Vanity Unit

Bathrooms are great places for the budding do-it-yourselfer to gain experience and confidence while increasing the value of their home. Aside from a simple repaint of the room, no quick and easy project adds greater beauty and instant value to a home more than a new vanity and sink. However, before making the commitment to replace the entire unit, take a minute and evaluate whether the vanity itself should be scrapped, or if replacing the bathroom vanity basin alone will accomplish the same result with less work and expense.

Very often, the vanity cabinet itself is in perfectly good shape and only appears distressed because the basin and countertop are chipped or stained. In this case, sanding and repainting the cabinet, combined with a new sink and countertop will restore the beauty of your bathroom at a fraction of the cost. The first step will be identifying whether you have a single molded unit or a laminate countertop with a separate basin.

If the sink is recessed beneath the level of the counter with no seam apparent, then you have a one-piece design. If there is an obvious lip around the edge of the basin and, when looking at the underside of the counter, you see that it is dropped into a cutout, then the basin is a separate piece. If this is the case, you can either replace the basin alone with one of like size or scrap both sink and countertop at your discretion. Either way, the process of replacement will be similar.

Begin by locating the shutoff valve for both the hot and cold water supply lines. If valves are not already installed beneath the sink, turn off the whole house supply and add appropriate shutoffs as part of the project. Once the water has been cut off to the fixture, unscrew the supply lines and disconnect the drain line at the trap. Next, you will need to remove the existing sink or countertop. Countertops will generally be screwed to the vanity base at each corner with wood screws accessible from the underside. A removable sink will be caulked in place and may also have retaining clips screwed into the bottom of the counter. If you plan to reuse the existing countertop, gently cut through the caulk with a razor blade and pry the sink up. Applying painter’s tape around the sink will help avoid scratches while you work.

Once the original fixtures have been removed, simply replace with your new bathroom vanity basin and reconnect the supply lines and drain by reversing the steps you took to remove them. This simple do-it-yourself project will take less than an afternoon to accomplish, but the added beauty and value to your home will last for years.