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Bathroom Vanity Materials- Solid Wood, Plywood or MDF, which one is better?

MDF

  • Engineered wood composite similar to particle board, but denser and stronger
  • Compressed using tiny bits of wood, for a long time and at high temperatures

The benefits of MDF include price as well as the smooth surface. You won’t find knots or splinters around edges, which means it takes paint extremely well.  There are, however, drawbacks to using MDF.  If left unfinished and it gets wet, it will swell and disintegrate.  Also, there’s a chance it could release formaldehyde; a known carcinogen.   Painting the MDF, however, will seal it thus preventing any off-gassing.  So, if you’re looking for a painted vanity, this could be the way to go.

Plywood Materials

Plywood is made from veneers of wood glued into layers that form sheets. Like particle board, this product comes in a variety of thicknesses and qualities. On the low-end, soft woods, quick dry glues, and voids can be often found between the layers. This plywood is usually coated with a plastic that has a wood grain pattern applied because the wood they use isn’t very attractive and may not finish well. On the high end however, it is a very attractive wood and a truly solid choice (no pun intended) for your bathroom vanity.

It will rarely degrade. While you want to be cautious of water damage with all types of woods, high end plywood has a pretty high success rate in terms of holding up for a long period of time. Some people question a vanity that has plywood on the sides or back and wonder if solid wood would be a better choice. In reality, it’s not. The plywood will be more stable over the long run than solid wood. That is because the plywood will not expand or contract to moisture/humidity/temperature changes like solid wood does. If covered in veneer, it will be as stable as solid wood and will not chip/peel except under unusual circumstances. Plywood is an excellent choice for bathroom vanity materials.

Solid Wood

Just as it sounds, a solid wood vanity will last longer and withstand more harsh conditions of the bathroom. However, because it is a wood, it can expand and contract with extreme moistures. Furthermore, wood also has its own natural imperfections, such as knots, discolorations, and veining. These effects are neither positive nor negative. Rather, it boils down to your personal preference. What’s more, solid wood vanities are generally a little bit expensive. Expensive Luxury Beauty is its name.

Durability:

Solid hardwood is the most durable wood material and is made from woods like oak, cherry and maple. Solid wood has the tendency to shrink and expand as humidity changes. Expansion can cause cracks in the painted finish and also warping (in extreme cases).

Benefits:

Real wood is porous in nature so it will absorb water molecules in the air. However, I won’t dare say that real wood is a bad material. It’s been used for centuries and is still the preferred option by many contractors and builders. The strength and durability of solid wood is why many choose to go with wood bath vanities, so it really depends on what you find most important. By keeping humidity in control, most homeowners won’t have any problems with this beautiful material. It works best with a natural or stained finish, as opposed to paint.

So which one is better for your Bathroom?

Cost side

MDF wins in terms of cost hands down. MDF bathroom cabinets can be ideal if you’re remodelling the bathroom on a budget. . Solid wood or solid hardwood vanities cost more but are usually stronger and available in more details designs such as hand carvings seen in antique, country, and transitional bathroom cabinets. Of course, as with many things, you get what you pay for, and we would not recommend MDF cabinets if you intend to install a vanity that will last a long time. If you have the budget for it, we suggest opting for a solid hardwood vanity.

Why Your Vanity Needs to Be Built Out of Quality Materials?

Moisture and humidity can wreak havoc on a low-quality vanity made from particle board. These conditions can cause your vanity to crack, warp, and discolor over time.

Vanities must be strong enough to support the weight of a heavy countertop. Poor materials will lead to sagging and drooping in the center of your vanity where the countertop and basin are the heaviest. Over time, sagging will worsen. In most cases it won’t collapse completely but it will lead to cracks. The seal between your vanity and it’s top will likely break as well.

If you need professionals to handle with your vanities, find orton. 

Visit:https://ortonbaths.com/is-a-one-piece-toilet-worth-considering/

Visit:https://ortonbaths.com/what-constitutes-a-two-piece-toilet/

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How to Install Shower Doors on Tile

Glass shower doors are a perfect completion to a tiled shower enclosure, offering a more attractive and effective water containment than a traditional shower curtain and rod. Glass doors can be clear or frosted for privacy, and there is a range of track finishes to match almost any bathroom décor.

Step 1

Clean the tile surface with a household cleaner to remove any film or dirt from the tub ledge and tile surfaces where the frame of the shower door is to be installed.

Step 2

Measure the inside width of the shower at the top surface of the tub ledge, from wall to wall. Mark this dimension on the bottom track piece of the shower door frame.

Step 3

Use a hacksaw to cut the bottom track piece to the length determined in Step 2. Use a metal file to smooth any rough edges from the cut. Also use the file to ease the lower corners at the ends, if necessary to allow the track piece to fit firmly flat on top of the tub ledge. Important: Make certain the deeper door channels are facing up before marking and making any modification to the track corners.

Step 4

Place the bottom track piece on top of the tub ledge, centring it on the flattest portion of the ledge surface. Measure the distance to the edge of the tub ledge to confirm the track is centred, then use masking tape to temporarily secure the track in position. Tape both ends, the middle and along the track as needed to hold it firmly in place. Use a soft-lead pencil to draw a line along the front edge of the track on the tub ledge.

Step 5

Position the right-side vertical frame piece against the right wall, slipping the lower end into the bottom track. Make certain the side-frame piece fits down fully into the bottom track. Use a metal file to ease the lower corners of the track slightly, if necessary to get a tight fit into the lower corner where the tub ledge and the wall tile meet.

Step 6

Use a level to hold the frame piece plumb. Mark the screw holes in the track on the tile surface with a pencil. Set the vertical track piece aside.

