A DIY Bathroom Vanity can make a bathroom look more modern and save money, as opposed to the pricier vanities you’d buy at a store. Learn how to make your own vanity here.

DIY Bathroom Vanity

I am so excited to FINALLY have this project complete! I decided to build my boys a new double bathroom vanity about one year ago. Their toilet tank leaked and warped the side of their existing vanity, so this was what initially led to the new build. The original vanity had the entire cabinet touching the bathroom floor so to avoid this problem happening again, I decided to design a vanity with legs (and fix the leaking tank). I purchased the countertop and began building the cabinet.

While I was building the vanity, it occurred to me that there may not be tile under the existing cabinet. So, I pulled the warped cabinet away from the floor and realized that the bathroom floor tile stopped where the cabinet began. This created a new issue. I didn’t have any leftover tile. So, before I installed the new vanity, I had to have the bathroom retiled.

We’ve all heard the saying “if you give a mouse a cookie”… I wanted to pick a more modern tile but the tile selections that I liked went with white, not the beige colors that existed in the shower surround. To top that off, the toilet and tub were biscuit color and not white. So, I was left with the options to either find a floor tile that matched the existing tub surround and biscuit colored finishes or completely gut the bathroom and start fresh. I had already invested so much into the new countertop and I wanted the finished vanity to have a very modern farmhouse feel. So, I opted to gut the entire thing.

I put the vanity build on hold because I wasn’t ready to begin remodeling their entire bathroom. I got side-tracked doing other projects and how-to videos and the unfinished vanity sat at the back of my shop collecting sawdust and spider webs, along with the countertop. This year, I made the commitment to get this bathroom reno and vanity build done as my first project of the year and I am happy to report that it is done and only took about 2 weeks from demo to finish!

I am absolutely THRILLED with the new double vanity and their new modern farmhouse bathroom! I can’t wait to do the same for my master bathroom! This vanity was actually a very easy build and I found a beautiful quartz countertop that I was able to order and install myself, sinks included! So, let’s get to building, just follow the tutorial below!

CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO THE FREE PRINTABLE DIY Bathroom Vanity Plans

The Supplies

The Tools

How to Build a DIY Bathroom Vanity

Note: I ripped the round edges off of some of the 2x boards. The width of the boards is noted in the cut list. This is not a necessary step but if you choose not to rip your boards, adjust the plans accordingly.

Step 1: Build the DIY Vanity Cabinet

Attach the Vanity Side Panels

Kreg Jig

I cut the cabinet sides and bottom to size. Then, I used my Kreg Jig to drill 3/4″ pocket holes on all sides of the bottom pieces and both edges of the side panels.

Attaching the Side Panels

I attached the bottom piece to the side panels with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. The panels should extend 2 1/4″ from the bottom of the bottom piece.

Sides and Bottom of Vanity

This is what the cabinet base should look like at this point.

Attach the Middle Panels

Attaching the Middle Dividers on the DIY Bathroom Vanity

Next, I cut the middle cabinet pieces to size and drilled 3/4″ pocket holes on the front and bottom edges. I attached them to the bottom of the cabinet with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Bathroom Cabinet with Dividers

This is what the cabinet base should look like at this point.

Step 2: Build the Vanity Face Frame

Attach the Legs to the Aprons

Attaching the Top of the Vanity Face Frame to the Sides

Once the cabinet base was finished, I cut the legs and front, top and bottom aprons to size. Then, I drilled 1 1/2″ pocket holes into both ends of the apron pieces. I attached the apron pieces to the legs with 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. The top apron should be flush with the top of the legs. The bottom apron should be attached 2 1/2″ from the bottom of the legs.

Attach the Middle Frame Pieces

Bathroom Vanity Face Frame

I cut the middle face frame pieces to size and drilled 1 1/2″ pocket holes at the ends.

Attaching the Face Frame to the DIY Bathroom Vanity

Then, I attached the vertical pieces to the top, bottom and the horizontal pieces to the vertical pieces with 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Attach the Face Frame

DIY Bathroom Vanity with Face Frame Attached

Once the face frame was assembled, I attached it to the cabinet with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue, from the cabinet bottom, side and middle panels and into the face frame. The cabinet bottom should be flush with the bottom apron. The side panels should be flush with the top of the legs and inset 3/4″.

