Caulking/glue? new bathroom vanity.

Jay H · 11-25-2006, 07:12 PM

Just installed a new bathroom vanity, just wondering what is the recommended procedure for sealing the connections?

Does one glue the sink to the vanity and if so, what kind of glue? I gather one would caulk the joint between the base and the floor (tile) to prevent water from getting inside, how about the backsplash and wall (tile again)?

My old vanity was never lag bolted to the studs in the wall, not sure whether I will do the new one... Everything else is attached and functioning...!

jay

BrianW · 11-25-2006, 07:38 PM

Jay, if the sink is a drop-in sink, then just run a bead of caulk on the counter top so that it will be hidden underneath the lip of the sink before you drop the sink in. If your vanity top is smooth, once you do this, there's no need to run a bead of caulk along the edge of the sink after it's dropped in. (You can do this for aesthetics, but ymmv.)

Go ahead and caulk the joint between the vanity and floor tile, and then trim it out with quarter-round or shoe moulding.

I'm not sure what to recommend about the backsplash. The usual method is to attach the vanity securely to the wall, glue the backsplash to the wall on top of the vanity, and then caulk the joint between the vanity and the backsplash. But with your vanity not secured to the wall, I'm not sure how to effectively install the backsplash without allowing movement between it and the vanity.

Joel...Lane · 11-26-2006, 07:06 PM

We just finished our bathroom remodel. The vanity was attached to the wall studs with 2 wood screws. The sink is a drop in and I used liquid nails to seal it to the vanity. Once it dries it's not going anywhere.

The sink and backsplash are one piece so once the sink was placed on top of the vanity and caulked with the liquid nails, I used standard white caulk for the crack between the wall and backsplash. Turned out well.

I also did what Brian suggested with putting quarter round down around the base. I did not caulk the gap from the floor to the vanity though. Didn't even think about it.

One thing I would suggest is when you do put down your quarter round, if you use it, is to only caulk the top part touching the baseboard. If you caulk the quarter round touching the floor it'll ruin it's nice clean look, no matter what type of floor you have. We have tile by the way.

Good luck.

Jay H · 11-27-2006, 07:10 AM

Hi guys, the sink is a typical drop-in cultured marble kind and the backsplash is attached to the sink. I, didn't have internet access yesterday and I had to go to Lowes for some more caulking but I picked up a tube of GE Silicone II tub and bath caulk/glue and used that on the sink to vanity junction and I use basic white latex caulk on the backsplash to wall and the floor junction.

Next bathroom project... the Shower door!

Jay

BrianW · 11-27-2006, 07:18 AM

Thanks for the update, Jay. It sounds like you pulled it off like a pro!

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Jay H · 11-27-2006, 07:50 AM

..a pro.. HAHAHA, you're funny!

Now I am trying to think of ideas of what to do with the 99.9% of the Silicone II that I have left over. Why do I have to buy a $6 tube of silicone (the kind you need a glue gun for which fortunately, I already have) and use about .1% of it and then it sits around your basement for the next 100 years.... AAAAAGGHHHHHHh.. I need to get to know the neighbors better but I wouldn't want to really grovel for it.

Any other uses for Silicone caulking? Chocolate cake frosting? Toothpaste? Some sick S&M?

Maybe I can caulk the entire bathroom!

jay

BrianW · 11-28-2006, 05:58 PM

Jay, I once made brains for Halloween props/decorations with some extra silicone caulk. I cut the caulk tube opening as far back as I could (to get the largest bead I could get -- about 3/4 inch for the tubes I was using) and squeezed out palm-sized brain globs on an old (never-to-be-used-again) cookie sheet coated with vegetable oil. I let the "brains" dry for a few hours, then I took one of those fake plastic credit cards I'm always getting in the mail (I save them because they make great glue spreaders) and used the edge of the card to make a sharp indentation down the middle of each glob to "separate" the brain hemispheres. Waiting a few hours allows the surface of the silicone to cure enough so that it won't stick to the edge of the card. but not so much that the card can't make a permanent indentation in the silicone globs. If the globs stick to the edge of the card, wait longer.

Oh, and you'll need to wait a LONG time for them to cure completely. Give them at least two weeks (thereabouts) for their gooey liquid centers to harden.

Jay H · 11-28-2006, 06:18 PM

Brian...Cool, maybe I can finally make my pet brain, Abbie Normal

Pictures of my new bathroom vanity and also my new vanity light and new medicine cabinet.

In fact, you can kind of see my new Toto Drake and new soap and toothbrush holder in the shots too:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...55456289ghGNHr

Jay

LewB · 11-29-2006, 09:43 AM

Maybe you could use the extra caulk to seal the seams of the pool noodles you plan on using for pipe insulation.
Man, I love crossing the streams