Introduction: Floating Vanity
More by the author:
About: We moved to the Crowsnest Pass 10 years ago to start our own business. We now have two little boys (and a girl!) and a thriving coffee shop. We are both DIYers and enjoy renovating our home.
This is a fun and chic little vanity that can be inexpensive if you know where to shop! With this antique style making such a resurgence in popularity, you can really 'go for baroque' with this project!
Step 1: Find an Old Furniture Castoff.
We enjoy re-purposing and saw this nightstand for sale on some online classifieds for $10. It was looking pretty beat up, but we thought it had good bones and saw it had potential, so picked it up.
Let your imagination go wild! If you've got room for two sinks, pick up a swank, 60's console and upcycle it! They are probably long enough to house two sinks with lots of counter space to spare and a modern shape. A nightstand or end table would work great for a tighter space. Our wee ensuite bath didn't have enough room to swing a cat, so this teeny table was perfect.
Other materials needed for this project: vessel sink, faucet, drill, random screwdrivers & hardware bits, sandpaper, spraypaint, some scrap 2x4...I think that's it. You should be able to re-use your plumbing and supply lines if you aren't changing the height of your sink.
Step 2: Sand Well Before Painting.
Remove the handles and sand with a rough grit sandpaper to lose the shiny, lacquered finish. Finish up with a finer grit sandpaper. Be sure to get in all the nooks and crannies and wipe down well afterwards with a slightly damp cloth. They say the quality of sanding job you do affects the final outcome, and they are right!
Step 3: Remove Drawer Fronts & Hardware.
Remove drawer fronts from rest of drawer. I just used a hammer and banged on the inside of the drawer front away from the rest of the drawer. It was only held by small nails, so this step was a piece of cake. You can discard the drawer innards, as your sink plumbing will be tucked away underneath, and there won't be room for working drawers.
In a well-ventilated area, spray paint your handles, drawer fronts and vanity (in this case nightstand). I used 3 cans of paint to do a thorough job and it left a glossy surface with excellent coverage. It also made a difference that I was painting a dark piece of furniture white...had I been painting an already white piece of furniture, I may have only needed one can. Your mileage may vary.
Step 4: Mark and Drill Out Your Plumbing Holes.
We placed our vessel sink on the vanity where we wanted it...slightly off-centre. With a pen or pencil, draw a circle through your drain hole, in addition to marking the holes for your faucet, including hot and cold water. Measure twice, cut once, you can't undo this! Carefully drill holes in the top of your vanity, making sure you don't scuff up your spanky new paint job.
Tip: don't empty the spray can onto your project, thinking you're done painting. You may need to do a touch up and you don't want to have to buy a whole new can just for a shot here and there.
Tip: don't empty the spray can onto your project, thinking you're done painting. You may need to do a touch up and you don't want to have to buy a whole new can just for a shot here and there.
Step 5: Mount Vanity & Hook Up Plumbing.
You will need to find studs in the wall to mount your vanity to, especially if you do a floating vanity. We mounted a 2x4 horizontally and rested the vanity on it, then attached with brackets that strapped over the underneath side of the vanity and 2x4. It is rock solid. If you have a decent junk drawer (or 4), you should be able to find some configuration that will get that puppy hung up for you!
If your vanity sits on the floor (as it would if you've repurposed an old dresser), locating studs in the wall is not necessary. You could leave it free-standing, or if you were a real stickler for details, go ahead and find the studs and mount your vanity to them using L brackets or metal strapping. We are true DIY'ers, this may not be what a paid contracter would do, but then we didn't pay anyone now did we!
Once your vanity is up, line up your downspout and crank it on. Don't overtighten. Remember, silicone tape is your friend. Hook up the hot and cold lines and test out your job. Running water? Success!
If your vanity sits on the floor (as it would if you've repurposed an old dresser), locating studs in the wall is not necessary. You could leave it free-standing, or if you were a real stickler for details, go ahead and find the studs and mount your vanity to them using L brackets or metal strapping. We are true DIY'ers, this may not be what a paid contracter would do, but then we didn't pay anyone now did we!
Once your vanity is up, line up your downspout and crank it on. Don't overtighten. Remember, silicone tape is your friend. Hook up the hot and cold lines and test out your job. Running water? Success!
Step 6: Add Hardware to Make Plumbing Accessible!
You don't want to nail this cover back on, like what you'd commonly find over the front of a kitchen sink. You may need to get in here in the future! Purchase these cupboard door clips for a couple of bucks at your hardware store. They have a boy and a girl side; put the girl side on the vanity itself and the other half of the hardware goes on the drawer front. Now, snap into place and marvel at pure genius! Should you ever need to gain access to this plumbing, it's a snap.
Step 7: My Favourite Step...admire Your Handiwork!
If all goes well and you are left with a unique, OOAK vanity that will be the envy of your friends and neighbours, give yourself a pat on the back!
Just for fun, check out the 'before' shot of this drab little ensuite! The toilet is now out in the garden and the bowl and tank are overflowing with flowers.
Just for fun, check out the 'before' shot of this drab little ensuite! The toilet is now out in the garden and the bowl and tank are overflowing with flowers.