I can do that don't cost me.... I'll do them.  I hate the ugly things that make me look like I don't know what I'm doing.


   


In the pic above you can see a gouge in the face edge where the drawers would nest.  You can also see a huge hole torn out where the vertical meets the bottom where the moisture tore out a chunk.  
No  Just grinds my gears.  "Leave it" she said.  "No one but US will see it, it's in the master bath." 
Raised  Ah.... no.  I took the coping saw and cut a flat cut above and below and then flattened the back with a chisel.


   


Then I cut a piece of hard pine and fit it in, test, fit, test, fit. Glue.  Perfect match. 
Big Grin   I also started filling that giant hole with putty.  I KNOW it will be hidden with the drawers in place and no one will see it.  I will KNOW it's there. 
Crazy


   


I started to sand that thing, that gaping hole away.



   


I cut that patch flush on both faces and sanded it flush.  Maybe used a dash of putty, and sanded a bit more. 
Laugh


   
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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#15
Love to the finished vanity. Also show a pic on the plumbing repair.
VH07V  
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#16
A lot more small detail work, and some hours later, painting .....
including the doors and drawers....


   


The inside of the cabinets were painted with white enamel to offer some semblance of water resistance in case of a future drip-drip.
The trim is semi-gloss and matches the hardware... knobs, and faucets.  I removed all the hardware before painting.  Reinstalled a couple days later.
The doors and drawers will be installed after the vanity goes back inside and is plumbed.

I'll post a final pic.

I have about $150 - $200 in the restoration....
New vanity EXACTLY like this one?  $1500 to $1700.
I'm good with this....

Yes
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
#17
(01-24-2021, 04:33 PM)EightFingers Wrote: Love to the finished vanity. Also show a pic on the plumbing repair.

I'll show the vanity when it's back in place... With all four cabinet doors, countertop, and all three drawers. 
Big Grin
I'll show the new plumbing as well.  Getting a plumber out...?  What a pain.  I called and three told me they had too much work.  Another told us they no longer worked our area.  Left messages for others, no callbacks. Called the guys that were out last week, and paid on scene, in full.... Haven't heard back.  Everyone is busy, pandemic has people doing projects while they are home. 
Raised
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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#18
If you look at the very first picture, and look at the right verticle where the drawer slides and cabinet door are mounted....
Note the swelling and cracking.

I put my cabinet maker's (screw) clamp on that to reduce swelling and squeeze out water.  Two days later, removed clamp.  Faint lines where gaps opened.  Pushed glue into cracks.  Reclamped.  Two days later... Lines almost gone. 
Sanded, painted, barely noticeable.
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
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#19
Nice save...........
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#20
You have carpeting in your bathroom?????????
Dumber than I appear
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