Dry Feet for a Bathroom Cabinet
Options for protecting the bottom edge of a wood cabinet from water in a wet location. August 29, 2005
Question
I'm installing a bathroom vanity that is made of birch plywood sides. The entire piece is stained and finished, but I am wondering if I should seal the bottom edge of the ply where it meets the floor tile. I'm afraid dampness will damage the ply edge. The other option is to lift the vanity an 1/8" or so to raise it off the floor and then trim it out with quarter round. Does anyone have any ideas?
Forum Responses
(Cabinet and Millwork Installation Forum)
From contributor T:
The plastic foot tabs on the bottom would be better. They are 1/4" high which is much better than 1/8". Then use a hardwood toe moulding. All raw edges should be sealed whether it is in the bathroom or not unless, you are using marine ply.
From contributor K:
I agree with Contributor T about marine ply, but you could/should also use clear caulk around the perimeter of the base of the vanity.
From contributor R:
I never run gables to the floor especially in a wet environment such as the bathroom, they either get beat up or discolored from water. I make a separate kick, which you can wrap with veneer or tile/laminate or whatever, but at least it’s easily replaced. The tile works great if you’re really worried about water.
From contributor R:
This worked for me with cabinets set directly on a jacuzzi tub deck (that's a lot of wet). Lay a bead of silicon caulk on the bottom of the cabinet immediately before setting it in place. Let the silicone dry, then trim off with a razor. It forms a silicone gasket, completely sealing the wood from the wet floor.
