Building Vanity -

[George Bokros]

I am building a vanity for one of the bathrooms in our house. My question is how do you attach the panel in front of the sink, the one between the top rail and the cabinet doors? The Merillatt cabinets that the builder put in have a roller catch holding it in. I have seen where pieces are screwed to the back of the panel and run vertical behind the two cabinet rails. I am afraid I do not have enough room to do that because I only have 15/16" more inside the cabinet than what is required for the sink.

Thanks for your help

[scott vroom]

I am building a vanity for one of the bathrooms in our house. My question is how do you attach the panel in front of the sink, the one between the top rail and the cabinet doors? The Merillatt cabinets that the builder put in have a roller catch holding it in. I have seen where pieces are screwed to the back of the panel and run vertical behind the two cabinet rails. I am afraid I do not have enough room to do that because I only have 15/16" more inside the cabinet than what is required for the sink.

Thanks for your help


If you made the top and middle rails wide enough, you can use glue and clamps...no need for mechanical fasteners on that fixed panel. Most of my vanities are paint grade so I'll shoot a few pin nails to hold the front before setting the clamps.

If you're fixated on mechanical fasteners then you could do it like the guy in this vid.....or any of the many variations on the theme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il6ZZn79cxE

[George Bokros]

If you made the top and middle rails wide enough, you can use glue and clamps...no need for mechanical fasteners on that fixed panel.

I would like to be able to remove the panel if need be.

[scott vroom]

I would like to be able to remove the panel if need be.

Then I guess the clips you mentioned in your original post?

Just curious..why would you want to remove that panel? it's typically too high to enable plumbing access.

[George Bokros]

Then I guess the clips you mentioned in your original post?

Just curious..why would you want to remove that panel? it's typically too high to enable plumbing access.

This is true, it is too high for plumbing access. Why then do some of the commercially available brands have this panel removable? My Merillatt cabinets and others I have had in other homes were all removable.

[scott vroom]

This is true, it is too high for plumbing access. Why then do some of the commercially available brands have this panel removable? My Merillatt cabinets and others I have had in other homes were all removable.

Quick/cheap way to attach them? Dunno.

[Lee Schierer]

This is true, it is too high for plumbing access. Why then do some of the commercially available brands have this panel removable? My Merillatt cabinets and others I have had in other homes were all removable.

Some cabinets serve other uses and they sometimes offer small tilt out metal bins for holding small items attached to the back of those fake upper drawers.

Here are 2 vanities that I've built without the fake drawer.301778301779

[Bill Orbine]

I guess the question is....."Do YOU need the drawer front to be removable?". Other than being the stereotype kind of person who wants a removable front because other vanities have that option, I think in most case you'd say "NO"!

[Justin Ludwig]

I build them with a full door in the middle and do away with the false front all together (unless the client requests it). If I have to build it, I just nail them on from the back or use a drop down hinge for kitchen false fronts.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Here's one way I've done it, although it sounds like you may not have room for this. Just a thought for the future...

[scott vroom]

Here's one way I've done it, although it sounds like you may not have room for this. Just a thought for the future...

Dan, I've never seen that...quite clever!

[Jerry Miner]

My question is how do you attach the panel in front of the sink... I only have 15/16" more inside the cabinet than what is required for the sink...

If you attach the false panel before the sink, there is plenty of room for a cleat (1/2" ply or whatever) behind the two rails, and some screws into the back of the panel.

If the sink is already in, then a clip, roller catch or something (maybe magnets?) that can be installed from the front.

These panels are sometimes removable. It can be easier to install the sink with the panel removed. Usually, with a round or oval sink, there is enough room to get a screwdriver in there near the ends of the false panel for removal and re-installation. I'm doing a sink R & R this week myself. Already did some reconnaissance. The panel can be unscrewed and re-attached as described above.