Honestly, getting a new sink in is never as easy as it looks on those renovation shows. Even with a laser level, I’ve had cabinets that just refuse to cooperate—warped wood or mystery bumps underneath. I totally agree about the shims, though I’ve used a bit of composite material in a pinch and it held up fine. Ever notice how some older cabinets just sag in the middle? Makes you wonder how anything stayed put for so long. Don’t beat yourself up—sometimes it’s just the house fighting back.
JUST PUT IN A NEW KITCHEN SINK AND WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE STRUGGLED THIS MUCH
Man, I hear you on the cabinets fighting back. Last time I swapped out a sink, I found out the “solid” support beam was more like a suggestion—ended up bracing it with an old yardstick and a prayer. Those old cabinets really do sag in the weirdest spots. Sometimes I think the house is just testing my patience, seeing how creative I’ll get before I give up. Funny thing is, once it’s all done, you almost forget the struggle... until the next project pops up.
- Had a similar experience last year—thought the cabinet base was sturdy, but once I pulled the old sink, everything shifted.
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“ended up bracing it with an old yardstick and a prayer.”
- Used a leftover piece of plywood and some shims. Not sure why cabinets always seem solid until you actually need them to be.
- Makes me wonder if older houses just expect us to improvise... or if it’s all just settling over time.
- Either way, nothing like crawling under a sink to remind you how creative you can get.
“ended up bracing it with an old yardstick and a prayer.”
Yeah, I’ve run into this more times than I care to admit. Here’s what I do now: check the cabinet base for rot or warping before pulling anything, add blocking if the sides flex, and always have shims handy. Most of these cabinets were never built for modern sinks anyway... you almost have to expect some improvising. Settling’s part of it, but sometimes it’s just cheap materials from the start.
Honestly, I’m convinced half the problem is the particleboard they use in these cabinets. I swapped out a sink last year and found the base was basically sawdust after a decade of drips. Ended up ripping out the worst of it and rebuilding with scrap plywood. If you ever get the chance, using FSC-certified plywood or even reclaimed wood makes a world of difference—way sturdier, and you’re not just patching over junk. It’s wild how much better things hold up when you skip the cheap stuff, even if it’s a bit more work upfront.
