Bathroom Vanity Water Damage
Don't throw in the towel yet if your bathroom vanity has water damage.
Most bathroom vanities have wood or MDF cabinets, so it's inevitable that, over time, they will suffer from some water damage. After all, they're built around a sink and sit in the most humid room of the house.
Major leaks can cause irreparable damage, but minor leaks, excessive humidity, drips, and spills can also cause problems. The good news is that these are rectifiable with a bit of DIY work.
Whether it's peeling veneer, flaking paint, or warped or sagging panels, learn some techniques for repairing a water-damaged bathroom vanity.
1. Assess The Extent of the Damage
If you've suffered a heavy leak or a slow one that has been causing water damage over time, your bathroom vanity could be beyond repair. When the cabinets are no longer structurally sound, and all the panels are warping or sagging, installing a new bathroom vanity is a better option. This is also true when the vanity is a budget piece, and the work you have to do will be time-consuming and complicated.
2. Types of Water-Damaged Bathroom Vanity Repairs
Some repairs could be worth attempting yourself, especially if the cabinet is structurally sound and it was an expensive investment, customized, or one you have a particular attachment to. Below are some common DIY bathroom vanity repairs.
Preventing water damage to bathroom vanities
Unfortunately, accidents happen. There's no way to guarantee bathroom vanities never get water damage, because if your bathroom vanity is built around a sink, you have to deal with the possibility of plumbing leaks.
However, there are certain materials you can use to limit the potential damage.
Medeiros says he uses prefinished maple plywood, which is far more likely to fare a flood better than other materials like particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
King also avoids using MDF and particleboard. "There are materials that are more forgiving," he says. "Plywood is a lot more resilient. What I do is I use a finish that offers a lot of protection. There's nothing that will prevent it completely. But if you're on top of it and catch it quickly, our finishes will protect it."
Replace Peeling Veneer on MDF Cabinet Front
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Budget vanity cabinets typically use MDF or particleboard for their construction. Often they have a laminated veneer on the cabinet surface. Over time, in the high humidity of a bathroom, this veneer can start to separate from the MDF surface. Repairing this can be a quick fix, and all you'll need is some strong wood glue to adhere it. Removing the door from its hinges first can make this job easier. Handle the peeling veneer with care; you don't want it to peel back further or break off altogether.
If the veneer is completely separating from the MDF and is in poor condition, it may be better to replace the entire cabinet door or buy a new unit.
Repaint Cabinet Doors
Painted surfaces can also peel or flake because of high humidity. In these instances, you may want to give your bathroom vanity a fresh coat of paint. Sand off the existing peeling paint, clean (steer clear of abrasive solutions), and allow to dry.
Apply a moisture-resistant primer before painting, as this can help prevent future peeling. Selecting a satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss paint is better than a flat finish as they're less prone to moisture infiltration, and mold will be easier to clean off if it develops. There are even paints formulated to resist mold.
Water-based paints can take around a month to cure fully, so hold off using cleaners on the newly painted surface for at least that long.
Removing Water Stains from Wood Vanities
There's nothing more frustrating than a water stain on a high-quality solid wood vanity. Unless you mop up spills quickly, stains like this can be hard to avoid altogether. Fortunately, you can remove those unsightly stains with a little work, and your cabinet can look good as new.
If the stain is a light white mark, the water has not usually fully penetrated the wood. You may be able to remove it by placing a dry cloth over the affected area and then ironing on low heat with no steam.
You will likely have to sand down the area for darker, ingrained stains, treat with oxalic wood bleach, and then refinish. Make sure you thoroughly rinse off the wood bleach before any refinishing begins.
Replacing a Swollen Vanity Base or Other Section
If a pool of water has sat in the vanity base, it can cause the board to warp and sag. If the entire board swells up, you could replace the base rather than the entire unit.
When only a portion of the base or another part of the cabinet's structure has been water damaged, you may be able to sand it down or cut a small section out and repair it with wood filler.
3. Check With a Professional if the Vanity Is Salvageable
For a bathroom vanity with extensive water damage, if you aren't a keen DIYer, but you have a high-quality unit or one with sentimental value, you could inquire whether a local carpenter or cabinet refinisher near you may be able to salvage it. However, when the water damage is severe, a complete replacement will often be a better investment.
4. How To Minimize the Chance of Water Damage in the First Place
Although it isn't possible to avoid unforeseen leaks, there are things you can do to minimize the chance of water damage spoiling your bathroom vanity.
Select Vanity Material Wisely
When it's time to replace your bathroom vanity, making an investment in one constructed from materials other than MDF and particleboard can be worth it. Plywood and solid wood are more forgiving.
Reduce Humidity Levels
Excessive moisture can be a problem for your bathroom vanity, especially MDF or particleboard ones. Keeping your bathroom well ventilated and minimizing humidity levels can help to keep your unit in good condition (and your room free from mold and mildew).
Use exhaust fans or open a window during and after showers or consider using a dehumidifier.
Mop Up Spills Promptly
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Regularly wiping away excess moisture on the bathroom vanity is a good habit. Whether that is wiping down the unit faces with a dry cloth to get rid of condensation after a shower or mopping up spills near the sink.
Remove Traces of Mold and Mildew
Look out for signs of mold or mildew and tackle them with an appropriate cleaner straight away. Mold spreads rapidly when left untreated, especially in humid environments. Not only will this damage your bathroom vanity, but it isn't good for your health.
Seal Your Vanity
Applying water-resistant paints or a polyurethane varnish can help protect your wooden cabinet. Making sure the seal around the sink area is in good condition will also help prevent water from entering the unit.
Address Leaks Promptly
A major leak will be obvious, but a slow drip from a leaky faucet or pipe may not be so apparent. Regularly check your vanity cabinets for signs of leaks or moisture ingress to determine if you need to repair a leaky faucet or pipe.
A small leak can become a major one if you neglect it, and the cost of major water damage repairs, not limited to your bathroom vanity, can be high.
Source: https://www.angi.com/articles/can-i-repair-water-damaged-bathroom-vanity.htm
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