Bathroom Vanity and Cabinet Buying Guide

Bathroom Vanities

One can easily become overwhelmed with the options for bathroom vanities and cabinets. While it is good news that there are so many options some guidelines will be helpful for you to make an informed and optimal choice.

Let’s start by looking at the big picture.

What Is Your Purpose

What is the purpose of your bathroom cabinet purchase? Perhaps you want to upgrade or change the look and feel of your bathroom.

Another motivator for many people as a need or desire for more bathroom storage.

What is motivating you to make changes in your bathroom. If someone else uses the same bathroom then make sure that they agree with the motivating factors any changes.

What Is Your Budget

Your budget needs to be defined. You may not have an unlimited budget. To cap off your budget at a reasonable level will also help you to narrow down the choices. Do not cap it to such a low level that your options are too limited or that you need to find a great sale before selecting key items.

Consider the total cost of any new sinks, faucets or other bathroom accessories and appliances that will be purchased with for your new bathroom project.

What Is Your Layout

Think about the layout of your existing bathroom and what you would like to change.

Along with the layout you should also measure your dimensions with a sketch of the existing layout. be sure to define the location of windows in your layout sketch. Your layout dimensions will help to define what will fit and what will look best in the space you now have, and this will help you to narrow down the choices.

What About Installation

Many people do not consider options that may relate to installation of their new bathroom vanity or cabinets. Remember that a bathroom vanity is simply a bathroom cabinet that is built to accommodate a bathroom sink, or multiple sinks. Under the sink itself, the bathroom vanity will often double to hide pipes and plumbing needed for the sink(s). This same compartment will also create additional bathroom storage.

Some people consider the entire set of bathroom cabinets as the vanity. Technically, the bathroom vanity is one unit, though it may be surrounded by other cabinets which can create the illusion of a larger vanity unit. When discussing your bathroom project with others who may be involved be sure to agree on the terms so that misunderstandings do not lead to disappointment or confusion.

Choosing Your Bathroom Vanity

When selecting your bathroom vanity, one of the first things you’ll want to know is the dimensions of the vanity you desire. If you are doing an apples-to-apples replacement, you can measure the width, length, and depth of your existing vanity and look for a replacement of equal size.

If you’re remodeling, you need to set the dimension of your new bathroom vanity. Larger bathrooms usually have a vanity width of 48” or 60” which provide more storage and are setup for two separate sinks. For smaller bathrooms, a freestanding or single basin vanity in the 30” to 36” range is also common.

Tips for Measuring Your Bathroom Space

Keep these tips in mind to maximize your bathroom’s square footage.

Plumbing – Pay attention to the location of your plumbing, as this may be a deciding factor on the overall width of your bathroom vanity. If you plan to relocate the pipes or plumbing, then this will give you more flexibility but to move plumbing will add to the costs of the project.

Other Features – Be sure to account for existing features or planned upgrades, such as mirrors, switches, and wall outlets.

Shower & Doorways – Leave space to account for your shower and doorways. You want your new bathroom vanity and cabinets to improve the look and feel of your bathroom and allow for a natural flow within the space.

Counter Top – Determine whether you will purchase your vanity with or without a top? If you will be purchasing the top separately then you will want the top to be at least 1” wider and 1” longer than the cabinet base.

Determine if you will have a wall mounted or freestanding bathroom vanity. Free standing means that your vanity will rest on the floor. A free-standing bathroom vanity can work very nicely in a small space.

Other Features to Look for in your Bathroom Cabinetry

False Drawers

Some styles of bathroom cabinets will have what is referred to as a false drawer. For example, from the outside a cabinet may appear to have three drawers, but only two may be functional drawers. The other is added for aesthetic purposes only. False drawers add to the style of your cabinets.

Hardware

Your cabinets may come with hardware or you may need to purchase hardware separately.

There is a wide range of hardware options available for bathroom cabinets. You can balance between quality and affordable.

Bathroom Cabinet Specs

When shopping for bathroom cabinets, you may see bathroom vanities defined certain ways:

• Sink Base Cabinets
• Base Cabinets
• Drawer Base Cabinet

If a bathroom cabinet has drawers and doors, it may be defined as a drawer right or drawer left cabinet.

Bathroom Cabinet Drawers and Box Construction

Look for cabinets constructed with ½” furniture grade plywood for the drawer and box construction. It is best to stay away from cabinets made with particle board or other filler materials. Some manufacturers may use furniture grade plywood with a thickness of ⅜”. This may be fine but be extra critical about the sturdiness of the cabinets.  The difference between ½ inch and 3/8 inch is 25% and you may be able to tell the difference like a huge difference when critically determining the sturdiness of the cabinet.

Bathroom Cabinet Finishes

Most bathrooms see a lot of daily use, and your bathroom cabinets need to be durable enough to stand up to that. This includes a high-quality finish on your cabinets to protect them from fading, nicks, and other unsightly damage that may occur. Ask question about the finish. A cabinet manufacturer should put a high priority on the cabinet finish.

You’re Ready to Buy Your Bathroom Cabinets!

If you’ve read through this guide, you’ve probably got a good enough understanding to start the process of buying your new bathroom cabinets!