Converting an old piece of furniture into a bathroom vanity is a good way to bring a personal touch into the room. An antique can bring back the feel of yesteryear while a fun hand-painted piece can bring a bit of quirkiness or a Mission-style piece can give a bit of contemporary flare.
The design decisions are completely up to you. This means that you are not limited to what is available at the local home improvement store and are guaranteed a one-of-a-kind piece. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Select Your Materials
1. Select the furniture piece to be used. Dressers, cabinets, chests and nightstands are all good choices. A piece that either has a very deep top drawer or no top drawer at all will be the simplest conversion, but any piece can be worked with so long as it is the size and style you would like your vanity to be.
2. Choose your sink. These directions use a vessel sink mounted above the counter because this requires the least amount of reconstruction to your furniture piece. Mounting a sink underneath the counter requires additional cutting and mathematics, and may make a top drawer completely unusable.
3. Choose your faucet. You can choose a faucet that mounts to the vanity or the wall, depending on your plumbing skills. A counter-mounted faucet will be easier to install if you do not have much plumbing knowledge. Just be certain to choose a faucet high enough to clear the top of the sink bowl.
4. Choose your countertop material. Most people prefer a natural stone for the bathroom because it resists the temperature and humidity fluctuations better. Regardless of the material you prefer, choose a countertop that can be custom cut for you.
Prepare the Countertop
5. Remove the original top from the furniture piece. Depending on how it was originally secured to the furniture, this may be done by simply prying the top off or may require more drastic measures, such as sawing it off.
6. Draw an outline of the top of the furniture piece onto the parchment paper. To do this flip the furniture piece upside down on the parchment paper and trace the edge of the furniture with a pencil. The parchment paper will become the template for your new countertop to be cut from.
7. Add room to the edge for a lip if desired. If you want your countertop to remain flush with the furniture piece then leave the outline as it is in Step 2. Most people, however, prefer a small lip for the countertop to extend beyond the edge of the furniture piece. To get this lip add about 1/4 inch to the front and two sides, and extend the back line to meet these new lines.
8. Mark cut holes for the sink drain and faucet. The exact size of these holes will depend on the sink and faucet chosen, but 5 1/2-inch drains are typical of most vessel sinks.
9. Take your template to whomever is doing the cutting for you.
Modification
10. Cut a hole in the back of the furniture to accommodate the plumbing. Use a hole saw or jigsaw to do this, making sure to leave ample room for the plumbing.
11. Cut an opening for pipes through drawers. If there are top drawers in your piece, you will have to use a saw and cut an opening for the pipe to pass through. If you want to be able to use the drawer, cut a rectangle to the back of the drawer rather than just a circle.
12. Place thin boards around the pipe opening in the drawer. The height and length of the board will depend on the dimensions of the drawer, but it does not need to be more than 1/4-inch thick. These boards will form a new edge to the drawer, keeping things from falling out and making the drawer functional. First apply a line of wood glue along the edge of the board and the clamp it onto the drawer to dry. For added security, place a few nails along the board from the underside of the drawer once the glue has dried.
Installation
13. Attach the furniture piece to the wall. Anchor an L-braket into the wall, and then screw the L-braket into the top of the back side of the furniture piece. This allows the L-braket to be hidden once the countertop is in place
14. Install the countertop using countertop adhesive. Apply the adhesive to the edge of the furniture top, and place the countertop onto the adhesive making sure to center it properly.
15. Install the sink. To install the vessel sink, place countertop or silicone adhesive on the portion of the sink that will make contact with the countertop. Press the sink snugly in place, and use a wet rag to wipe any excess adhesive.
Once the sink is in place, insert the drain and connect the plumbing. If you are not familiar with connecting sink plumbing, please see the Resources section for detailed instructions.
16. Install the faucet. If you are not familiar with the installation process for a faucet, see the Resources section for detailed instructions.
Tags: furniture piece, Choose your, edge furniture, parchment paper, your countertop, choose faucet