Tips for Painting a Bathroom Vanity
One of the most successful DIY projects I completed recently is my boys bathroom makeover. Not only was I on a tight budget, I was looking for some simple solutions. In addition to swapping out the vanity lights and mirror, I decided to tackle the bathroom cabinets as well. After a lot of research and reviewing back on other projects I’ve done, I ultimately decided to paint the cabinets. The project turned out really well and I’m passing along my best tips for painting a bathroom vanity here.
These painted cabinets were part of my bigger bathroom remodel project. I debated on whether just sanding them down or going with black. Ultimately, I decided on a muted, forest green paint color. While I’ve painted many cabinets and furniture pieces, I’m always looking for tips and appreciate the man working at the paint department giving me lots of suggestions to help make this a successful project.
1. Check Bathroom Cabinet Material
First, it’s important to make sure the cabinets are a good material for painting. Solid wood is the best choice for painting. Here, the bathroom vanity was made of oak that was in pretty good shape. This made them a great option for painting.
If you’re wondering whether you can paint laminate cabinets, yes you can. However, it takes a lot more prep and I’ve had mixed results in the past. On another budget bathroom makeover project, I decided to keep and work around the white laminate cabinets because they didn’t take too well to the paint. One trick is trying one little section first and seeing how it holds up after a few days.
2. Remove Cabinet Doors and Drawers
It might be tempting to skip this step and paint the bathroom vanity just as it is. True, it might save time but it gets messy and leads to lots of mistakes. The best way to get a custom, smooth look is to remove all the drawers and cabinet doors.
Then paint the cabinet base and the vanity drawers and doors separately. It requires a bigger set up but no to paint around hinges and drawer tracks. In the vanity above, one of the drawers was stuck. No matter what I did, I could not remove it from it’s track. I even called for back up and no luck, that drawer was staying there. So, in that case, I had to paint around it and it just added time and frustration.
3. Rough Sand Bathroom Cabinets
Another tip before painting a bathroom vanity is giving them a rough sand. Assuming the cabinets are in fairly good shape, a quick go over with a sanding block is enough to rough things up a bit so the paint sticks better.
In this case, there was a glossy wood sealant that was wearing down so I sanded more in those areas. I knew I’d be using a high quality paint so I wasn’t as concerned with getting all the wood completely smooth. However, if the wood was grainier, I would’ve spent more time sanding.
4. Remove Hardware Completely
When painting a bathroom vanity, it helps in the long run to completely remove all hardware like knobs and hinges. Of course, this takes a lot longer but it’s worth it in the end and makes for a more polished, custom look.
This cabinet was straight from the 80’s which had older demountable hinges. This type is not as common anymore because it requires a solid wood base and essentially slides into a cut out notch. Most people prefer to not see hinges but without completely changing the cabinet door, this hinge style was staying. Because the metal had worn (likely from the humid bathroom), so I updated them with new, matte black demountable hinges.
5. Best Bathroom Cabinet Paint
Choosing the right bathroom cabinet paint will make or break your vanity makeover so it’s not the time to skimp out. If you’re wondering about the best paint for bathroom cabinets, I think Benjamin Moore Advance Interior for Cabinets, Trim, and Doors wins hands down. It’s considering “self-leveling” which means it fills in those little wood grains more than a regular latex wall paint.
It also dries into a harder, enamel like finish which is what you want for cabinets. I used Forest Floor in Satin Finish here which is fairly matte but does have a touch of shine. I prefer completely matte but this does have a high end look.
Painted Vanity FAQS
Technically, yes. It’s important that paint really adheres in a humid space. That said, I did not use primer with the Benjamin Moore Advance paint on solid wood (the paint guy told me I didn’t need it). It worked just fine and held up over months. Laminate cabinets definitely need primer though on their smooth surface.
For a smooth, professional finish, use high quality, self-leveling cabinet paint. Then use a angled, new brush on small areas and a microfiber roller on panels. Repeat, light coats that dry and cure in between creates a smoother, hard finish.
Yes, it is possible to paint a laminate bathroom vanity. First, clean well with non-residue cleaner then scuff-sand. It’s also crucial to use a bonding primer as most laminate will actually repel paint.
Final Thoughts on Painting a Bathroom Vanity
Overall this cabinet makeover was a huge success and I love the look and finish. Choosing the right paint and taking a few extra steps really helped with the overall outcome. If I could do it over again, I might spend a bit more time sanding some of the rougher spots on the cabinets that I missed. And while I didn’t include it here, I’ll also be adding knobs and pulls to complete the look.
I hope these tips for painting a bathroom vanity help with your project! Check out these articles for more inspiration; Bathroom Mirror Update Ideas and DIY Bathroom Makeover.
