How To Install A Bathroom
Vanity
Before installing your new
bathroom vanity, you will need to remove the old one and prepare the
space.
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First of all, as with any
job involving plumbing, make sure the water supply is switched off
before you start.
You'll be able to do this either by turning off
the hot and cold water valves inside the old vanity unit, or by
turning off the mains supply for the whole house, depending on the
design of your particular unit. |
| Then you'll need to use an adjustable wrench to disconnect the supply tubes for both the hot and
cold-water valves. Next use some adjustable pliers to remove the sink trap
– remembering to put a container underneath before you start to catch
any drips.
When doing this you may want to wrap some cloth or tape around
the jaws of the pliers to prevent chrome fittings becoming scratched. |
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Once you've done this,
you're ready to unscrew the screws holding your vanity to the wall, using a
screwdriver or socket wrench. You should be able to find the screws either
in braces in the back corners or in a rail along the back.
The next step is to take
off the vanity top or sink to make the unit lighter and easier to move.
You'll need to be careful here if you plan to reuse your vanity top. With
most
bathroom vanities, the countertop is attached with adhesive caulk and can be removed using a pry bar. You can also use a pry bar to separate the backsplash
from
the wall. Be sure to take care when doing this to prevent damaging the
wall. You could insert a wood shim behind the bar to help protect the wall.
If the sink is in a cut-out, it can be lifted out
once the tabs that hold it in place have been removed.
Before moving your vanity, take out any removable
drawers or doors to lessen the weight. If it is possible to, you can then
slide the vanity unit out. However, check whether the floor butts against
the bottom of the vanity, in which case you'll need to use the pry bar to
lift up the front and then slip some wood shims underneath so you can slide
the vanity out without damaging the floor.
Once you've managed to remove the old vanity, it's
important to inspect the space for signs of damage and to rectify any
problems before fitting your new vanity unit.
Replace damaged flooring or use plywood to replace
any rotten sections of floor. Check the drywall for water damage and
repair it if needed. Finally, using a spirit level, check the floor
surface is level, in both directions. If it's uneven, it can be corrected
by using shims underneath the vanity, or making a base out of plywood that
can be nailed in place, and which can be leveled with shims.
Once the prep work has
been completed you will be ready to begin the installation of the vanity
unit.
Find the studs in your
walls and identify them with pencil marks so you can see where to screw
the new vanity to the wall. Following this, lightly mark on the wall
exactly where the vanity will go. Then find the vertical and horizontal
center lines of your pipes and mark these on the wall, taking care that
they are plumb and level. Measure from the center of the drain line to the
mark where the nearest cabinet edge will be, and to the floor. Then
measure from the reference lines to the center of each supply pipe. These
measurements will enable you to draw the pipe locations onto the back of
the vanity.
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Using an electric drill,
make pilot holes at the layout marks on the back of your vanity, so you
can make holes for your water and drain lines. Use these holes to line up
your hole saw.
Use a hole saw that's at least 0.5in larger than the widest
part of your water and drain lines and drill halfway from the outside and
halfway from the inside of your cabinet for a smoother finish.
You're then ready to
attach your vanity to the wall. Drill pilot holes in the back of your
vanity that align with your wall studs. Make sure the holes in the vanity
are one size larger than your 2.5in screws, and the holes in the studs one or two sizes smaller, for a really secure
fit.
Once you're screwed your
vanity in place, you can install your sink. |
If you've got a sink built
into your vanity top, lay it somewhere you can access it easily, such as
on the old vanity, then fit the faucets according to the instructions and
tighten up using pliers.
Attach flexible water supply lines to the
faucets.
Join the tailpiece to the sink and seal around it with a bead of
silicone caulk.
Check that the sink pop-up connection faces the back of
the sink before tightening the locknut to hold the tailpiece in place.
Then smooth silicone caulk along the edges of the vanity unit and
backsplash and position the vanity top on the unit, pushing it side to side to center it and making
sure the backsplash is tight against the wall.
If you're installing a
separate sink, you'll need to fit the countertop first, then install the
faucets in the sink and last of all fit the sink to the countertop
according to the instructions.
| The final stage is to connect the plumbing and tidy
up the edges. Use pliers to attach the supply lines to the water supply
valves, connect the sink trap to the drain line and tailpiece, adding the
pop-up control rod at the end.
Run a bead of clear silicone caulk to seal
the gap where the backsplash meets the wall. You can do the same to fill
in small gaps if the vanity doesn't fit completely flush against the back
wall, or you can nail flexible molding that matches the vanity to disguise
the gaps and give a smart finish. |
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How to get the best out of
your bathroom lighting.
Bathroom makeover on a budget.
More
bathroom renovation ideas.
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