How to fix bathroom vanity?

[poppylee198]

 I just noticed this crack in our plastic look bathroom vanity. Any suggestions on fixing it/repairing as best we can? 

[KatieC]

Hi @poppylee198,

Thank you for this great question. Our resident DIY expert @EricL will be online later this afternoon but let me tag members @TedBear and @JDE to see if they have any suggestions. In the meantime, check out this Best Advice article How do you repair a water-damaged bathroom vanity. 

Katie

[TedBear]

Thanks for the tag @KatieC .

I can't think of a better way for @poppylee198  to go,  than the advice given in the previous post which KatieC has referred to. 

[EricL]

Hi @poppylee198

Thanks for sharing your question about fixing your bathroom vanity. The best advice link that @KatieC provided is a great way to repair your damaged vanity. I suggest having a look at the Craftright 300mm 2 Piece Quick Action Clamp to grip the timber back together. My only other recommendation is to use a hair dryer to make sure that the gap between the timber is totally dry. 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your vanity repaired.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[poppylee198]

Thanks so much for your help.  We followed your advice,

including hair drying it first. Unfortunately it looks like some of the cracks have gotten bigger. We haven’t been using the bathroom in this time to reduce moisture in the room. Any other suggestions? 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @poppylee198,

It appears compressing the lower section has forced the expansion of the area directly above it. If the glue is now dry on the lower section, you can attempt to insert the glue into the upper portion and move your clamps up. I'd expect a similar result and suggest placing a clamp on either side of the runner. Place your clamps so their entire plastic foot is on the timber. You've got them partially off the front face there.

Once the timber particles swell and dry out, it would be quite difficult to compress them back into position. Not utilising the room and drying the timber out before applying glue and clamping could exacerbate the issue. You might be better off starting to use the room again, allowing the fibres to moisten and then attempting the glue up again.

Can I please ask how old this cabinet is and if you purchased it from us? If you have good ventilation, you shouldn't expect to see this type of damage on cabinetry designed for a bathroom unless it is particularly old and worn.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

Hi @poppylee198 , further to @MitchellMc 's advice, if it is not a viable option to replace the cabinet or the damaged panel, then I would consider opening up the crack a little with a screwdriver tip so that you can remove some of the swollen inner chips with a knife or multitool plunge blade if you have one. When it looks like it will compress flat again, you need to put a short length of straight timber on both sides of the crack, such that you can clamp the full length of the crack at once. You will need 2 clamps for that.

The reason for worsening the crack is that the clamp at the bottom has forced the timber to bend over the swollen inner chips which has levered the top end outwards and opened up the crack. That's why you need to use a timber strip on both sides so that the sides get pushed in evenly along the whole length of the crack. I hope that makes sense.

[poppylee198]

Hi Mitchell,

the cabinet was in when we purchased the house but I don’t believe it is too old.

is there any warranty available if I was able to locate it/find out when it was purchased? 

thanks 

[poppylee198]

And alternatively, did you say there is the option to just try and replace that panel? 

thank you 

[TedBear]

Hi @poppylee198 .... have you looked into whether your home insurance will cover the cost of a new vanity?

The crack looks like it was probably the result of an accident while using the door.

(Unless you say it isn't, in which case it won't be covered by insurance.)