Help with vanity/sink design needed.
First, a side-bar and thank you to all you old-timers in Breaktime. My husband and I have been building a cabin for the past – well, since 1991. We started out with little money and zero know-how, on the “3 year plan”. Then, we were on the 5 year plan. After awhile, we changed it to the 10 year plan. Now, we’re on the 15 year plan.
Through it all, Breaktime has been a lifesaver for us. We do most of the work ourselves, and we have lots of problems and questions you guys have helped us with. It’s been a great project. And, now, our two oldest boys are in the construction trades. I’m sure part of that is that we’ve instilled the love of building in both of them, and the satisfaction that comes with creating something useful and beautiful. Probably another part is that they’ve seen first hand how hopelessly inept do-it-yourselfers are, and they want to save others the misery.
Anyway, I haven’t posted for awhile, and I have a question. We’re finally at the point where we’re trimming out the interior of the cabin, and finishing off the bathroom, the only unfinished room. Actually, it’s been sort of finished for about 10 years. It has a toilet, working tub/shower, and a make-shift sink. Once those were in, the incentive to finish it off dimished greatly, so we’ve been working on the other rooms, instead.
The bathroom is really, really tiny. While it meets code, it is impossible for more than one person to occupy it at a time, which is a good thing, I guess. We would like the look and size of a pedestal sink, but would also like a place to store a plunger and cleaning supplies. So, recently, we saw a vanity in a magazine where they had takent the top part of a pedestal sink and basically placed it in a small vanity ( the vanity came out of the wall only 12″) so that the front part of the sink stuck out of the vanity about 5 ” in the front. It sounds weird, but it was really cool-looking, and it would work well for us. How would you go about building such a thing? My thought is to construct a cabinet top much like you would for a normal self-rimming sink, except that the actual sink will stick out several inches beyond the top. Then, we would scribe about 8-10″ below the top edge of the sink to see where the wood would need to come to support the front edge of the sink, and then cut and caulk it to insure a snug fit. Am I on the right track here? Has anybody out there seen or built one of these things? They do sell similar ones ready made at a store where you save big money , but of course they’re not out of douglas fir, which is what it has to be to match the rest of the cabin. Plus, they just don’t exactly fit what we’re looking for. Or, maybe that would just be too easy. We’re on the 15 year plan for a reason.
If you have a guess, give me a holler. I do feel bad that I’ve never posted any pictures of the work in progress, so that will be my goal in the next few months. I promise I won’t post many, but I think you all deserve a lot of credit for our results.
Replies
Drop your pics in the photo gallery, we would be happy to see them.
I think you are on the right track, I have seen these in design magazines before, and I would agree they are very cool.
Just wanted to add, another option although it wouldnt be fir is an old piece of furniture- conversion.
-zen
wnvgbws
I've seen those sinks in Lowes, other places as well.
I wouldn't buy a pedestal sink and do what you suggested, not that it couldn't be done but you just as well get the right sink. You can make the vanity out of anything that you want.
I like your flexibility in your finish date, I think everyone here knows all to well how that goes. :)
Doug
Pedestal sinks are two piece affairs. Nothing says you have to buy the pedestal part. The upper part is hung on the wall, not just set on the bottom so you should be able to build your cabinet around the sink, at your leisure, while still using the sink daily.
The only difference between the sinks that come with their own mini-cabinet, as you described, and the pedestal top, is that the bowl is part of a one piece countertop that sits on the vanity with the curved cutout and has a built in catchall top where you pile the junk you fail to put away after use.
That top, without the cabinet, is probably available somewhere. You'll just have to hunt it down. I would suggest finding a local shop that casts cultured marble products.
Since a separate top may cost you as much, if not more, than the top and cabinet from Lowe's, you might also consider buying the set from Lowe's, throwing out the cabinet and then building your own.
Wn, I like your idea for the vanity, but Doug is right--you might as well start with something like this: http://clawfootsupply.com/product791 and make everything easier on yourself.
Another option is to use Corian and do something like this:
wnvgbws.......lotta letters.
I made this top for an accessible sink. It came with a template for the cutout. There was also a bit of a lip that covered the facing edge.......not much, but enough if you made the top/face properly. I suppose you could do it with a regular ped. top but you'd have to be close with some serious beveling..........
Does the sink / vanity combo you saw have a slight covering lip on that sink? If so, you might buy the one in the store, and make up your DF cab. Or, buy the one in the store and veneer it with DF if that would be possible.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 1/24/2005 7:30 pm ET by calvin
A common solution to this quandry is based on the appearance of the old drysinks, which were a shallow cab with a bowl sitting on top, and a pitcher to pour water out of. If you have seen any old westerns, you have seen what i am describing, when the hero comes to town and checks into the hotel room.
modern replicas offer a bowl that sits on the surface with a drain through and faucets that are wall mounted or deck mounted with a high enough stem to reach over the bowl edge. I know Kholer has one. I'm sure others have many.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
from HD's site ...
View Image
I know Lowes has similar .. plus most ahy plumbing supply.
never seen one this "fancy" ... so there's lotsa styles out there.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA