How to replace counter? 1989 Lil Bigfoot - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-29-2021, 05:41 PM   #1
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How to replace counter? 1989 Lil Bigfoot

Where all is the counter attached? Do I need to remove the sink and fridge to get at whatever is holding it in place?
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Old 03-30-2021, 01:07 PM   #2
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Still hoping for some answers before this thread sort of dies a sad and lonely death…
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Old 03-30-2021, 01:12 PM   #3
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Sorry I can't be of any help. Didn't want you to think no one cared.
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Old 03-30-2021, 01:58 PM   #4
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Sorry I can't be of any help. Didn't want you to think no one cared.
So very kind, thank you!
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Old 03-31-2021, 12:11 PM   #5
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I removed the sink. there is a sink hold down bracket pulling down each side of the sink. You open the door under the sink you can feel them with your hand. The stove top cover can be removed by pulling up at the front, exposing the burners; ( Put your fingers into the burner opening at the front and pull up the front ), the gas line comes in on the left. The unit can be unscrewed and removed.
I bought a 4x8 foot sheet of Wilson Art laminate.
I removed the original Tempered plastic top with a heat gun. I put on a new HPL ( high pressure laminate ) with contact cement. I replace the wooden edging with white oak molding, I had it shaped at a wood working cabinet shop.
I removed the top of the dinette table, used the Wilson Art plastic Laminate there also. It is a stained oak pattern, it is made with a wood grain pattern stamped into the plastic. it looks like real wood planks.
I gave all the wood doors a new look, (insert face ) , by cutting a new face piece, gluing in the HPL on top of the face of the ugly factory plywood insert.
I removed the old refrigerator, put in a new Dominic.

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Old 03-31-2021, 12:23 PM   #6
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Oh,,, The sink, stove cabinet is screwed to the floor, inside the fridge compartment, ( must remove fridge ) inside the doors (at the floor), below the sink and heater, screwed to the wall behind the sink, stove and heater at the top.

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Old 03-31-2021, 02:55 PM   #7
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Oh,,, The sink, stove cabinet is screwed to the floor, inside the fridge compartment, ( must remove fridge ) inside the doors (at the floor), below the sink and heater, screwed to the wall behind the sink, stove and heater at the top.

Later Kenny
Hi Kenny,

Thank you so much for your details! I also plan to upgrade the table top to match the counter! Now, when you say above that you're removing the fridge, etc., is this related to removing the countertop? Or for doing upgrades to the cabinet itself?
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Old 04-01-2021, 02:26 PM   #8
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I took the fridge out to replace it.
The 1993 "Lil" Bigfoot came with a Dometic 2201 No longer made. P.O. replaced it with Dometic RC4000. The RC 4000 was a portable unit it had 2 wheels on the rear corners, it had a hinged lid on top. It was sold to be pulled to a picnic table, like modern travel suit cases. It was a 3 way power unit.
The P.O. did a nice job of putting the fridge on a tray with heavy draw glides, placed in the opening that the original fridge used. Rather than opening a door like on the regular RV fridges, the whole fridge pulled out with a fake door on the front of the tray, it quit working. I bought a new Dometic 2193. Works very well on gas and 120V, poor on 12V.
When removing the pullout fridge, the tray and draw glides, I had a rather large opening. Cut out to fit the original 2201.
I could see the trailer floor, the back wall, how the cabinet was screwed to the floor. looking up you can see a aluminum shield beneath the stove top.
To put the 2193 in the opening I had to add a shim to the bottom rail, and the right side stile to make the opening smaller.
I bought a 2"x2'x8' solid sheet of hard, wall insulation, I put it on the floor sides and top inside the box, set fridge in place and screwed the fridge in place to the cabinet face frame. There was no insulation in the cabinet.
I removed the paper veneer from all the face frames on the sink, stove, fridge cabinet, I bought 2" wide white oak veneer, It is Iron on glue backed. Bought it on eBay.

Later Kenny
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Old 04-01-2021, 02:38 PM   #9
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I took the fridge out to replace it.
Later Kenny
Kenny, that is a pretty cool setup, thank you for the details.

Just to check though... you did not have to remove the fridge to replace the countertop, did you?

I can see myself handling removal of the counter with what you described about the sink clips and going under the stove... but if I have to move the fridge with all of its various connections as well, will probably have to take it to a trailer shop
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Old 04-01-2021, 03:45 PM   #10
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Fridge doesn't involve the countertop. No need to remove it.
I took the plastic top off. Did not remove the cabinet to work on it. Scribed the HPL to the back wall. The wood edging could be left in place and the HPL plastic could be fit to it.
I am a cabinet maker; pulling the wood edging off and replacing it with new was because the old edging was damaged.
The HPL I used is Wilson Art Nepal Teak, grain embossed into the finished face. You can pull it up on the web. if it is not grained, it will be as shiny as a mirror.

Aside thought.
I bought mock radius corners to go on the aluminum door frame . ( not the door ) It finishes the plastic molding going around the frame. I bought them from ALL-RITE custom manufacturing. all-rite.com

Later Kenny
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Old 04-01-2021, 04:49 PM   #11
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Fridge doesn't involve the countertop. No need to remove it.
I took the plastic top off. Did not remove the cabinet to work on it. Scribed the HPL to the back wall. The wood edging could be left in place and the HPL plastic could be fit to it.
I am a cabinet maker; pulling the wood edging off and replacing it with new was because the old edging was damaged.
The HPL I used is Wilson Art Nepal Teak, grain embossed into the finished face. You can pull it up on the web. if it is not grained, it will be as shiny as a mirror.

