Just to show you

[Esther]

a simple project I'm working on right now. Somewhere along the line years ago I discovered that when I apply self stick tiles to the floor of the vanity under the sink and drawer bottoms, they hold up better. When something leaks, it wipes off a lot easier and better than when the surfaces are wood. I have done that to all the areas below the sinks and laundry tubs + kitchen drawers, in my house and both duplexes. The tiles I'm using today were 17 cents apiece. It cost $1.87 to do the new vanity.

[CT]

What a great idea Esther. I'm going to do that..now for the time 

[Cindi]

That's an excellent idea!     Now why didn't I know you did that in the past?  LOL!!!  When we moved into the new house I put contact paper on all the shelves and such.  What a chore that was!!   

[Teresa]

I used melamine (the countertop stuff) as a base in the cabinet beneath my kitchen sink . . . worked well, but not nearly as do-it-yourself friendly as your idea . . . .

[Esther]

Teresa, that would be even better but a royal pain to work with I bet.  You'll find this hard to believe but one of the duplexes we own has "formica" on all the exterior surfaces of the cupboards. That stuff holds up to most anything. I actually have used a straight edge razor blade to clean them before scrubbing.  The only problem is on some of the corners and they have been chipped up a bit. But it's to be expected seeing it was built in the 60s.

[GAJen]

Esther you're brilliant. We have a time with one spot under our sink so I'll try this.

[Teresa]

I didn't cut the formica/melamine stuff, had it done for me.  And the young man used a leveling compound under it . . . it's held up very well, I must say.  See the problem was that the floor of the cupboard had already been exposed to leaks for a lengthy period of time and was warped and rotted in places.  It needed serious repair and it got it.  Like I said, not a do it yourself project unless you are far more handy than most of us . . . . I love it tho cuz it's so sturdy and stable.

[Esther]

You're right. Pete and I have done formica before but I'm just the 3rd and 4th hands. We've used that leveling stuff on the floor in a basement where we had taken out a water holding tank for a well and were putting in a bathroom. The floor was a terrible misshapen mess. The leveling stuff solved the problem.