Build Your Own Bathroom Cabinets – Note: Price and stock may change after publication date, and we may make money from these affiliate links.
Anyone who has looked for a vanity recently knows that finding a stylish option that is also affordable is nearly impossible. Anything remotely budget-friendly is usually made of low-grade materials or lacking in the style department. The solution? In fact, building your own vanity out of a storage cabinet, console or even a dresser is surprisingly easy and a great way to get the look you’re after at a price point you can afford. .
Build Your Own Bathroom Cabinets
Start by finding a piece of furniture that fits your measurements. It can be salvaged or new, whatever you like and want. A solid piece of wood furniture is good for both aesthetic and quality reasons. However, particleboard furniture is out of the question, as long as you take care to protect the furniture from moisture by applying a sealer.
The 6 Best Paint Colours For A Bathroom Vanity Or Kitchen Island
To cut the hole for the sink, secure the cutout template attached to the sink with tape and gently cut the hole straight through the paper with a jigsaw (Images 1-3). This step will vary depending on what type of sink you choose. For our vanity, we chose to keep the wood top and install a farmhouse-style vessel sink. This is also a good time to cut holes in the back of the vanity for the plumbing lines. To do this, mark the center line of the vanity and its position on the wall. Use this line as a reference to move the pipe positions on the wall to the back of the vanity and drill with the hole saw bits. A jigsaw or spade bits will also work.
Whether using solid wood or particleboard, you’ll want to apply a sealer to protect your furniture from moisture. Any time you use stains or sealers, it’s wise to test an inconspicuous area to make sure you get the results you’re looking for. Before applying the sealer to the entire piece, test an area on the back and let dry (Image 1). When you are satisfied with the results, remove any doors and drawers and seal the entire piece with sealer (Image 2). Allow it to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are using a satin polyurethane, as we did here, you will probably need to apply a second and third coat, sanding between coats (Image 3).
Pro Tip: Be sure to cut the hole in the sink before applying your sealer because cutting it when it’s dry can cause the sealer to crack.
To keep the vanity in place, maintain proper moisture protection and reduce pipe stress, you need to fasten the cabinet to the wall (Image 1). Once you find the studs, simply screw the vanity into the studs. If not, drywall anchors will do the trick. Once the cabinet is secure, run a bead of clear silicone adhesive along the joint to prevent water from leaking behind the vanity (Image 2).
Favorite Bathroom Vanity Design Styles Inspiration
Note: Depending on your wall material, you can adjust the method given above. For example, when drilling through ceramic tile, as seen here, you must first drill into the tile with a masonry bit. Be sure to research the best way to drill your specific wall material to prevent cracking.
When you’re ready to install the sink, place it firmly in the hole and check your alignment with a tape measure (Image 1). Once centered, trace the sink with a pencil, then remove the sink. Place a line of silicone adhesive on the top of the cabinet and the corresponding position on the bottom of the sink, then carefully put the sink back in place (Images 2-4). Allow the adhesive to dry completely before proceeding.
The sink can now be connected to your home’s plumbing by you or a plumber. Once that’s done, all that’s left to do is install the doors and drawers and show off your great creation.
Find out exactly what it takes to go from dark, dated and dark to light, bright and airy in this small bathroom.
Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Note: Depending on your piece of furniture, you may need to modify the drawers to accommodate the sink and faucet. In most cases, the easiest way to do this is to remove the front from the drawer and permanently fix the drawer front to the cabinet. With this particular cabinet, we were able to cut a “U” shape from the back of the drawer to fit around the pipe so the drawer would still be usable.
Customize any bathroom by using a vintage dresser or buffet instead of a grade-builder vanity. Explore thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets for a piece that’s the right size for your space. You can even buy your house!
Learn how to transform a thrift store find like a wooden baker’s rack into a tall cat tree complete with a satisfying scratch post, litter box and kitty cradle. .
Turn an unused cabinet into modern shoe storage with the addition of hairpin furniture legs and sliding storage shelves.
Build A Custom Bath Vanity
Keep clutter off the floor by transforming wall shelves and elastic into colorful and kid-friendly storage for stuffed animals.
This stock tank pool is how you can relax in the summer sun in just a week – and for a lot less money than you’d expect.
Stop What You’re Doing: Erin & Ben Napier Just Launched A New Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper Collection Mar 29, 2023
This North Carolina Artist and Interior Decorator Has Her Own Fabric Line and Home Decor Collection Mar 28, 2023 She takes her old ugly bathroom vanity and starts nailing and screwing pieces of wood.
Diy Bathroom Vanity
This woman here had the brilliant idea that she was going to get rid of her old vanity and make a new one.
My bathroom is in dire need of a master bathroom makeover! I’ve done this before, but that I didn’t know about DIY or modifications.
Here’s how the bathroom looked after the old top was removed, before the whole thing was removed.
(Interested in this window treatment?? SEE MORE: How to Make a DIY Window Privacy Screen, using no hardware to stay attached!)
How To Build A Vanity For A Pedestal Sink
To make your own vanity, you don’t have to use the exact resources and materials I used, but here is the list for you (affiliate links included).
You know what it’s like when you’re in a salvage store or thrift store, and you see something old and thrown away and you’re like, eyes as big as saucers, “They
I know they are a lot of work to strip, but they are exactly what I was looking for for my DIY bathroom vanity!
Using my circular saw, I cut a 1/2″ birch plywood base. Then, using my jigsaw, I cut notches to fit the leg.
Diy Bathroom Vanity With Bottom Drawers
Once the base of the vanity was built, I needed to figure out how to build and securely attach the sides of the vanity.
Using 1″x3″s of Red Oak, I made frames and glued 1/2″ thick Red Oak hobby boards between the frames.
My biggest concern is how I can attach the sides so that it is sturdy and won’t collapse.
I had trouble stripping the screws, even drilling the pilot holes, though! LOL. At one point, I just gave up and left the stripped screw sticking out. It doesn’t compromise the structure, thanks!
Unique Bathroom Vanities
I also made sure I glued and clamped the sides before putting them in the pocket holes and brackets.
WATCH THE REAL TUTORIAL: Watch the in-depth tutorial on how I made the sides, back, rails, and tiles: PART 2 – Attaching the sides.
I’m sure that’s not always the case, but that’s the only way I know how to do it. 🙂
I ran into some problems with them fitting correctly, as you can see by the gaps and wrong measurements. LOL
Before And After Vanity Makeovers You Need To See
Don’t be afraid to make adjustments if your measurements are small. That’s what faux shims are for. 🙂
VIEW FULL TUTORIAL: Check out my full tutorial on building partitions and fitting them properly: STEP 3 – Creating Partitions.
Home Depot didn’t have a selection of brands of slides, so I just went with whatever they had (next time, I’ll probably use Blum drawer slides, which is an upgrade).
And don’t be afraid to use jigs, washers, or whatever else you need for support as you attach the slides, helping to keep them in place so they’re the perfect, level height.
How To Make A Bathroom Vanity From A Piece Of Furniture
I added the slider to the side of the drawer, using scrap wood to help keep it even.
But I ran into some issues with the drawers I made. You can read all about it in the full tutorial:
Home Depot does not sell Red Oak to that extent. So I had to get creative and glue a couple of boards together to make doors wide enough for the opening.
The only problem is that, since I put so much on the board of the contents, the router actually
Bathroom Storage Ideas To Keep Your Bathroom Clutter Free
I just filled it