# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  Tile before or after installing vanity

## dman

I'm renovating an ensuite and adding a wall-hung vanity. My tiler reckons I should fasten the vanity to the wall (villaboard) before he comes. My plumber reckons the vanity should be installed after the tiling - ie on top of the tiled wall.
I would have though the tiler would come in first and waterproof the area and tile before installing the vanity.
Does anyone know what the usual practise for this is?

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## Simomatra

> I'm renovating an ensuite and adding a wall-hung vanity. My tiler reckons I should fasten the vanity to the wall (villaboard) before he comes. My plumber reckons the vanity should be installed after the tiling - ie on top of the tiled wall.
> I would have though the tiler would come in first and waterproof the area and tile before installing the vanity.
> Does anyone know what the usual practise for this is?

  Its your choice, it can be done both ways. You will save on some tiles if you hang the vanity first.

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## arms

listen to your tiler (which by the way is a total contradiction to what i would normally suggest)

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## ozwinner

> I would have though the tiler would come in first and waterproof the area

  Sorry to burst your bubble, but tilers dont water proof, they tile. 
Al  :Smilie:

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## Bob Willson

I tiled the floor and walls first on the assumption that if I ever got a new vanity then I wouldn't need to retile the whole lot again. Also, I liked the knowledge that the tiles were complete and not just a decorative trim added on afterwards. 
ps. They also supply a degree of waterproofing. This is however irrelevant if you don't use waterproofed materials in your vanity as the smallest amount of water on a non-waterproofed chipboard vanity will make it swell up and disolve.

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## mic-d

Either way... it does not really matter.  Unless you have a pedestal basin or a vanity on legs rather than a plinth, in which case it's better to tile first so any exposed areas look neat.  I'd do what your tiler wants to do.
Cheers
Michael

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## Ashore

If you are attaching to a wall go to the trouble and expence of getting quality stainless bolst, nuts, screws or whatever you are going to use.
In 9 / 10 years when the thing needs replacing and you need to remove it to replace, you will bless the day you used stainless bolts .  :Shock:    
Rgds

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## silentC

> Sorry to burst your bubble, but tilers dont water proof, they tile. 
> Al

  Better tell my tiler that, he obviously doesn't know  :Tongue:  
Hang the vanity first and then tile. The tiles will cover any gaps between the vanity and the wall.

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## Bin J

Sounds like your tiler is the same tiler I used  :Wink:  ! My tiler also did the waterproofing. 
I too had a wall hung vanity and the tiler wanted to 'tile up to' the vanity. He thinks it gives a much neater finish. This is advantageous if the wall is not very flat - the tiles can disguise the uneven-ness by covering any gaps. He also thought it might just give the wall hung vanity a little bit extra support.  
It would be a real pain in the rear to attach a wall hung vanity to the wall, THROUGH the tiles.

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## renomart

It all depends on the style of the wall hung vanity. I would locate the fixing points first and hang the vanity (to make sure it is all good), then remove the vanity and tile the complete wall. Refit vanity back to wall and replace it 10 years later!  :Smilie:

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## Jacksin

Having had to replace a tiled-in vanity because the cupboard virtually fell to bits, I found it harder to remove as it was jammed in a corner, the slightly smaller replacement then had to be re-tiled in with tiles that were no longer available. Then it looked awful, a real patch-up job. 
Much easier for future maintenance/replacement to tile behind the vanity.

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## Bushlander

Hi Dman.  We have just completed a makeover on our bathroom and we too hung our vanity on the wall - after we tiled the whole room though.  We made sure to waterproof the whole room, just to be on the safe side.  We did have a hard time boring through the vanity, the tiles, the villaboard and the hardwood studs - but we got there in the end!  I've attached a before and after pic if this helps.  Cheers.

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## arms

I think its great that people are finally realising that in a bathroom it is more functional and pleasing to have a fully tiled floor and have the vanity slung on the wall

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## renomart

> I think its great that people are finally realising that in a bathroom it is more functional and pleasing to have a fully tiled floor and have the vanity slung on the wall

  Ditto.

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## silkwood

Most builders will put the vanity in first, then tile, but this is mainly for their convenience. There is no right or wrong, but consider this. Whilst you might find it easier 10 years down the track to replace the vanity if you tile first, the majority of people I know decide to retile when they renovate. So it may not make much difference. This is not taking into account having to replace because your vanity blows out through poor construction or installation. FWIW I'm selling a lot more wall-hung units now, so the tiling is often completed first. 
All the tilers I know also waterproof. 
Cheers,

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## Hybrid

When we renovated our bathroom last year I installed a wall hung vanity after the tiles went on. I relocated the plumpbing and relined the walls. Before relining the walls I took measurements and so I knew where the wall studs were when mounting the vanity.  
I agree with the comment that the tiles add an extra layer of waterproofing between the vanity and the wall. In my opinion, I think it is the preferred way of doing it.

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## workgoose

I always like to tile before adding any furniture in a bathroom, the tiling should be straight enough to give a nice fit between the vanity and the wall. Then you run a bead of sealant along which will prevent any water getting behind the vanity top. Here's a bathroom I did last year, I did the plumbing, then took a photo with measurements, then tiled over it and then installed the custom made vanity. I used 100mm stainless screws into the H/W studs. The legs are not really required, but somehow I feel better having them there... cheers Peter

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## dman

Thanks for all the feedback. There seems to be a pretty even split between the two options - so obviously it depends on the circumstances and personal preference.
I ended up tiling first and installing the vanity over the top. I had completely stripped the bathroom previously and installed the cement sheeting - so I knew the wall was straight and I had put in some extra noggins for fastening and knew where they were.
Also the vanity was the kind with the squarish basin which 'sits' on top the the bench, so there would have been quite a bit of tile cutting.
Anyway - its now installed and I'm very happy with the result.

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