We moved into our latest house (made in late-70’s) just over a year ago. For most of that time, there was a little water periodically weeping out from underneath the brick wall in front of the house. We didn’t see any signs of water damage inside the house, so we thought it was probably rain water that had penetrated the brick. With all the issues of a newly-acquired house, it was low priority.
However, the outside leakage recently became much worse, even though we haven’t had much rain recently. It looked like the water might be coming from our kitchen. It was time to determine what was really happening.
Our house is on a slab, and is one story at that part of the house. The kitchen adjacent to the front wall is about 17 ft wide, with a sink in the middle (under a window), and the fridge on the right corner. First I pulled the bottom of the cabinet out from under the sink, so I could see underneath. There was definitely some evidence of moisture along the bottom wall plate, but couldn’t tell the source. I then pulled off the baseboard trim behind the fridge. Gads, the bottom plate was soaked!!
That did it. We were going to have to get into the wall in a major way to figure this out. Unfortunately, this required demolishing a significant part of the kitchen.
Although remodeling this dated kitchen was something we wanted to do EVENTUALLY, it was NOT in the short-term budget. However, it didn’t look like we had any choice.
Here are pictures of the kitchen before demolition, and shots of the advanced water leakage from outside.
Good news: Found a great deal on a countertop. A local fabricator had this one in his "boneyard," and I got it for a very good price. Since it doesn't have a backsplash, I'm having him make a matching one that will sit on top (which matches how the rest of the kitchen's currently set up).
Turns out the color is perfect for our cabinet and floor colors. It's labeled "sandstone."
A little shimming and adhesive, wait a bit for it to set, then time to cut a hole for the sink. Progress!
I was starting my motorcycle to go get some construction adhesive from the big box. Noticed some loud thunder -- loud enough to hear over my bike (I have after-market pipes; nice loud rumble).
Then I noticed the mushroom cloud.
This is not a normal occurance for a Texas afternoon. Particularly freaky because there's a nuclear plant not too far away.:nuke:
Turns out some construction crew dug into a burried 36" natural gas pipeline. Three dead so far -- and MANY thousands freaked out!
Tried to install the sink today. Following the instructions, I placed the sink upside-down on the counter, and positioned it properly. I then traced the outline on the counter, removed the sink, and drew a cutting line 1/4" inside the outline.
Before I started cutting, I reviewed the whole outline to assure I had clear cutting underneath.
Nope. :furious:
The inside width of my sink cabinet is 32-1/2". The sink was a 33" sink, so the width of the cut required was 32-1/2. Realistically, no room for the jig saw to cut the hole -- particularly since the sink really needed to be a bit more to the right to center with the cabinet front. So, decided to take back the sink to the big blue box, and get a slightly smaller size.
Did you know that 33" appears to be THE industry standard for two-basin kitchen sinks?????:wallbash: I gave up in frustration and returned home.
Since then I've been thinking that I could have made the side cuts closer-in toward the center, as the sink has plenty of lip. I wouldn't be able to use the sink's clamping system on the sides, but I could either jury-rig an alternative, or just rely on the front and rear clamps and the perimeter sealant.
So, tomorrow I think I'll go buy back that sink and try again.
Dan...just because the guy at the store says that is the industry standard, doesn't mean they aren't other sizes. Just means that's all he's got. Might be worth it to make a few phone calls to see if you can't find one an inch or two smaller. It'll save you more frustration.
What, you think I actually talked to them? Nobody was around. I just looked at all the ones they had on display (plenty), from cheapies to heck-no-I-won't-pay-that-much. Every two-basin model and brand was 33" wide.
But thanks, you raise a good point (as always). I'll make a few calls around to see if I can get something that might fit better. But it will only work if I can get something quickly. The clock is ticking!...
Morning Dan...don't know if I'm in time to help or not, but when we were looking for our sink, we needed one which was not too wide due to the rather severe curve in the kitchen counter.
The one we bought is 31 1/8" wide by 20 3/8" deep. That includes the lip.
It is model FHP200/3 and the name on the label says Kindred Industries Limited, Midland, ON, Canada L4R 4K9.
Here's the kicker...it says made in USA!
So you might try www.kindred-sinkware.com to see if they have something that might help you. I'm thinking Fedex or UPS overnight from the factory maybe....
Morning Dan...don't know if I'm in time to help or not, but when we were looking for our sink, we needed one which was not too wide due to the rather severe curve in the kitchen counter.
The one we bought is 31 1/8" wide by 20 3/8" deep. That includes the lip.
It is model FHP200/3 and the name on the label says Kindred Industries Limited, Midland, ON, Canada L4R 4K9.
Here's the kicker...it says made in USA!
So you might try www.kindred-sinkware.com to see if they have something that might help you. I'm thinking Fedex or UPS overnight from the factory maybe....