Step 3: Build the Back Frame

Attach the Legs to the Aprons

Back Frame Assembly

I cut the back apron pieces to size. Then, I drilled 3/4″ pocket holes into the ends of both apron pieces. I attached them to the two remaining legs with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. The top apron should be flush with the top and front of the legs. The bottom apron should be flush with the front of the legs and 2 1/2″ from the bottom of the legs.

Attach the Middle Frame Pieces

Back Frame DIvider Supports

Next, I cut the middle frame pieces to size and drilled 3/4″ pocket holes at both ends. I attached them to the top and bottom apron pieces with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Attach the Back Frame

Applying Wood Glue

I attached the back frame to the cabinet with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue, from the cabinet bottom, side and middle panels and into the back frame.

Attaching the Vanity Bakc Frame

The bottom apron should be flush with the front of the legs and the cabinet bottom. The top apron should be flush with the top and front of the legs.

Step 4: Assemble the Cabinet Drawers

Attach the Sides to the Drawer Bottom

Attaching the Drawer Sides

I cut the drawer bottoms and side pieces to size. Then, I drilled 3/4″ pocket holes around the edges of the bottom pieces and 3/4″ holes at both ends of the side pieces. I attached the side pieces to the drawer bottom with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue. I used my Kreg Right Angle Clamp to hold the pieces together while I attached them.

Drawer Bottom with Sides

This is what the drawer should look like at this point.

Attach the Front and Back to the Drawer

Attaching the Front and Back Drawer Pieces

I cut the front and back pieces to size and attached them to the bottom and side pieces with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Drawers Assembled

This is what the drawer should look like when it is assembled. Build three drawers.

Install the Drawers

Marking for the Drawer Slides

I used a spacer to mark where I wanted the front of my drawers to be on the inside of the cabinet. (Note: I had not purchased my drawer pulls when I did this. If you use the same drawer pulls as I did, use a spacer that is the same thickness as your drawer face to accommodate for how far the pulls wills stick out).

Attaching the Drawer Slides

Then, I used the Kreg Drawer Slide Jig to install the drawer slides to the inside of the cabinet. This tool makes it super easy and fool-proof to install drawer slides! Once I marked where I wanted the front of my drawers, I used a Kreg Face Clamp to hold the drawer slide jig in place. Then, I added one drawer slide screw at the front of the slide. I used a level to make sure the slide was level, then added a second screw at the end.

Kreg Jig Face Clamp

Once I finished on one side, I followed the same steps to attach the drawer slide on the other side.

Kreg Jig Drawer Slide Jig

Once both sides were attached to the inside of the cabinet, I flipped the drawer side jig around and attached it to the face frame with the Kreg Face Clamp. I set the drawer on top of the drawer slide jig, extended the slides and attached them to the drawer with screws. I did the same for the 2 remaining drawers.

Attach the Drawer Faces

Use spacers to attach the drawer faces

I cut the drawer faces to size. Then I used index cards to create a gap around the perimeter of the drawer faces.

Wood glue on drawer

Next, I attached the drawer faces to the to the front of the drawers with wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails.

Attaching the drawer faces

To avoid nail holes, I shot the brad nails from the inside of the drawer and into the back of the drawer face.

Attached drawer faces

This is what the vanity looks like with the drawer faces attached.

Step 5: Attach the Side Panel Trim

Attach the Trim to the Side Panels

Attaching the side trim on the bathroom vanity cabinet

I cut the side trim pieces to size and attached them to the sides of the vanity with 1 1/4″ brad nails and wood glue, from the inside of the cabinet and into he back of the side panel trim. The top and bottoms of the the side trim pieces should be flush with the top and bottom of the vanity.

Step 6: Build the Doors

Attach the Front Trim

Attaching the side trim to the door

To build the doors, I cut the door panels to size, first. Then, I measured and cut the front trim to size. I cut the 45° angle off of the first piece of trim, marked for the second cut and then cut the other end at 45°. I used the first piece to mark for the opposite side piece (because they should be the same measurement) and cut the opposite piece to size. I attached the two door trim pieces with 3/4″ pin nails and wood glue.

