How to Replace & Install a Bathroom Vanity and Sink

Along with kitchens, bathrooms offer one of the best returns on your renovation dollars. And one of the easiest ways to update your bathroom is to   Plumber Cape Coral, FL  replace the vanity, countertop, sink, and faucet. For a few hundred dollars, you can really freshen the space, while for $1,000 or more, you can add that upscale spa-like look to your bathroom.

The first step in this easy renovation is to remove the old vanity, which takes less than an hour. Installing a new vanity is easiest with a unit that includes a countertop with an integrated sink. The vanity cabinet is separate from the top. The cabinet has an open top and back, so it's easy to set in place and fasten from above. Once the cabinet is secured, the countertop-sink unit is dropped in, usually with the faucet pre-installed.

The final step is making the water supply and drain connections. Some vanity sets include a separate backsplash piece. This is typically installed with caulk or adhesive after the countertop is secured.Locate the Wall StudsUse an electronic stud finder to locate at least one wall stud on the wall behind the vanity location. Mark the center of the stud. Repeat the process to find a second stud if possible (studs are typically 16 inches apart, center-to-center).


If the vanity is boxed in by a sidewall, also find the wall studs in the sidewall.Electronic stud finder placed on light blue wall to find wall studSet and Fasten the VanityMeasure the height of the vanity cabinet (not including the countertop), and transfer this dimension to the back wall (and sidewall, if applicable). Use a level to draw a straight line at the marked height. Place the vanity cabinet into position.

Confirm that the cabinet is level both side-to-side and front-to-back using the line you drew. If necessary, use wood shims slipped under the cabinet to level it. Secure the cabinet to the back wall with two 3-inch cabinet screws driven through the mounting strip in the back of the cabinet and into each wall stud in the back wall only. If there is a sidewall, you will fasten that to the wall after fitting a filler strip. Wood shim placed under new cabinet to levelFill the Side Gap (Sidewall Installation

Only)If there is a wide or undesirable gap between the cabinet and the sidewall, you can cut a narrow filler strip to fill in the gap. This may involve shaping the filler strip to fit around a baseboard or coved tile piece at the bottom of the cabinet.To do so, use a small profile gauge or carpenter's compass to "copy" the profile of the side wall onto the wood strip.

Alternatively, create a paper template that matches the profile and transfer the profile onto the filler strip by tracing it with a pencil.Cut out the profile with a coping saw or jigsaw. Test-fit the filler strip and adjust as necessary. Sand and finish the wood strip to match the base cabinet. Attach the strip to the cabinet with screws driven through the inside edge of the cabinet face frame and into the edge of the filler strip. If the strip is thin material, glue it in place with a small amount of epoxy rather than using screws.