Keith, thanks for the lead! I checked out their web site, and all their two-basin sinks appeared to be 33". I did a search on the FHP200/3 model, but it wasn't there. I even called them, but apparently too late for their business hours (my assumption, after 25 minutes awaiting "the next available operator"). A Google search showed a number of units for sale in Canada in March, but no leads on anything here -- or recent.
I finally broke down and re-purchased the sink. Talked to a (seemingly competent) plumber guy at the blue box, and he thought that anchoring the front and back, combined with sealant, should be plenty to adequately secure the sink.
We'll see tomorrow. Didn't have time to start install tonight. Closer I get to departure time, less time I seem to have for working on DIY projects!....
Around posts 48-57, I discussed the Ridgid table saw I purchased to make the kitchen cabinets. I also discussed the fact that all the parts needed to operate the saw didn't get delivered. I had a LONG saga of back-and-forth with THD and Ridgid on the situation, and didn't get enough parts to actually operate the saw until May! Still I've had issues: Missing the proper screws to mount the fence storage brackets, and problems with the two-part fence guide causing the fence to be out of parallel with the blade at certain distances. (Re the final issue, you can see evidence in some of the cabinet photos, where you see burn marks on the edges of some of the cut plywood).
Bottom line: The significant delay caused me to miss my opportunity to build the full kitchen cabinets, and the current product still isn't right.
Resolution? Long story short, THD yesterday agreed to take back the saw and return my money.
The downside? This HD store is 27 miles away (not my closest one), and they refused to pick up the unit. This saw weighs over 400 lbs! I ended up stripping the unit apart as much as possible, but it was still a struggle to get the main part in the back of my pickup. I had the HD guys unload it at the store.
The upside? I'm soon to leave retirement and embark on a new career -- one where I'll be living around the world for the next 10 years or so. Not a situation where I'll need a table saw anytime soon! I've done all I can with the saw, and while I'll miss it, it's great timing to return it for a full refund! (Not that I didn't earn that right, with almost 6 months of ongoing frustration trying to resolve a bad situation).
Anyway, thought I'd share that situation. The saw is gone.
Hi Dan...sorry to hear about the troubles with both the table saw and the sink.
I wonder if the number on our package was for Canadian consumption? The label is printed in both French and English, a concession to our French pals in Quebec.
I would be inclined to think that front and back bolts will do an adequate job for you. What I would do would be to put a really healthy bead of sealant around the sink - two actually. One bead right on the upside down sink, and the other on the counter top.
Put one on about 10 minutes before the other. Set the sink in place but don't tighten up the bolts yet. Give it about an hour to settle itself...by this time the sealant will be partially cured (see what it says on the label for cure time) then snug the bolts up.
If any sealant chooses to sneak outside the sink, now would be the time to clean it up.
Hi Dan...sorry to hear about the troubles with both the table saw and the sink.
I wonder if the number on our package was for Canadian consumption? The label is printed in both French and English, a concession to our French pals in Quebec.
I would be inclined to think that front and back bolts will do an adequate job for you. What I would do would be to put a really healthy bead of sealant around the sink - two actually. One bead right on the upside down sink, and the other on the counter top.
Put one on about 10 minutes before the other. Set the sink in place but don't tighten up the bolts yet. Give it about an hour to settle itself...by this time the sealant will be partially cured (see what it says on the label for cure time) then snug the bolts up.
If any sealant chooses to sneak outside the sink, now would be the time to clean it up.
I'll follow your recommendations on the sealant. Thanks for the guidance!
I got conflicting news on the gas pipeline explosion. Early reports were that 3 were killed and 10 missing. Next morning, only one killed, and one missing -- much better! Apparently a utility crew were drilling holes for new power line poles, and somehow screwed up by drilling in the wrong place. The company apparently did the appropriate checks ahead of time, but the crew may have been sub-contractors who didn't follow proper procedures. The drilling truck was blow into two pieces, the closest of which ended up only 200 feet away...
Just glad the incident wasn't at Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant, which was only about 10 miles away. That would have been a more dicey situation, for sure.
During one of our renovations years ago, we used sealant alone on a temporary instillation of our sink, which turned out to last 7 months, and it NEVER leaked, or gave us any problems at all. If you get the right sealant, you just can't go wrong.
When we finally got our new countertop, a huge 12' L shaped one, we used the same sealer (and bolts) and never looked back, or worried again.
I was feeding at least 8 people 3 times a day at that time, so you can just imagine how much our sink was used.
I sure hope you find the sink you need, or that you can get that countertop cut out. Let us know what happens. There are always pickles to deal with, but I have to say, your work still looks great.
You shold be proud of it, that's for sure. !!!!:thumbup::thumbsup:
Shiela, thanks for the kind comments. I'm glad your sink worked out so well, and hope mine ultimately does too!
This morning I started out early (rare for me) and motivated. I got the hole cut out for the sink, using a downward-toothed jigsaw blade. The tooth direction avoids ripping the laminate off the board, and makes for a very clean cut.