Measure and cut for the trim

For the two remaining trim pieces, I cut a 45° angle off of one end, held the piece upside down against the door and marked for the second cut. I cut the last trim piece the same way and attached them both with 3/4″ pin nails and wood glue.

Trim on vanity door

This is what the door looks like after the front trim is attached.

Attach the Decorative Trim

I cut the decorative door trim to size. Then, I centered the vertical piece and attached it to the door panel with 3/4″ pin nails and wood glue. Next, I centered the two horizontal pieces and attached them the same way.

Attach the Side Door Trim

Attaching the trim

For the side door trim, I cut a 45° bevel off of one end. I held it up to the door and marked for the second 45° cut. I attached it to the door with 1 1/4″ brad nails and wood glue.

Building the vanity door

I followed the same steps with the other three sides. Build two doors.

Step 7: Paint the Vanity

Add a Finish

How to build a barn door bathroom vanity

I gave the entire vanity a good sanding and filled all visible nail holes with wood filler. (I had to try the countertop on for size 😉 ) If you choose to add a back to your vanity, this is the time to do it. I opted for no back to make it easier to install around the sink pipes.

Step 8: Installing the Sinks to the Counter

If you don’t want to use a quartz countertop, you can make a planked countertop with wood! I’m sharing how I attached the quartz countertop below!

DIY bathroom countertop

Rather than hiring a countertop company, I opted to purchase this DIY friendly quartz countertop. It was VERY easy to install, it’s absolutely beautiful and it was less expensive and less of a hassle than hiring it out. The first step is to flip the countertop upside down and wipe the area where the sink will be with a damp cloth. Note: I assembled the countertop on top of the vanity and used a few beach towels underneath to protect the quartz.

Bathroom vanity sink

Do the same thing with the outer edge of the sink that will touch the countertop.

Silicone

To adhere the sink to the countertop I ran a bead of clear, waterproof sealant along the bottom of the countertop where the sink would attach.

How to install an undermount sink

I laid the sink upside down over the sink opening on the bottom of the countertop.

Undermount bathroom sink

I made sure that the drain hole was centered on the sink opening from underneath.

Undermount sink installation

I secured the sink in place with the hardware provided.

Water-resistant silicone

Once the hardware was attached, I ran another bead of silicone around the edges of the sink.

Applying silicone to the undermount sinks

Then, I smoothed the silicone out with my finger. This will make sure there are not gaps between the silicone and the sink and will remove any excess silicone.

Installing the sinks to the countertop

Once the sinks were installed, I let the silicone dry for 24 hours.

Step 9: Installing the Vanity on the Bathroom Wall

Leveling the bathroom vanity

While the silicone was drying, I brought the vanity into the bathroom and used a level to make sure it was sitting level. Mine was level but if yours isn’t, you can use some shims under the legs to level it out.

Wall spacer

I decided to attach the vanity to the studs behind the wall to keep it secure. This is not a necessary step but highly recommended! Because of the 3/4″ inset on the back apron, I used three 3/4″ shims to attach the apron to the wall. I marked for the studs behind the wall to know where to put the shims. I put wood glue on each shim.

Nailing a shim behind the cabinet

Then, I slid a shim behind the apron and attached it to the apron with 1 1/4″ brad nails, from the apron and into the shim. I put a shim at the middle and both ends of the vanity.

Attaching the back of the vanity to the wall

Once the shims were attached, I used 3″ wood screws to attach the vanity to the wall, through the apron and into the wall.

Installing the bathroom vanity

Here is what the vanity looks like installed in the bathroom. Next it was time to bring in the countertop!

Step 10: Installing the Countertop

Applying adhesive to attach the countertop

I put a glob of adhesive on top of each vanity leg.

Quartz countertop

I laid the countertop on top of the vanity and let the adhesive dry for 24 hours.

Step 11: Installing the Hardware

Installing the Drawer Pulls

Long drawer handles

The drawer pulls that I bought came with 1 1/2″ screws. You can watch the video below to see how I avoid a trip to the hardware store to buy longer screws! It’s an easy tip and it works every time!

Flat black drawer pulls

Success!