Step 7

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for the left-side vertical side frame piece.

Step 8

Center-punch the screw hole locations marked in Steps 6 and 7, using a hammer and a nail set. It is only necessary to nick the tile glazing slightly as a pilot point for the holes.

Step 9

Use an electric drill with a 3/16-inch masonry or tile-cutting bit to slowly drill out each screw hole. Surface chipping can be minimized by placing a small piece of masking tape over the mark before drilling. After drilling the hole, use a hammer to tap plastic screw anchors into each hole.

Step 10

Remove the tape holding the bottom track in place. Turn the track over and run a 1/2-inch bead of silicone caulk in its front and rear channels. Keep the bead slightly higher than the depth of the channel flanges.

Step 11

Place the bottom track in position, aligned with the pencil lines marked in Step 4, and press it down flat on the tub ledge surface.

Step 12

Run a 1/2-inch bead of silicone caulk in the front and rear channels of the right-side vertical frame piece. Keep the bead slightly higher than the depth of the channel flanges.

Step 13

Position the right-side vertical frame piece in place, inserting the lower end into the bottom track. Make certain not to move the lower track out of alignment with the pencil lines you made on the tub ledge. Align the side track with the screw anchors installed in Step 9. Use a Phillips screwdriver to insert the screws provided with the track into each anchor location. Tighten them until the track is held firmly against the tile wall surface.

Step 14

Repeat Steps 12 and 13 for the left-side vertical door frame.

Step 15

Measure the inside width of the shower at the top of the two vertical door frame pieces, from wall to wall. Mark this dimension on the top door track piece of the shower door frame.

Step 16

Use a hacksaw to cut the top track piece to the length determined in Step 2. Use a metal file to smooth any rough edges from the cutting.

Step 17

Insert the top door track piece into position. Secure to the vertical side track pieces with the screws provided, inserting the screws through the predrilled holes at both ends of the track.

Step 18

Install the inside door by slipping the top of the door panel into the upper inside channel, then swinging the bottom of the door panel into the lower inside track. Position the inside door panel against the vertical wall frame nearest the showerhead. Install the plastic panel guide into the bottom track, just behind the inside vertical edge of the door. Secure the guide in place with the screws provided.

Step 19

Repeat Step 18 to install the outer shower door panel into the outer door channel, with the towel bar/handle facing outward.

Step 20

Install the door bumpers in the vertical track channels by snapping the bumper tabs into the predrilled holes in the channels.

Step 21

Apply a 1/8-inch bead of silicone caulk around the outside and inside of the door frame where the frame meets the tile and tub ledge surface. Allow the caulk to cure for a minimum of 24 hours before exposing it to moisture.

Must Check:https://ortonbaths.com/the-drawbacks-of-a-two-piece-toilet/

Must Check:https://ortonbaths.com/the-significance-of-wc-in-european-toilet-terminology/

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Tips of getting good quality vanities!

How is the quality of your vanity shopped online? Tips of getting good quality vanities

1. Appearance

You need to check the appearance of the vanity.

  • Observe the vanity surface. On the upper /lower/left/right sides of the cabinet, black lines, dead knots, scratches, particles, dark spots, broken skin, color difference, wrinkles and other defects should not be allowed.
  • Check the inside of the cabinet with your hands. In principle, there should not be any internal defects. If any minor flaws are found, they can be ignored without affecting normal use.
  • The finish of the bathroom cabinet should be smooth, without particles, roughness, fogging, scratches, pinholes etc.
  • Use a tape measure to check the dimensions of the bathroom vanity to see if it is the same size as the one you ordered.
  • The color of the actual arrival product should very much match the product shown on the product page of the website. Color difference which mainly depends on the color depth error and the color error at the joint. Generally, the color of the entire bathroom vanity should be consistent and there should be no difference.
  • The cabinets cannot be inclined or asymmetrical. Things should not be moved while placed on cabinets.

2. Material

After the surface inspection, look at the material. The quality of the material will decide the service life of the bathroom cabinets. Unfortunately, there are quite few businesses on the market that use inferior materials to impersonate high-quality materials. Therefore, you must pay attention to the inspection of your goods.

  • The consistency of materials. You will not want to have different tones from different batch.
  • No crack is allowed.
  • No insect or decay are allowed
  • The materials used must meet the requirements of environmental protection and cannot contain substances that are harmful to human body.

3. Cabinet Doors, drawers

The gap between the cabinet doors should not be more than 3mm. The left and right door panels should be neat and there should be no visual fluctuations. If it is a push-type drawer, the distance between the edge of the drawer and the cabinet should not exceed 3mm. If the gap is too large, water vapor can easily enter and corrode the cabinet contents. However, the gap should not be too small, otherwise the friction, resulting in poor opening and closing, and will affect the product life. During the inspection, check the guide rails of the drawer. A good guide rails can enter and exit freely after a reasonable load without noise.

The door hinge is also the focus of acceptance. The door hinge should be open and closed freely and should not be too loose or too tight. In addition, pay attention to whether the installation position of the door hinge is reasonable and whether it will affect daily use. Finally, check the door hinge for rust.

4. Washbasins

The washbasin is an important part of the bathroom cabinet and is in contact with water every day, so it is also important to check. The surface of the wash basin should be smooth without scratches, and the glaze is smooth and free of bumps. In addition, the water drain under the basin should also be checked to see if it can be easily taken and put and if it will be easy to block.

5. Legs

To check whether the four legs of the cabinet are stable and whether they are on the same level. If the four legs of the cabinet are not stable, the cabinet body is easily stressed. This not only affects the appearance, but will also seriously affect the service life of the bathroom vanity.

Good luck on choosing a good quality vanity!!!