Aside thought.
I bought mock radius corners to go on the aluminum door frame . ( not the door ) It finishes the plastic molding going around the frame. I bought them from ALL-RITE custom manufacturing. all-rite.com

Later Kenny
Well, OK! I apologize for continuing to question! It sounds like you didn't actually remove the counter? You added new laminate over the top of it? Let me know if I misunderstood.

One reason I'd like to remove the counter is to also remove the stove (even possibly the sink) and just have surface space there. I've also seen a mod on (probably a Boler) Facebook where the counter extends all the way to the front window. I'd love to do that with a few drawers underneath and possibly a corner cabinet as well.

Obviously, to do that, I'd have to:
  • have a counter custom made
  • remove the top bunk
  • have a different cushion setup in that front area

My son-in-law is a cabinet builder with mad skills, but he is so booked I can't even get them over for dinner. He's *intrigued* by the idea of building for a trailer, but I may never actually get him over to get started.
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Old 04-02-2021, 12:42 PM   #12
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The cabinet top is attached with corner blocks. once the sink, and stove top are removed, the blocking screws can be accessed. It will require a square tip screw driver. It will be glued down to the corner blocking. It can be broken free with a wedge shaped breaker bar.
Getting up above the fridge to remove stove top ???
I have a Bamboo cutting board that covers the sink. a wood cutting board that covers the stove top.
I put a hinged Bamboo cutting board at the side of stove top. It folds down against the cabinet side, 1 1/2" thick it looks very nice 10"s wide, 20"s deep +-.
If I removed the sink fixture, ( left sink in place ) removed the gas burner grills from stove top. Leave stove in place.
Not remove bunk bed, from front wall below window.
Build a counter top that covers the sink, stove top and extends to the right up against the back of the front bench. Have a drawer box built that sits on the front bench seat, ( rests on the seat ) attached to the bottom of the loose fitting removeable countertop counter top. The new removeable counter could have edge banding that is 2"s high and surrounds the existing countertop edge banding. New edge banding along the sink edge, across the front edge to the front bench back, and return to the side wall, scribed to fit the seat back.
If the sink fixture is left in place the counter top could be scribed ( cut out to fit around sink fixture ).
If trailer is sold in the future. sink and stove are in place. Has a removeable countertop, as a plus sales item.
I have been in a windy rain condition. other campers could not cook out side, teardrop campers with kitchens at the back or those with tents. Bring Coleman stove in, put on top of removeable countertop.
Not what I would want to do. I would not remove these items.

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Old 04-02-2021, 02:04 PM   #13
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The cabinet top is attached with corner blocks. once the sink, and stove top are removed, the blocking screws can be accessed. It will require a square tip screw driver. It will be glued down to the corner blocking. It can be broken free with a wedge shaped breaker bar.
Getting up above the fridge to remove stove top ???
I have a Bamboo cutting board that covers the sink. a wood cutting board that covers the stove top.
I put a hinged Bamboo cutting board at the side of stove top. It folds down against the cabinet side, 1 1/2" thick it looks very nice 10"s wide, 20"s deep +-.
If I removed the sink fixture, ( left sink in place ) removed the gas burner grills from stove top. Leave stove in place.
Not remove bunk bed, from front wall below window.
Build a counter top that covers the sink, stove top and extends to the right up against the back of the front bench. Have a drawer box built that sits on the front bench seat, ( rests on the seat ) attached to the bottom of the loose fitting removeable countertop counter top. The new removeable counter could have edge banding that is 2"s high and surrounds the existing countertop edge banding. New edge banding along the sink edge, across the front edge to the front bench back, and return to the side wall, scribed to fit the seat back.
If the sink fixture is left in place the counter top could be scribed ( cut out to fit around sink fixture ).
If trailer is sold in the future. sink and stove are in place. Has a removeable countertop, as a plus sales item.
I have been in a windy rain condition. other campers could not cook out side, teardrop campers with kitchens at the back or those with tents. Bring Coleman stove in, put on top of removeable countertop.
Not what I would want to do. I would not remove these items.

Later Kenny
Kenny, I do understand what you were saying, but sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants! I would definitely save the stove and all the pieces everything in the back rest of the front sofa etc., but I’m really not too worried about not being able to sell this little trailer. I may never sell it, and if I do I know there’s plenty of people out there who want it. Here is a photo of a Boler that’s been redone, this is similar to what I wanted to do. Except if I rebuild the cabinet there would be drawers. And I would probably have more storage in the corner. And keeping the stove inside the trailer is also iffy… If I have ever cooked inside I’ve only ever used one burner and I could certainly use a little portable thing. But mostly I cook outside.

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Old 04-02-2021, 02:07 PM   #14
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And here is a whole system built in the front (rear?) of a larger Boler, I wouldn’t be doing this whole thing, but I certainly find it inspirational!



And I have always admired everything that Ian Giles did with his Buttercup. Nothing in there is original but it is all exactly to his own taste and exactly what he wanted. I like that!

https://www.proud-canadian.com/13-bo...eyond-1/boler/
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