Attach drawer pulls

Well, almost 😉 Check out the video below to see how I made a pretty big mistake that ended up being for the better!

Vanity drawers

Success! I love the contrast between the white paint and the barn wood!

Attaching the Barn Door Hardware

Attaching the barn door track

This barn door hardware kit is inexpensive and it’s so easy to install! The instructions are the best so I made a quick video to show you how I install my hardware! Watch how to install the barn door track in the video below!

Attaching the barn door hangers

Watch the video below to see how I installed the barn door hangers!

Because this vanity has two barn doors, you will need to purchase an extra set of barn door hangers.

Plumbing

I hired a plumber to install the pipes to the sinks and install my faucets and that was it!

DIY Double Bathroom Vanity

I am so in love with my boys new DIY Bathroom Vanity! It has a ton of storage and it’s so unique with the sliding barn doors!

Barn door floor guide

To keep the doors from swinging, I purchased these Barn Door Guides separately. The Barn Door Kit includes guides but they are floor mount

Bathroom vanity – free plans

I love this gray quartz countertop!

These matte black faucets match the barn door and pulls perfectly!

How to build a bathroom vanity
DIY Barn door bathroom vanity

I am so happy with the way my boys bathroom turned out! The DIY Bathroom Vanity really takes it to the next level and looks like a custom piece of furniture. I searched online for vanities and couldn’t find anything that I loved as much as the vision I had for one in my head. It was a very easy build and I can’t wait to tackle the other bathrooms in my home – starting with my master bathroom 😉

Sources for Items in this Bathroom

Like something else that you see in this space? Check out the links below for the sources!

I’ll be sharing the rest of their bathroom renovation soon!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy Building!

You can find more of our DIY Bathroom Vanity Free Plans Below

5 from 2 votes

DIY Bathroom Vanity

Learn how to build this DIY Bathroom Vanity with free plans by Shanty2Chic. This vanity has two sliding barn doors and three drawers making it functional and a beautiful piece for any bathroom in your home!
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE FULL SET UP PLANS INCLUDING THE SUPPLY LIST

Tools

  • Miter Saw
  • Kreg Jig
  • Drill
  • Nailer
  • Pin Nailer (optional)
  • Table Saw (optional)
  • Kreg Drawer Slide Jig (optional)

Supply List

  • 2 3/4"x48"x96" Hardwood Plywood (Birch)
  • 1 1/4"x48"x96" Hardwood Plywood (Birch)
  • 1 2x6x8 Framing Lumber
  • 3 2x4x8 Framing Lumber
  • 1 2x2x8 Pine or Ripped from a 2×4
  • 1 1x8x8 Whitewood or Common Boards
  • 4 1x6x8 Whitewood or Common Boards
  • 4 1x4x8 Whitewood or Common Boards
  • 1 1x3x8 Whitewood or Common Boards
  • 4 1x2x8 Whitewood or Common Boards
  • 4 1/4"x2"x48" Craft Boards
  • 2 1/2" Pocket Hole Screws
  • 1 1/4" Pocket Hole Screws
  • 1 1/4" Brad Nails
  • 3/4" Pin Nails
  • Sliding Barn Door Hardware
  • 3 Pulls
  • 1 Countertop
  • 2 Faucets
  • Wood Glue

Instructions

Cut Lists – Note: I ripped the round edges off of some of the 2x boards. The width of the boards is noted in the cut list. This is not a necessary step but if you choose not to rip your boards, adjust the plans accordingly.

  • Cut List 1
  • Cut List 2
  • Cut List 3

Cabinet

  • Cut the cabinet sides and bottom to size and drill 3/4" pocket holes on all sides of the bottom and piece and both edges of the side panels. Attach the bottom piece to the side panels with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue. The panels should extend 2 1/4" from the bottom of the bottom piece.
  • Cut the middle cabinet pieces to size and drill 3/4" pocket holes on the front and bottom edges. Attach them to the bottom of the cabinet with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Face Frame

  • Cut the legs and front, top and bottom aprons to size. Drill 1 1/2" pocket holes into both endds of the apron pieces. Attach the apron pieces to the egs with 2 1/2" pocket hole screws and wood glue. The top apron should be flush with the top of the legs. The bottom apron should be attached 2 1/2" from the botto of the legs.
  • Cut the middle face frame pieces to size and drill 1 1/2" pocket holes at the ends. Attach the vertical pieces to the top, bottom and the horizontal pieces to the vertial pieces with 2 1/2" pocket hole screws and wood glue.
  • Attach the front face frame to the cabinet with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue, from the cabinet bottom, side and middle panels and into the face frame. The cabinet bottom should be flush with the bottom apron. The side panels should be flush with the top of the legs and inset 3/4".

