DIY Rustic Bathroom Vanities | How to Build - Woodworking

In this Instructable, I'll show you how to build a DIY rustic bathroom vanity using 1x3s and 1x4s. This is a simple project that can be completed using basic tools, just a miter saw and drill, but I used more tools since I started with rough lumber. Enjoy!

DON'T MISS THE BUILD VIDEO ABOVE FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION!

I'll be detailing how to build the single vanity version of this in this Instructable. If you want to see the models of the other two versions, check out the plans I have available here.

The tools needed to build this from lumber from your local home center are really basic. Some kind of saw, preferably a miter saw, a drill, and a sander will get you something very similar looking.

Materials Used On Bathroom Vanities (affiliate links):

• 4 x 8 foot long 1x4s
• 8 x 8 foot long 1x3s
• 2’ x 4’ sheet of 3⁄4” plywood
• 2’ x 4’ sheet of 1⁄4” plywood
• Wood Glue : http://amzn.to/2rbzABf
• Dominos : http://amzn.to/2qnpFr1
• 1 1⁄4” Pocket Hole Screws : http://amzn.to/2sKntrT
• Face Mount Hinges : http://amzn.to/2sb0YzP
• Knobs : http://amzn.to/2rNnk9P
• Water Based Polyurethane : http://amzn.to/2s0kXRY

Tools Used On Bathroom Vanities:

• SawStop PCS 1.75-HP Professional Cabinet Saw : http://amzn.to/2aqqRyn
• DEWALT FLEXVOLT 12" Compound Sliding Miter Saw : http://amzn.to/2ah20gS
• Powermatic PJ-882HH 8-Inch Jointer : http://amzn.to/2phphdg
• Powermatic 15HH 15-Inch Planer : http://amzn.to/2phKqE9
• Festool Domino XL : http://bit.ly/festooldealers
• Kreg K4 Pocket Hole Jig : http://amzn.to/2s0ikzF
• Mirka Deros Sander : http://amzn.to/2qXGhHH
• Fuji Q3 Platinum HVLP System : http://amzn.to/2r1SsOG

There are a lot of parts for this build, and having some kind of saw with a stop block will be extremely helpful in speeding things up. Consult the cut list image for a list of all of the parts. Again, this Instructable is for the single vanity.

I started with rough lumber, so I started by ripping my boards to width on the table saw, then cut the parts to length on the miter saw.

The legs on these vanities are pretty simple, just two pieces of 1x3 connected at 90 degrees. This gives the illusion of a big, beefy leg. I assembled my legs with pocket screws and glue.

Once the legs are dry, I cut the joinery into the legs. I used a Festool Domino XL extensively on this project, but you can easily use pocket screws or dowel joinery and achieve a very similar result. All three of these joinery methods use the same lengths of parts.

With the joinery cut, I attached the legs to the side rails using Dominos. I clamped this side assembly together and let it dry, then repeated assembly for the other side.

The face frame on the single vanity has one vertical rail. You can attach this with pocket screws, Dominos, or dowels.

Attach the face frame to one of the side assemblies from the previous step. Also, attach the back rails at this point. Finally, attach the other side assembly and clamp up the whole carcass. Pictured is the double vanity.

The doors are made up of two vertical stiles and two horizontal rails. Again, I used Dominos here, but dowels or pocket screws would work well.

The door panel is a glue up of four pieces of 1x3. Glue up the pieces into a panel, keeping it as flat as possible. Once the glue dries, sand the panels until they're smooth and relatively flat.

Attach the panel to the back side of the door frame using 1 ¼" screws. I drilled oversized holes for the screws in the corners of the panels to allow for wood movement.

I used basic face mount hinges and knobs on these doors. It's a good idea to pre-install the hardware prior to finishing. That way, if you make any errors, you can easily fix them without having to patch the finish.

The side panels are made up of 4 pieces of 1x4. Glue them up into a panel, just like the door panels, keeping them as flat as possible. After the glue dries, sand them flat.

Attach the panels to the inside of the vanity carcass using 1 ¼" screws. Make sure the top of the panel is flush with the top side rail, this will provide extra support for the countertop. Again, drill oversized holes in the corners of the panel to allow for wood movement.

The bottom is made up of ¾" plywood. I cut the plywood to size using my table saw and track saw, but you can have your local home center cut the piece for you if you don't have the tools to cut the plywood. I then drilled pocket holes into the plywood using my pocket hole jig, then attached the bottom from below using pocket screws.

I made my back panels relatively small, leaving plenty of space for the plumbing to run through the back of the vanity. You can certainly install a full back panel and cut precise holes to match your plumbing.

The back panel is made from ¼" plywood. Again, your home center can cut these pieces to size if you can't, although they don't need to be super precise. A circular saw could easily cut these.

Attach the back panels with a brad nailer or with screws.

I sprayed on a few coats of a water-based polyurethane, but you can certainly brush the finish on if you don't have access to a spray system. Water-based poly will raise the grain on the wood, so you'll certainly need to sand after the first coat.

I'm not going to go into how to install the vanity, as that will be dictated by your local code requirements. It's a fairly simple process, usually just attaching the vanity to the wall then adding the countertop. Once that's done, the vanity is complete!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments section. If you enjoyed this project, check out my YouTube channel and website for lots more. Also, check me out on Instagram @craftedworkshop to see what I'm working on next. Thanks!