Sink fits in the hole well, but no lip available for clamps on the sides, as expected. However, the sink lip itself is a little bowed up on the sides (tried to capture in the photo).
So I figured I needed side clamps, anyway. Evaluating the situation, I figured I could simply make some notches for the clamps. I drilled and chiseled out a small hole where the side cabinet wall meets the cut-out countertop, and viola: A place for the clamp to fit! One notch in the middle of each side ought to do it. :thumbsup:
Next step was to install the faucets (main kitchen faucet, plus insta-hot faucet) and drain basket into the sink (much easier before installing the sink itself). I'm using the same faucet that was on the old sink, since it had only been in place less than a year.
...However, I forgot that, when I un-installed the faucet back in December, one of the plastic threaded nuts that held the faucet in place had cracked when removing, and I'd never replaced it. :furious:
So, the morning's momentum and energy came to a screeching halt. Now I had to go out shopping before I could continue. However, other priorities came up (lots going on in prep for return to working life), and I ended up being diverted for the rest of the day.
Of course, the night is somewhat young (only 9pm as I write). I might get some done before crashing tonight -- we'll see...... :whistling2:
Nope. Gathered a few parts and supplies together, but never got started -- too many distractions, and too tired. Tomorrow is another day (but not many left).
Keith, in answer to your question: I begin work on the 21st, but have to hit the road earlier. I have less than a week left as a DIYer.
Got the faucets attached, clamps attached (and screws trimmed down, so the ratchet wrench will reach the nuts), counter laid down with sealant, and finally ready to clamp it down.
But..... the side rims won't bend down flush! Even with my wife almost sitting on the thing, the clamp bent and was ready to break. Still a huge gap!!
Very frustrating. Disassmebled everything, scraped off plumbers putty and sealant, and took the sink back to Lowes. Looked at the other two they had, and bought the one with the least amount of arch on the sides.
Took it home, put it in the hole.........AND SAW THE DENT IN THE LEFT BASIN!!! Looks like this sink had been purchased and returned previously. GADS!!!!
Some days, you wonder why you even get out of bed...........
I'm off to Lowes, again. Bringing the wife to help me look over the last sink, to determine if it's worth trying. If not, we'll need to pick another one, and hope it fits the hole in the countertop.
I'm hoping my luck will change this time. Got a different sink, going with a 20 guage instead of the 18 guage we got previously. Ths new one has a flat rim, instead of a rolled-over edge -- should contour much better. Also, I like the clamp system on this one better.
Just making a quick update (only got on the computer to get some unrelated info I need). More later.......... Dan
PS: Keith, sounds like you're also old enough to remember Hee Haw: "Gloom, dispair and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. Gloom, dispair and agony on me." That about spelled out my morning! :laughing:
PPS: Despite living out a ways, I'm only about 5 miles from a Lowes, and 6 from THD. My saw return trip (mentioned in an earlier post) was much longer, since I had to return it to the H.D where I originally bought the saw -- a different town.
After all the drama/frustration of the morning, the rest of the day actually went okay.
The new sink looks a bit different, with more "stamped fru-fru" than I'd normally prefer, but this wasn't a time for lengthy shopping. We picked it because mostly because the 4th hole (for the Insta-Hot) was better-placed than other options.
Anyway, I really like the different clamping method. The previous sink (or should I say, the previous 3 sinks :whistling2 required tightening a nut on a bolt. The bolt was so long, I had to cut it shorter for the socket wrench to reach it; however, by the time it started getting tight, the bolt usually still got in the way. The new sink's clamps use a screw, which worked MUCH better. I cut a few extra notches -- this time in the front -- to help get a better hold, since there wasn't much remaining lip on the front countertop.
I probably could have rigged up a metal bucket with a garden hose, and she would have been thrilled, just to have a kitchen sink again! :laughing: :no:
No, seriously, she's definitely happy with it! :thumbsup:
After re-installing the main faucet, Insta-Hot faucet and supply lines, I put in the clamps and gooped everything up with sealant. I let them set for a while, then plopped the sink in the hole. Struggled to get a couple clamps inserted into the notches (tight space to work in), but got everything clamped up. The sink settled in quite well.
Then the rest of the story: I hooked up the water supplies. I mounted the tank for the Insta-Hot. I installed the disposal (which was easier than I expected; just follow the directions). Installed the 2nd basin's drain basket. Hooked up all the drain pipes (quite happy that all came together with minimal trimming). Took a while to get it all done, but...it's done!
Then the moment of truth: Ran water. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
By the way, in the last photo of my last post, you may notice the existence of a back-splash. The countertop fabricator completed it today, so I took a break to pick it up.
It's just sitting there now. I'll glue it up a little later. (Not tomorrow; Sorry Ghostrider, the pattern is full). There are a couple gentle gaps along the bottom. The fabricator suggested using a piece of 2x between the top of the back-splash and the underside of the wall cabinets to push the back-splash down at the gaps, and to leave it there for a day or two to let the construction adhesive fully set.
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