Build a Custom Bath Vanity

A Custom Bath Vanity with Storage

There are some really cool bathroom vanities on the market today. They also come with some pretty large prices! Most of them are only configured a certain way or are a certain width. So what do you do when none of them catch your eye or fit your space? You build your own, of course! These free DIY woodworking plans to build a custom bath vanity were designed for the bathroom at a house I remodeled so we could maximize the space and configure it how we wanted. The vanity was designed to be on the tall side, and features three drawers as well as an adjustable shelf.

The vanity is constructed almost entirely out of plywood with edge banding applied. This was to keep the cost down as we were using oak plywood (PureBond to be exact!) and solid oak boards are expensive! This way, we could keep the look of the cabinet consistent. The only piece that is different is the Divider Support – that piece is hidden behind the drawers and won’t be seen! The drawers were constructed with cabinet grade plywood. PureBond would be an excellent choice for drawers also but why hide that beautiful grain on the inside?

Our vanity was stained using Rust-Oleum’s Ultimate Wood Stain in Kona and was finished with three coats of their Ultimate Polyurethane in Satin.

Note: Before constructing this vanity, make sure it will fit around the plumbing lines and pipe without interference! We had to cut a notch in the divider to allow for the cold water line which therefore shortened the upper drawer. It wasn’t that big of a deal to make such alterations but had I paid attention to the location of the plumbing beforehand, this could have been avoided! The same will apply to the adjustable shelf!

Materials:

• 1″ pocket hole screws
• 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws
• 3 sets of 18″ drawer slides
• 3 sets of shelf pins
• Edge banding, if desired
• 4 cabinet pulls
• 1 set of hinges
• Finishing supplies

Lumber:

• 1 sheet of 3/4″ plywood
• Half sheet of 3/4″ plywood – cabinet grade
• Quarter sheet of 1/2″ plywood
• Scrap piece of 1×2

Cut List:

• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 20-1/2″ x 32-1/4″ – Sides
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 20-1/2″ x 28-1/2″ – Bottom
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 4″ x 28-1/2″ – Kickplate
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 20-1/2″ x 25″ – Divider
• 1 – 1×2 at 9-3/4″ – Divider Support
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 2-1/2″ x 28-1/2″ – Upper Stretchers
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 1-1/2″ x 9-3/4″ – Drawer Dividers
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 2-1/2″ x 13-1/2″ – Door Rails
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 2-1/2″ x 25-1/2″ – Door Stiles
• 1 – 1/2″ plywood at 13-1/2″ x 20-1/2″ – Door Panel
• 3 – 3/4″ plywood at 7-1/4″ x 16-1/2″ – Drawer Bottoms
• 6 – 3/4″ plywood at 5-1/2″ x 16-1/2″ – Drawer Sides
• 6 – 3/4″ plywood at 5-1/2″ x 8-3/4″ – Drawer Front & Back
• 6 – 3/4″ plywood at 1-1/2″ x 7-1/4″ – Drawer Front Rails
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 1-1/2″ x 8″ – Upper Drawer Front Stiles
• 4 – 3/4″ plywood at 1-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ – Drawer Front Stiles
• 1 – 1/2″ plywood at 5″ x 7-1/4″ – Upper Drawer Front Panel
• 2 – 1/2″ plywood at 5-1/2″ x 7-1/4″ – Drawer Front Panels
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at width (after shelf pins are installed) x 20-1/2″ – Shelf

Step One

Edge banding will be applied before assembly! Cut the pieces for the sides. Cut the notch for the kickplate using a jigsaw. Drill the holes for the shelf pins (only on the side piece that will be on the left!) but only go about halfway through the plywood!

Step Two

Cut the piece for the bottom and drill pocket holes at each end. Attach to the sides just above the horizontal line for the kickplate using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Three

Cut the piece for the kickplate and drill pocket holes at each end. Secure as shown using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Four

Cut the piece for the divider. Cut the arc as shown using a jigsaw and leaving 3/4″ square at each end of this edge. Drill pocket holes in the lower edge (opposite the side that is shown in the drawing). On the opposite side, drill holes for the shelf pins as shown. Secure the divider to the bottom as shown using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Five

Cut the piece for the divider support and drill pocket holes in each end. Position at the center of the divider and attach using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Six

Cut the pieces for the upper stretchers. Drill pocket holes in each end as well as one pocket hole as shown to secure the divider. (Drill the pocket hole on the piece as shown in the drawing, then reverse the dimensions to drill the pocket hole in the other piece.) Position as shown, then secure to the sides and the divider using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Seven

Cut the pieces for the drawer stretchers and drill holes in each end. Position as shown then secure using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Eight

Install the shelf pins to determine the width of the shelf, then cut the piece for the shelf and position it inside.. In our case, the shelf would measure 17-3/4″ wide.

Step Nine

Cut the pieces for the drawers. Drill pocket holes in each end of the side pieces as well as all four edges of the bottom. Assemble as shown using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Refer to this easy tutorial on installing drawer slides. Make any necessary adjustments, then install the drawer boxes.

Step Ten

Cut the pieces for the drawer fronts. Drill pocket holes as shown. Attach the rails to the center panels using glue and 1″ pocket hole screws. The back face of the panel will be flush with the back face of the rails. Attach the stiles to the assembly using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws through the rails and 1″ pocket hole screws through the panel. Locate and drill holes for the cabinet pull. The drawer fronts will overlap the opening by 1/4″ on all sides. Drive screws through the holes drilled for the cabinet pull into the drawer box. Open the drawer, then secure the front from the inside of the box. This tutorial on installing drawer fronts will make things go smoothly!

Step Eleven

Cut the pieces for the door and assemble in the same manner as the drawer fronts. Attach the hinges according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Finish as desired! The free DIY woodworking plans to build a custom bath vanity are easily customizable to fit your needs and can be constructed from any species of lumber.

Other vanities can be found here, here, and here!

Originally posted 2013-08-07 08:02:08.