AVION Travel Trailers

Has anyone had any experience replacing the countertop in the kitchen or bathroom?
I’m afraid that ripping it out could cause damage to the wall

Hmmmmm.... I will be watching this thread because I would like to replace the countertop in the kitchen eventually.

I know it has been done, and I doubt it will mess up the wall. Let’s see what someone with experience has to say.

I haven't replaced the kitchen counter in our Avion YET, but I did in our prior 79 Airstream. I don't see why removing it would cause any damage to the wall. What type of counter are you considering anyway?

Aviongirl1995 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:38 pm Has anyone had any experience replacing the countertop in the kitchen or bathroom?
I’m afraid that ripping it out could cause damage to the wall

Here are some pics of what we did with ours. In the bathroom, the top and sink are new. The vanity was reconstructed with existing and new material. I rimmed the countertop with a red oak backsplash. The tub-side backsplash is higher to keep stuff from falling into the tub. I sprayed the wood with Helmsman marine-grade urethane varnish.

In the kitchen, the countertop and faucet are new. The sink is original. The wood backsplash prevents water from dripping onto a built-in end table. The remaining backsplash is aluminum. It is typically used as edge molding for ceramic tile. The tile on the kitchen and bathroom walls are high-quality stick-on type. It is available on-line from Smart Tile. The splashguard around the range is thin-gauge aluminum sheeting, purchased from a local hardware store

The nosing on the edges of both countertops are also red oak.

The countertops and base cabinets were originally secured with square drive screws. Should you decide to remove the kitchen base cabinet, the cabinet is screwed to the wall and floor inside the cabinet. Some of the wall screws are not secured to the metal studs; rather, they are secured to the wall skin.

Hope this helps and gives you some ideas!

Very nice work, Bob! Looks good!

(Do you have the details for the kitchen faucet? Brand, model, where you got it?)

Similar to most homes countertops are a fairly straightforward job on an Avion. An inexpensive upgrade that can greatly enhance the decor.

Paul,
Here is where we purchased the kitchen faucet. Note that it required elongating the center hole of the Avion sink. The cover plate will not clear the outside lip of the sink without pushing the hole closer to the bowls. I suspect this might be a common problem with most newer faucets used with an Avion sink.
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Faucets/Pho ... 31461.html

Tarnished,
My only comment about the countertops is how they are dimensioned to fit their location. For example, both the countertop and base cabinet in our bathroom are angular to provide clearance for the toilet. The back edge of the top has a 12 degree undercut to conform to the curved wall. I also beveled the backsplash so it too nests snugly against the wall.

Also, I made the mistake of using all the dimensions of the original countertops as templates for the new. Some parts had decayed and shrunk. Fortunately, I was able to graft in a piece of particle board for the bathroom top before laminating the top.

I suppose my work sounds like overkill. But I'm not a fan of using gobs of caulk to compensate for bad carpentry.

Thank you, Bob...

"I suppose my work sounds like overkill. But I'm not a fan of using gobs of caulk to compensate for bad carpentry."

Was your dad like mine? "If you are going to do a job, do it right!" Your attention to detail is very apparent.

Regarding the faucet: The original was Delta.... wondering if Delta makes a drop-in replacement? I might do some research on their website and take some measurements.

Razorback wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 12:34 pm Thank you, Bob...

"I suppose my work sounds like overkill. But I'm not a fan of using gobs of caulk to compensate for bad carpentry."

Was your dad like mine? "If you are going to do a job, do it right!" Your attention to detail is very apparent.

Regarding the faucet: The original was Delta.... wondering if Delta makes a drop-in replacement? I might do some research on their website and take some measurements.

Paul,

Thank you for the compliment.

My dad was very much the perfectionist. He was pretty intense when involved in a project. It's no small wonder I went into automotive engineering. For good or bad, everything was about the details.

Razorback wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 12:34 pm Regarding the faucet: The original was Delta.... wondering if Delta makes a drop-in replacement? I might do some research on their website and take some measurements.

This is what I have in mine, but in the 1987 version. [url]
https://www.deltafaucet.com/kitchen/product/155-DST [url/]
The difference is the 2018 version is set up for PEX and the cartridge is different.