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How to hide or disguise a pedestal sink

Pedestal sinks were extremely popular during the seventies and eighties, and are still installed in many off-plan homes and townhouse developments. There's nothing wrong with a pedestal sink other than the fact that they aren't very trendy. So, if you want to hide or disguise your pedestal sink, read on...

 

 

Does your bathroom have an old-fashioned pedestal sink? Are you looking for a way to hide or disguise it? The easiest and most affordable way to cover or hide a pedestal sink is to install a vanity unit that fits around the sink. You don't even need to fork out for a new cabinet if you manage to find a nice secondhand one.

 

 

That old piece of scrap furniture that you found in a secondhand store, or lying next to the trash at the side of the road, could very easily become a stunning bathroom vanity... with some elbow grease and a little TLC. All it takes is some imagination to visualise what lies beneath or behind the cracked wood and broken doors.

 

My top tips for buying and restoring furniture:

  • If you see a piece of furniture that you think might work in your bathroom, take a closer look and see what needs to be done to fix it up. More often than not it might only require a few cosmetic touch ups here and there to have it looking as good as new.
  • Be prepared for a bit of hard work. There's nothing wrong with a bit of physical hard work now and then, it's good for body and soul and you experience so much more satisfaction once the project is finished.
  • Sanding, sanding and more sanding is needed for old furniture. You either need to remove layer upon layer or paint, varnish or wax polish. Once you've removed all that, you still need to sand smooth. Start with 80-grit and an orbital sander for the paint or varnish, move up to 120-grit to smooth and then finish off with 240-grit sandpaper. If you have the right tools you will have far less work to do than if you do manual sanding.
  • Wipe clean with a cloth lightly dampened with mineral turpentine before applying the Woodoc sealer of your choice. Woodoc 5 is an absolute matt sealer, while Woodoc 10 leaves a satin or gloss finish. Both are ideal for cabinet applications, but bear in mind that any cabinet should have a suitable countertop.