Rustic Bathroom Vanities

rustic modern bathroom vanities with three drawers and white farmhouse sinks
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Add a rustic wood update to your bathroom by building your own bathroom vanities.  Made from all common wood boards, these vanities features three drawers built around plumbing, and a farmhouse sink.  

We've been using these vanities for a couple years now, and love how they function and look.  The free plans include step by step diagrams.

You can check out our entire rustic modern bathroom tour here, and find more vanity plans here. 

farmhouse sink on rustic wood vanity
two bathroom vanities rustic dark wood stained with three drawers each
bathroom vanity with drawer open showing custom drawer fit around the plumbing
DISCLOSURE: I WORKED WITH RUSTOLEUM, LIBERTY HARDWARE AND AMERICAN STANDARD TO BRING YOU THIS FREE PROJECT PLAN.  ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN.

Do you need rustic bathroom vanities for your home?  You can DIY your own bathroom vanities and save a ton of money!  We built these from just common whitewood boards!

It was difficult to find that perfect bathroom vanities for our master bath - especially since I needed a custom depth and wanted a top mount farmhouse sink.  And, of course, I wanted solid wood vanities.  After much shopping around, and even buying a vanity, installing it, and taking it out, I knew I had to build my own.

I spent about $150 a vanity (including the sink) to build. These ones are a little more complicated, because there are so many pieces (that is what makes them beautiful) but well worth the effort!

I customized the top two drawers so they fit around the plumbing.  This gave me so much more storage, and I love the compartments - the longer one is perfect for a curling iron, the smaller ones great for hair ties or even cosmetics.

The hardware was a big deal on this piece!  The pulls are Liberty Hardware Soft Industrial Cup Pulls.  I seriously went from thinking maybe this project is a mistake to maybe this project is my favorite ever after adding the pulls.

The faucet was also a big deal.  It is the American Standard Serin.  This thing is beautiful.  American Standard is a great product for DIYers because you don't have to be a master plumber to hook it up - our faucets came with all the supplies and pieces and even a wrench for tightening.  I find it more cost effective to buy a high quality faucet like this, than a cheapo one, and pay a plumber to hook it up and make a zillion trips back to the hardware store for parts and pieces.

The stain is Varathane Dark Walnut -

It's a true dark brown, very neutrel in tone.  I'm loving it right now!

The plans follow, but I do want to warn you, this is NOT a beginner project, so please don't tackle as a first project.  But it's not difficult, just alot of pieces and a need for precision when cutting and assembling.

Enjoy and please share if you build!

XO Ana

 

PS - Check out our completed Master Bath Tour + Sources here!

Dimensions
diagram image showing dimensions of bathroom vanity with three drawers and planked wood design
Dimensions shown above

Preparation

Shopping List

5 - 1x6 @ 8 feet long

3 - 1x2 @ 8 feet long

2 - 1x3 @ 8 feet long

2 - 1x4 @ 8 feet long

48" x 48" 1/4" plywood panel (for drawer bottoms)

3 - 16" Euro Style Drawer Slides - I used these Drawer Slides from Liberty Hardware

3 - Back sockets that match the drawer slides

3 Bin Pulls - I used these from Liberty Hardware

Common Materials
1 1/4 inch finish nails
Cut List

Cut list is per ONE bath vanity

 

6 - 1x6 @ 31-3/4" - side panels - cut three from 8' long boards

4 - 1x2 @ 18" - side trim

2 - 1x3 @ 32" - back supports

2 - 1x4 @ 31-3/4" - front legs

2 - 1x3 @ 26-1/2" - front face frame, top and bottom

2 - 1x2 @ 26-1/2" - front face frame, middle

2 - 1x6 @ 31-3/4" - back 

2 - 1x2 @ 31-3/4" - drawer slide supports

2 - 1x2 @ 35" - front trim - cut to fit

 

DRAWERS

4 - 1x6 @ 16" - larger drawer sides

4 - 1x6 @ 23-3/4" - larger drawer front/back

2 - 1x4 @ 16" - top drawer sides

2 - 1x4 @ 23-3/4" - top drawer front/back

3 - 1/4" plywood @ 25-1/4" x 16" - drawer bottoms

 

TOP 

Build to suit your sink

 

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Kreg Jig
Drill
Circular Saw
Jigsaw
Miter Saw
Brad Nailer
Power Sander

Instructions

Step 1

Build the two side panels by laying three 1x6s down on a flat level surface, ensuring tops and bottoms are even.  TIP: I glue each 1x6 together, edge to edge and let dry to hold in place.  Attach the 1x2 trim on top of panels, overhanging ends by 3/4".  There is a 2-1/2" space under the bottom trim (see diagram in step 3).

