Bathroom Vanity Project

[George Bokros]

I have an upcoming project building a custom vanity for our bathroom. The vanity must fit between two walls. My overall plan is to build it as three cabinets, two outer and one center. I will build the two outer at specific widths and let the center be what ever size it comes out allowing a minimum of 24" width to house the sink.

Plan it to build the two outer cabinets without face frames and get them in place plumb and fitted to the side walls. These two cabinets will have both side panels. The back will be rabbeted into the sides. I will be using 3/4" ply for the sides with 1/4" rabbets for the back panels. My plan is to have a 1/4" rabbet on both sides of the side panels that are shared with the center cabinet. Will the ply keep enough integrity during construction? I plan to slide the back into place for the center cabinet. I realize the plumbing stub outs will be a problem but if I slide in the back panel before sliding the side cabinets into place I should be able to handle the plumbing stub outs. I plan to attach the face frame once all is in place.

If you have a better idea for construction I am open to suggestions.

[Jim Rimmer]

Sounds workable to me. Don't know about the stability of the ply with 1/4" rabbet on two sides. That's getting pretty thin.

[Todd Burch]

You didn't mention the cabinet configurations for the side cabinets. Drawer boxes? Cabinets? Also, on the middle cabinet, you didn't mention how close you were to having 24" left after putting the two side cabinets in.

It sounds like you might be trying to build a center cabinet "space", via just sharing a face frame with the two side cabinets and putting a false back in that space. Is that correct? That would be the only reason I can think of to double-rabbet the open sides of the outer cabinet sides.

Also, how are you planning to affix the center cabinet back panel to the side cabinet sides when you do this?

Todd

[Chris Padilla]

I would just build it all in place as one complete unit and allow yourself scribing at either wall. Just count on the walls being out of square, not plumb and allow yourself room to adjust for it. I'm currently doing the same thing although my vanity and subsequent cabinets are only butting up against one side wall and the back wall. I'm free on the other end. I have 4 cabinets including the vanity to build. I may start a thread on it soon. I've gutted my master bath, removed a partition wall, expanded the shower space, and have most of the plumbing done in the new partition wall. Electrical is next. The vanity is mostly done but I need to get the side vanity cabinet done so that it is ready for floor tile in the next month or two. Oh, and wifey decided she wants a hidden drawer in the "normally wasted" toe kick area. Fun fun fun. :)

[George Bokros]

You didn't mention the cabinet configurations for the side cabinets. Drawer boxes? Cabinets? Also, on the middle cabinet, you didn't mention how close you were to having 24" left after putting the two side cabinets in.

It sounds like you might be trying to build a center cabinet "space", via just sharing a face frame with the two side cabinets and putting a false back in that space. Is that correct? That would be the only reason I can think of to double-rabbet the open sides of the outer cabinet sides.

Also, how are you planning to affix the center cabinet back panel to the side cabinet sides when you do this?

Todd

One side cabinet will be a drawer box the other side cabinet will have a top drawer and a door on the lower section. The space between the two walls is 59 3/4". I would build two cabinets 17" wide leaving 25 3/4" for the center sink base portion

Idea is to install the two side cabinets then drop in the center cabinet bottom and slide in the center cabinet back. Sliding in the center cabinet back, from the top down, with the plumbing stub outs is a problem!

Re-thinking the project as I am writing this I guess building it as all one cabinet may be best however it presents a problem also. The door to the bathroom is in the sidewall and just in front of the vanity, If I slide a complete (one piece) cabinet into the bathroom I will not be able to get into the bathroom to push the vanity into position. Maybe with a helper to move the vanity into the bathroom from the hallway with me inside to slide it against the back wall is the best option.

I have checked the walls at the front of the existing vanity and they are pretty plumb, maybe a 1/16 out in 24" on one wall the other is dead nuts plumb.

[Peter Quinn]

I would build the center cabinet as the fixed width. Measure it, lay it out on a story pole, check the walls for flat and plumb, add scribe to the two side cabinets. The scribe would be my variable. I would wrap the FF of the center cabinet around the corners and let it return to the back 2" more or less, put 3/8" tongues not the back of these returns to go into 3/8" groves let into the FF of the side cabinets so its a seamless construction. Install becomes easy...scribe the left, scribe the right keeping the center distance correct, attach the two sides to the walls, slide the middle in until the tongues register. Voila....breakfront vanity. I made a handful of them this way for a large job to go between two tiled wall that were known to be....uhhhh...way less than plumb. Everything goes in prefinished, biggest hassle is templating for the counters, but that is what it is. DBO! Looks great, easiest way to build between two walls. I'm not a huge fan of build in place FF cabinets, just not the way I like to work, and there are alternatives.

[Jim Becker]

If I may suggest...build the "toe kick" area separate from your cabinet boxes...it's a heck of a lot easier to level a short base like that across the whole space than it is to do it with individual cabinets. This applies whether you do three assemblies or do a single unit and works in both new construction and particularly well in retrofit/renovation where the building just isn't square in any way.

[George Bokros]

I would wrap the FF of the center cabinet around the corners and let it return to the back 2" more or less, put 3/8" tongues not the back of these returns to go into 3/8" groves let into the FF of the side cabinets so its a seamless construction.

I am trying to picture this approach. Peter could you provide a rough hand sketch of what you mean?

Thanks

George

[George Bokros]

I would just build it all in place as one complete unit

Not really a workable option. The bathroom is on the secoind floor and I would have to run up and down two flights of stairs with every piece I cut and fitted.

[Tom M King]

Build it so the side stiles are the only things that need to touch the walls. Build the base in place. Pencil where the face frame will hit the walls, build and fit the face frame, then build the cabinet to the face frame, and carry it to rest on the base.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Not really a workable option. The bathroom is on the secoind floor and I would have to run up and down two flights of stairs with every piece I cut and fitted.

Well..........I would build it in place, as Chris suggested.

You could just go in with rough work to set cleats, etc., on the wall where needed. The only tool you need is a miter saw or a hand saw to cut the sticks. Get that all put in place, and measure what's what, for the ply sides - don't see why you need need a back for the cabinets????

Also don't see why you need cabinet sides at the walls, or anywhere for that matter. The only reason I can think of for cabinet sides in this application is if you want to hang drawer glides on them?

Leave plenty of room for the FF stiles that are against the walls - you will scribe them as described [no pun intended]. Once those are set - again you measure what's what and cut the remaining parts for the FF. Miter or hand saw.

I learned my lesson in trying to pre-fab cabinet sections for rehab work - nothing is plumb, nor level, nor square. Go with the flow. You are doing basically the same steps, except you are not creating free-standing cabinet section that you can pick up and carry around.