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Cabinets &
Countertops
Cabinets and countertops offer the much-needed storage
space in the bathroom to store your toiletries, keep
medicines and first-aid box, cleaning milk, moisturizer
and deodorants, towels and napkins besides other things
that you use daily while showering in your bath. They are
powerful accents to your bath décor and help you to define
the tone and style of the bathroom and make the best use
of the wall and floor surface of the area. They also are
pivotal in keeping your bath well organized and efficient.
Here are some tips that you can use while installing
cabinets and countertops in the bathroom to give them the
trendy look you have always desired:
 Medicine
cabinets often go in the back or sidewalls that frame the
vanity and it's easier to put them in before the vanity.
Also, take the doors off all the cabinets to avoid
damaging them during installation. Fit the cabinet snugly
between the 2 x 4's in the stud wall. At the proper
height, box in an opening in the drywall between the studs
and slide the cabinet in. Level the top of the frame and
secure it. Many vanity cabinets go together with the
drawers in or between two cabinets. Most don't have the
top fastened because it's easier to handle and fit that
later. Using a level, find the floor's high point to
determine the cabinets' high point.
Mark
a level line through that point across the wall. That
reference line guides all the cabinet tops. Intersect that
line with a plumb line down the middle. Any middle cabinet
goes in first. Draw a line down the center of its back and
line it up with the guide line. Transpose pipe locations
to the cabinet back and drill pipe holes with a spade bit.
Slide the cabinet into place, level the top and secure it
to the wall studs with drywall screws. Flush and plumb the
other cabinets. Use a wood clamp to tie the front frames
together and screw them together.
NOTE:
A gap is often left where a cabinet meets the wall. Fill
it in with a trim piece cut to fit snugly in the gap.
Screw through the cabinet 's side frame into the trim's
side to fasten them.
Cut
and fit 3/4" plywood to cover the vanity top. From the
center reference line used to set the cabinets, find the
center point of the cabinet front. Center the countertop
and secure it to the tops of the cabinets using drywall
screws up through the bottom. For an added touch, build up
the edges of the countertop. This also prevents the
doors/drawers from hitting the trim pieces. For trim, we
added 3/4" plywood strips cut to fit along the edges that
were held with a bead of construction adhesive and screws.
Mark the centerpoints for the sink opening(s) and draw a
center line connecting the points. Vanities usually
include a template to outline the sink opening. Use the
reference line to position the template and trace around
it. Drill a pilot hole to start the jig saw blade and cut
out the opening. Now the countertop is ready for tiling.
WARNING:
Most laminate countertops are glued with very flammable
cement. Work in a well-ventilated area, avoid open flames
(like furnace pilots) and always follow the manufacturer's
directions.
Particleboard
is an inexpensive material for making laminate
countertops. Cut a 4 x 8 sheet of particleboard to size
and add bottom supports where joining pieces. With
construction adhesive, glue on any edge pieces and
test-fit the countertop. Use a utility knife (to score
then snap), jig saw or circular saw (fine-toothed blade)
to cut laminate pieces. Which side you cut laminate
depends on the tool. Cut a scrap piece first on both the
front and back to see which way cuts smoothest and chips
less. Apply contact cement to both laminate and
particleboard edge pieces. Once the cement dries to the
touch, carefully line up the pieces and attach the
laminate.
Use
a rolling pin or roller to make good contact and to
squeeze out any air bubbles.
NOTE:
Once the laminate and cement come into contact they
usually stay that way and are difficult to reposition. Use
cardboard or kraft paper inserts between the pieces to
position and line them up.
Let
the edges set up as directed. Then cut off the excess with
a router using a carbide laminate-trimming bit. Glue the
top piece the same way. Apply contact cement to both the
laminate and particleboard. Let them dry to the touch and
use cardboard strips to position the laminate. Pull out
the strips, press laminate into place with a rolling pin
or roller and router the edges flush. To fasten the
countertop, insert spacer blocks underneath the top
cabinet bracing at the corners and screw through the
blocks and into the countertop.
Installing
A Laminate Backsplash
A
laminated backsplash can also be attached to the
countertop with drywall screws drilled from the bottom
side of the countertop. Since the wall may not be totally
even, leave off the top laminate piece of the backsplash.
Butt it tight to the wall, glue it down and trim the front
edge flush. Or, belt sand the backside of the backsplash
to fit the wall. Dryfit the countertop and once it's
positioned correctly on the cabinets drive screws up
through the cabinet framing into the countertop. |
