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Need to build a 4' outdoor cabinet for a sink. Materials?

Bruce Griffing

Titanium
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Location
Temple, Texas
I need to build a cabinet for a sink on our covered porch. Over a tile floor about 20' back from the edge of the roof. But always open to weather here in Texas. What materials to use? How to finish? Marine ply? Some kind of plastic? Other??
 
You might look at Starboard, it is used a good amount for outdoor kitchens. It is a plastic and Starboard is the brand name. I don't recall what type of plastic it is, but it machines very nicely with wood cutting tools. I am pretty sure it has a UV protectant in it.
 
Marine ply would need varnish/paint, If it were me I'd weld a steel box section frame (stainless if I could afford it/paint with hammerite if not) and top it with a sheet of 1/4" PVC on top. If you don't mind what it looks like you could use galvanized unistrut to make the frame, that's quick and easy
 
Not sure how bad your weather is there, but Im assuming its not as wet as it is in Canada.
If your cabinet is only getting occasional wetting from blowing rains, than any wood will be fine if you apply a good coat of paint or oil based stain. I have a plywood covered garden shed I painted with barn red stain about 10 years ago, and the cheap builders grade 1/4" ply is still holding up great. Added some 1x2 pine strips and it looks like board and batten. 1/10th the cost...

If you want a wood look, as opposed to the stainless and granite, (which would be my preference here in Ontario) try and find a cedar or redwood type of wood, or possibly even a redwood veneer plywood may be available to you. Use an outdoor rated glue to glue them together with treated screws, or leave them butted up together for that pic nick table look.

Most woods will go grey once weathered, and most woods that are allowed to dry after getting wet will last for years or decades without treatment, so long as they are able to dry after each wetting.
 








 
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