I’m nearing the end of my bathroom remodel and all that is left to do is finish the vanity! That sounds easy enough however, as I have learned, the seemingly easy tasks are never simple. SO with fingers crossed, I have to finish demoing the countertop and backsplash (yay!), install new countertops, complete the new backsplash, and install the mirrors and vanity lights.
Demoing the vanity
Just a reminder, here is what I was starting with.
I kept the cabinets and chose to refinish them. Also, I already removed the mirror (and broke it in the process), so next comes removing the sinks, the countertop, and the rest of the tile backsplash.
Removing the sinks
I am so excited to have the last brown bathroom fixtures out of my life! So let’s get to it!
I started by turning off the water at the valves under the sink. Next, I removed the faucet attachments from the top and bottom of the sink.
After the water lines were detached, I disconnected the drain pipe from the p trap.
Finally, I used a prybar to lift the sink enough to lift it out.
And voila! No more brown fixtures!
Getting rid of the 80’s tile
Next came the tile demo, which is surprisingly fun! I used a hammer to break up the tile and the prybar to pry it from the wall, trying my hardest to not put holes in the wall.
The remaining countertop was plywood and was secured with a bunch of old rusty screws. Pretty easy… Just removed them and lifted removes the plywood.
Repairing the damage…
Try as I might, I was unable to remove the old tile without putting a few holes in the wall. See? Easy tasks are never easy. Time to repair.
There was a large hole in this area, so instead of a simple patch, I decided to remove the drywall completely. I’ve already done this quite a bit, so for how-to information click here.
Here is the finished product… Not too bad huh? I’m getting better at this whole remodeling thing!
I also had a few spots with smaller holes, so I chose to use a wall patch for those. To do this, you infill the hole with spackle, press the patch into place, and add spackle on top.
Finally, to get the wall ready for the backsplash, I had to remove the bumpy parts of the glue that remained from the previous tile. I used a circular sander with low grit sandpaper to remove the big chunks.
The countertop!
While I have completed this remodel by myself, I refused to do the countertops for a couple reasons. First, I like the look of solid countertops better than tiled ones, and second, solid countertops have less maintenance and very little likelihood of water damage.
So I had them installed and I love the look!
The new backsplash
Finally, it was time to install the new backsplash. Luckily, unlike the shower walls, the backsplash does not need to be installed over cement board. Yay! One less step.
To start, I laid the tiles on the counter to get an idea of the layout and placement.
Next, I cut the tiles and laid them on the counter to make sure my measurements were correct.
Next I set the tiles in place using mortar.
I’ve already gone into detail about laying wall tiles, and I don’t want to bore you, so for the detailed how-to click here.
And finally, I grouted the tiles, using sanded grout at the seam between the wall and countertop. Again, for a more detailed how-to, click here.
Finishing the vanity
No vanity is complete without the proper mirror and lighting.
I chose these lights because they tied in the matte black from the fixtures and the brass from the vanity pulls, Plus they were a great price, good quality, and easy to install. Click here to see the lights.
For the mirrors, I chose a simple round design with beveled edges. Nothing super fancy, but here, I think less is more. Click here to see the mirrors.
Lastly, for the faucets, I chose a simple mat black design to match the other fixtures. I love the simplicity and contrast! Click here to see the faucets.
The final vanity…
While working to finish the bathroom vanity, I got super nervous that things might not come together very well and I would be left with a very large piece of my bathroom that looked like a mismatched mess. After seeing the final product I am very happy with the results and it’s good to keep in mind that you should reserve your judgements until all pieces are in place.
The other thing I have to keep reminding myself is that I did this! I did this during a pandemic and the worst year known to man. I’m saying this not to brag, but to remind people that even though life absolutely sucks some time, you’ve got to make sure to pay attention to the awesome things as well.
I’m really excited for the next post… Finally, the big reveal of all the before and after photos!