Step 2

Drill two pocket holes on each end of the back 1x3 support boards.  Attach with pocket hole screws, pocket holes exposed on back of cabinet.

Step 3

Build the front face frame on a flat level surface with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws.  Once complete, nail and glue to front of cabinet.

Take a second to ensure your cabinet is square - you can do this by taking diagonal measurements from opposite outside corners of the top of the cabinet, and adjusting until the diagonals match.

Step 4

Nail and glue back pieces to the sides and top/bottom supports.  The purpose of these guys is to give you something to attach the drawer slides too, while still providing a finished edge (no plywood edges exposed on the back.

Step 5

Step 6

Finish the front trim - measure and cut to fit and nail and glue in place.

Step 7

For full size drawers that don't need to be cut around plumbing, construct as shown here with pocket holes.  Nail and glue bottom plywood on.

Step 8

If you have to build drawers around plumbing, keep the same basic cuts, just install the back where it passes the plumbing and box out corners as needed.

Step 9

The drawer slides are installed attached to the 1x2 cleat at front, and with a end socket on the back.  

Here is a really good video from Liberty Hardware on installing -

And I also did a video explaining how I do this too -

Step 10

For the top, I used 1x boards and pocket holed them together, leaving an opening for my sink.  For my sink, I used 1x4s on front and back, and 1x12 pieces on the sides.

Comments

Bryan in SoCal

Sat, 05/25/2019 - 14:23

These are great plans and I am starting construction this weekend.  Question, where are the dimensions for the drawer faces or did I miss that?

srw85

Mon, 08/12/2019 - 09:54

I’m also interested in trying these plans and would like to know the dimensions for the drawer faces. It looks like they’re flush, which is a bit intimidating. Bryan, did you wind up using?

Sugarboy

Tue, 07/23/2019 - 16:30

Warning to anyone who attempts to build these: The drawer sizes according to this plan are completely wrong. Each vanity has 3 drawers. Bottom two are to be made out of 1x6's (actual width is 5 1/2") but the drawer holes are 7 1/2" tall. This leaves an INCH gap all the way around the drawer once it’s in its opening. Really sucked to figure this out after I already purchased & cut all of my material per specs. I now have to purchase 1x8’s to rip down to 7” y’all to actually fit the opening. Same for the top drawer openings- plans call for top drawers to be made out of 1x4’s (actual measurement 3 1/2”) and the drawer openings are 5 1/2”!!! Again, an INCH gap all the way around!! I now have to buy 1x6’s for the top drawers. Wasted my money on incorrect material and now have to repurchase new more expensive material to fix it. Extremely frustrated at this point, it’s a pretty obvious error that I’m surprised no else has figured out yet. Grrrrrrrr🤬🤬🤬🤬

taveren

Sat, 08/17/2019 - 09:29

I had just built the cabinet and was about to start on the drawers.  First time doing anything with drawers, so I wasn't really sure how it worked.  Generally speaking, I find that the plans laid out by Ana White are pretty much spot on.  So, I gave the plans a cursory look - understood what had to be done, and pushed forward.

Then I read your post and I got to wondering how exactly this is supposed to work.  I was concerned that I goofed.

So I figured out the mystery - this is more for any other weekend warrior that comes here and steers away from this plan.

The dimensions are "ok."  Not great, but ok.  You can work with it.  The thing that IS left out of the plan is the drawer fronts.  The plans cover the drawers, but not the fronts.  The drawer can't be flush with the opening since it would bind.  Open up a drawer in your kitchen.  The drawers themselves are just a rectangular shape.  Then the FRONT of the drawer is placed on top of that and it covers the gaps.  

Follow the instructions provided, including the drawer slides and what you wind up with is everything except the drawer fronts.  

My solution for the drawer fronts was to take a 1x10 (actual 9.25) and that covers up the 7.5 opening.  Cut it about 1 inch longer than the drawer on both sides - that covers the the gap on the sides.  Depending on the aesthetic look you want, you might want to rip that 1x10 a bit otherwise the drawer fronts are very close and there's no reveal.  For the smaller opening, I used a 1x8 (actual 7.25) and ripped it down to about 6.25.  

Honestly, the height of the drawer fronts are a bit of trial and error and the look you want.  You want it to cover those gaps (height and width) but you might want the drawer fronts all flush with each other.

 

ivyfamily5

Wed, 12/15/2021 - 09:29

I love your plans! So clear and easy to follow! I built this, but adjusted the measurements to fit the space. It is so beautiful! I love that it is solid wood instead of the store bought flimsy vanities.