Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - double vanity
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michaelg
09-08-04, 07:12 PM
how do i convert a simple single vanity to a double vanity. my biggest problem is doubling the incoming water lines.
Doug Aleshire
09-08-04, 07:51 PM
michaelg,
I guess it depends on the size of the existing but the only way is to remove what you have now for countertop (sinks) and install one with 2 bowls. Other ways would be to remove existing and install new single vanity cabinets and install new solid surface countertop with bowls in place. If you do this and want drawers, have drawers on left and right of each vanity base. Then plumbing wouldn't be bad but this depends on your existing layout. Simple T's for drain and same for T shut off valves.
Bear in mind that with 2 sinks there should be;
At least 30 inches from the center of each sink to an adjacent wall or fixture. Nothing worse than an elbow in your face in the morning and lack of space will create this problem.
Hope this helps!
I guess it depends on the size of the existing but the only way is to remove what you have now for countertop (sinks) and install one with 2 bowls. Other ways would be to remove existing and install new single vanity cabinets and install new solid surface countertop with bowls in place. If you do this and want drawers, have drawers on left and right of each vanity base. Then plumbing wouldn't be bad but this depends on your existing layout. Simple T's for drain and same for T shut off valves.
Bear in mind that with 2 sinks there should be;
At least 30 inches from the center of each sink to an adjacent wall or fixture. Nothing worse than an elbow in your face in the morning and lack of space will create this problem.
Hope this helps!
slumlordfrank
09-08-04, 08:33 PM
Funny you should ask, we just did this a month ago. We have a 10' wide cultured marble vanity that originally had only one sink, we considered a lot of options but finally decided to just buy two "self rimming" sinks and install them in the cultured marble. The only requirement was that they had to be large enough to completely cover the hole left by the original sink.
Another concern was that we would lose 4 drawers on the left side where we were installing the additional sink. By running both the supply and drain at the highest point possible in the "new" part we were able to keep the bottom 4 drawers.
Increasing the supply side was easy, I sweated a "TEE" fitting onto each 1/2" supply line and then put two valves on both the hot and cold. IIRC code calls for each sink to have its own valve. As far as doubling the drain, I rigged it so both sinks drain to a common TRAP. I'm not sure what code calls for but since the kit to do that with a kitchen sink is pretty common I'm sure I'm good.
I like to take my time on any job, spending all day working on my house ranks well down the list after playing golf, etc. The one thing that my wife insisted on was that she didn't want to lose the use of that bathroom sink during the addition. So I put in the TEEs and valves and rehooked the original sink. Then I cut the cultured marble for the new sink and installed it and hooked the supply and drain lines and tested it for a few days. Then I cut out the orginal sink and installed and replumbed it.
It's not something that I would recommend for a first timer, but like most other jobs, if you break it down to its basics it's not too hard. I've been sweating copper pipes for awhile, I'd installed replacement vanities and replaced drain lines before, this was just a matter of doing all of those on the same job.
Good luck.
Frank
Another concern was that we would lose 4 drawers on the left side where we were installing the additional sink. By running both the supply and drain at the highest point possible in the "new" part we were able to keep the bottom 4 drawers.
Increasing the supply side was easy, I sweated a "TEE" fitting onto each 1/2" supply line and then put two valves on both the hot and cold. IIRC code calls for each sink to have its own valve. As far as doubling the drain, I rigged it so both sinks drain to a common TRAP. I'm not sure what code calls for but since the kit to do that with a kitchen sink is pretty common I'm sure I'm good.
I like to take my time on any job, spending all day working on my house ranks well down the list after playing golf, etc. The one thing that my wife insisted on was that she didn't want to lose the use of that bathroom sink during the addition. So I put in the TEEs and valves and rehooked the original sink. Then I cut the cultured marble for the new sink and installed it and hooked the supply and drain lines and tested it for a few days. Then I cut out the orginal sink and installed and replumbed it.
It's not something that I would recommend for a first timer, but like most other jobs, if you break it down to its basics it's not too hard. I've been sweating copper pipes for awhile, I'd installed replacement vanities and replaced drain lines before, this was just a matter of doing all of those on the same job.
Good luck.
Frank