How to Build a Vessel Sink Vanity

Time: 1.5 Hours

Cost: $100

Skill: Easy

Please note: This post may contain affiliate links.

If there is one lesson I have learned about buying an old house, here it is:

NOTHING is ever going to be square or even.

So what does this mean?  Well, standard sized furniture is not going to fit.  My number one solution to this problem is build it yourself!

That’s right, YOU!

With so many tutorials available on the internet, it only takes a quick google search to find something you like.  Keep in mind you may need to change the specs to fit your specific project, but that is a simple task as well.

For this specific project I found some styles on Pinterest that I liked and developed plans to meet my specs.  Most of the plans you will find on the internet involve using a kreg jig.  

Now, I don’t own a kreg jig, so I made the decision to use screws on the exposed ends instead.  With a bit of wood filler, you can’t even tell the difference.

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How to Build a Vessel Sink Vanity

Before Starting:

Determine your overall dimensions.  Once you know the size of the top, subtract 2 inches from length and width to get your base size.  For example: I needed my overall/top size to be 14×30.  So my base would be 12×28.  This will result in a 1 inch overhang on all four sides.

Determine your cut lengths. To make this really fun, we will use the equation “a – b = c”.  After all, who doesn’t love math? 

a: total base width

b: leg width x 2

c: cut length

*You can double check your math by using c + b = a*

Simply repeat the math with “a” as the total base length to get your length cut.

Here is what my equation looked like:

a: 12

b: 2.5 x 2 = 5

So……. a – b = c or 12 – 5 = 7

The cut for both side apron pieces is 7 inches.

a: 28

b: 2.5 x 2 = 5

So……. a – b = c or 28 – 5 = 23

The cut for the front and back apron pieces is 23 inches.

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Tools Needed:

1. Miter Saw- Knowing we have a lot of projects coming up, we went out and purchased the Dewalt 12-Inch Double-Bevel Compound Miter Saw.  This saw is user friendly, and great for those who may be a little timid around a loud tool.
2. Drill and fasteners- The screws we chose to use came with a star bit specifically for them.  
3. Hole Saw
   • I grabbed the 5-Piece Hole Saw Assortment Kit as I wasn’t sure what size I would need.  You can buy these individually if you know the specific size you will need.
   • WARNING: Properly secure the object and hold the tool firmly to prevent it from spinning. One fat lip, and a bruised cheek later, I can assure you I speak from experience!  When using a hole saw, be cautious and use your leg to hold it still using counter pressure. And keep you face out of the way!

Supply List:

• (4) Wooden Legs – Much to my husbands disliking, I spent 30 minutes scouring the builders section of Home Depot, for something that wasn’t too thick, too thin, or too short.  Just pick your favorite! This choice can impact your overall cost. Mine were $22/piece but you can definitely save money here.

• 2×6 boards Amount varies based on dimensions.
  • For mine I used 7″+7″+23″+23″=60″ , and then I needed 3 boards for the top that could run 30″ each.  So 60″ + 90″= 150″.
  • As with any project, get yourself about 20% extra for any mistakes.  I made sure I had about 200″ worth of 2×6’s.  This ended up being plenty!
  • Tip: Don’t fret about not being able to fit it in your tiny Corolla, just ask a pro to cut it in half.

• Fasteners (see tools above)
• Wood filler
• Paint (I used All Surface Enamel in Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams)
• Faucet
• Vessel Sink

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Part One: Building the Vanity

1. Cut the two apron pieces for the front and back
2. Cut the two apron pieces for the sides
3. Laying the front apron piece face down on a flat surface, place two legs on either side of it, making sure that the tops of all three pieces line up.
4. Drill 2 pilot holes through each leg into the apron piece (Tip: I staggered mine towards the top and bottom, so that when I drilled in the short apron pieces I put those two screws towards the center, ensuring that they won’t hit each other)
5. Insert screws into the pilot holes.  Be sure to counter drill them below the surface level.
6. Repeat the same step for the back apron piece.
7. With a helping set of hands, hold the front and back legs upside down on a flat surface.
8. Position the side apron piece between them, and drill two pilot holes through the outside of the leg into the apron piece.
9. Insert screws into pilot holes.  Again, be sure to counter drill them below the surface level.
10. Repeat the same step on the opposite side apron piece.
11. Position three boards evenly on top of the base.  (Since we needed 14″ depth, I decided to use 5″, 5″, and 4″)  If you prefer to have them be even you could cut them down using a table saw.
12. Drill two screws into each board at the point where they overlap with the base on the left and right side. I used a 1″ overhang on all four sides to ensure that it would fit around the trim.

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Part Two: Fitting the Sink and Faucet

1. Measuring from each side, mark where the center hole should be located for the drain.
2. Cautiously using a hole saw, drill a hole for the drain (This will vary based on your vessel sink, simply match the size to the drain hole)
3. Mark where you want your faucet to be, we positioned ours towards the back right corner, just inside the back right leg.
4. Using a hole saw that is equal to the size the faucet needs to fit through, drill a hole for the faucet.

Note: Paint vanity prior to actually installing these pieces.

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Part Three: Painting the Vanity

Before painting, fill all the screw holes with wood filler and sand.

After choosing your paint color, I suggest selecting a finish that is high-gloss as it is easier to clean than other finishes.

I used All Surface Enamel in high-gloss by Sherwin Williams. You can read more about my color choices in my “Open Concept Color Palette” post.

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Part Four: Install the Vanity and Plumbing

Once the paint has dried you are ready to place your vanity in its new home and install the faucet and sink according to the included directions.  This is very easy if you are re-connecting exactly as it was prior.

Note: You may also want to consider securing the vanity to the wall, especially if you have little ones who might climb!

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Here are some in progress shots:

Here is Our Completed Vessel Sink Vanity

The high-gloss paint really makes the vanity stand out (and it is easy to clean!).

Update: Guest Bathroom Reveal is now live on the blog! Click over to see the whole project ❤️

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Are you looking for more home or craft inspiration? Check out how I built this adorable Wooden Book Bin for my nephew, or how I transformed this old window into a Wedding Seating Chart!