Silicone around the edges is a lifesaver, honestly—learned that the hard way after a tenant’s leaky faucet turned a perfectly good vanity into mush. I’ve had mixed results with bamboo ply under sinks, though. It looks sharp, but in one place with poor ventilation, it started to cup after a year or two. Cedar seems to handle the moisture swings better, at least in my experience. Low-VOC adhesives are a smart move, especially with pets around. Never thought I’d have to factor in a dog’s taste for cabinet doors, but here we are...
I get the love for cedar—smells great, looks good, and yeah, it handles moisture swings better than a lot of woods. But I’ll put in a plug for good old marine-grade plywood under sinks, even if it’s not as flashy. If you seal the cut edges and keep up with the caulking, it’ll outlast most of the trendy stuff. Not as eco-chic as bamboo or cedar, but it’s tough as nails and doesn’t mind a little splash zone chaos.
“Silicone around the edges is a lifesaver, honestly—learned that the hard way after a tenant’s leaky faucet turned a perfectly good vanity into mush.”
Couldn’t agree more about silicone. But I’ve seen folks get a little too happy with it, globbing on way more than they need. That can actually trap water in weird places and make things worse if there’s ever a slow leak. Less is more—just enough to bridge the gap, and make sure you don’t block off any necessary airflow behind the cabinet.
On the pet front… had a client whose parrot went after anything shiny under the sink. Ended up pecking through the P-trap cleanout plug. Never thought I’d be called for “parrot plumbing,” but here we are. Honestly, sometimes you just can’t plan for what critters will do.
Low-VOC adhesives are great until you’re working in a tiny half-bath with no window—then you start to wonder if you’re just sniffing glue for fun. I’ll take a little fresh air over “eco-friendly” fumes any day.
Bamboo ply does look sharp, but like you said, it doesn’t love humidity unless you’re really on top of sealing and ventilation. I’ve seen some folks try to “fix” cupping by loading up the underside with weights... never works. Once it’s gone wavy, that ship’s sailed.
If your sink’s off-center, though, none of this matters until you fix the alignment. Otherwise you’ll be cursing every time you brush your teeth and smack your elbow on the faucet handle. Trust me—measure twice, dry fit everything, and don’t rush the install just because you want to be done before dinner. Learned that one with a pizza stain on my shirt and a crooked sink staring back at me...