Back Frame

  • Cut the back apron pieces to size. Drill 3/4" pocket holes into the ends of both apron pieces. Attch them to the 2 remaining legs with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue. The top apron should be flush with the top and front of the legs. The bottom apron should be flush with the front of the legs and 2 1/2" from the bottom of the legs.
  • Cut the middle pieces to size and drill 3/4" pocket holes at both ends. Attach them to the top and bottom apron pieces with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Drawers

  • Cut the drawer bottoms and side pieces to size. Drill 3/4" pocket holes around the edges of the bottom pieces and 3/4" holes at both ends of the side pieces. Attach the side pieces to the drawer bottom with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue.
  • Cut the front and back pieces to size and attach them to the bottom and side pieces with 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and wood glue.
  • Install the drawers inside the cabinet with drawer slides. You can refer to the tutorial in this post for more detailed instructions on how we installed our drawers.
  • Cut the drawer faces to size and attach them to the drawers with wood glue and 1 1/4" brad nails from the inside of the drawer and into the back of the drawer faces.

Side Panel Trim

  • Cut the side trim pieces to size and attach them to the sides of the vanity with 1 1/4" brad nails and wood glue. The top and bottoms of the side trim pieces should be flush with the top and bottom of the vanity.

Doors

  • Cut the door panels to size. The, measure and cut the front trim to size. Attach the front trim to the door panels with 3/4" pin nails and wood glue.
  • Cut the decorative door trim to size. Center the vertical piece and attach it to the door panel with 3/4" pin nails and wood glue. Center the two horizontal pieces and attach them the same way.
  • Cut the door trim pieces to size and attach them to the sides of the doors with 1 1/4" brad nails and wood glue. Measure and cut the top and bottom door trim pieces to size and attach them the same way.

The Finish

  • Now, you can add a finish! Once the finish dries, you can attach the countertop, sinks, faucets and hardware! We share more detail on how we attached all of these pieces in the post! If you plan to have a back on the vanity, now is the time to attach it!
Ashley and Whitney Blog post signature

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




25 Comments

    1. Hi! We have a very heavy countertop with 2 sinks that is also against one wall. How exactly did you lift the countertop onto the vanity?
      Thanks!

  1. This is stunning and I love the two tone look! Great job!!! We didn’t build our vanity, but we DIY’d the upgrade with a new built in countertop cabinet.

  2. Hi girls
    Loved this vanity. Attempted to make it but adapted to my smaller space . Loved how it came out . Wanted to post a pic for you but can’t. Thanks for the plans

    1. Lori how hard was it to make smaller? I need one about 48”, but I’m scared I’ll mess up the measurements.

      1. Not too bad, only issue we had was keeping all 3 sections even – the drawers still being in the middle, made each ~15”
        But we went with a Lowe’s 48” granite with sink – 170 opposed to custom 800..
        we had to make the drawers shallow due to drain, & notch out the side walls for sink to fit. But still love it, just keep in mind as the shanty girls put the double sinks into the open shelve area which was smarter! But I could fit that size vanity in my kids bathroom.

      1. Do you happen to have the measurements you used to make it smaller? I have figured some out but I wanted to see different options possibly.

  3. I would love to know where you got the black shower curtain rod. I am having a hard time finding on that is affordable. Thanks!

  4. HI There. Can you please share the stain color you used? Thanks so very much!! I have learned so much from you ladies.

  5. 5 stars
    Looks great. One question; on your cut list 3 the first set of 1x4x8 (they are deep orange in the plans) you have five cuts but I don’t see a length for the cuts. Can you provide that length? Thanks.