There’s only so much room in the magazine, but for those who are interested in tackling this project, you might find it helpful to see some additional images to illustrate the finer points of the building process used to create this classic vanity.
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Use a track saw (or circular saw and cutting guide) to create a straight reference edge on each sheet of plywood.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Measuring off the reference edge, mark both ends of each sheet to help orient track (or cutting guide) for plywood cuts. A sheet of rigid foam under the plywood acts as sacrificial support for cutoffs.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Intentionally cut a bit oversized, each plywood part is then run through the tablesaw to ensure that each piece is consistently sized.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
After ripping the poplar to rough width, take multiple passes through the thickness planer to clean up the edges and faces of each piece.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use a miter saw to crosscut the poplar stock to final length.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
A plywood sled holds the leg pieces at an angle, allowing them to be passed over the tablesaw to create the taper on the bottom edge.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
The front legs are rabbeted by making two cuts on the tablesaw – on edge, and on the face – so that they can mate with the side panel assemblies.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Drill pocket holes in the end of the applicable poplar parts.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Align, clamp, and fasten the pocket hole joints to create each poplar subassembly.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use the drawer front stock as a guide to size and align the position of the face frame stiles and rails.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
To establish the location of the bottom rail, cut a spacer block from a scrap of plywood.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
To accommodate the side panels, rout the backside of each side assembly, making progressive passes with a rabbeting bit to reach the marked depth.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use a sharp chisel to clean up the rounded corners left from the rabbeting bit.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use a pin nailer to tack in thin pieces of backer wood around each panel.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Screw together pairs of plywood dividers in preparation for the case assembly.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Attach each plywood subassembly to the continuous plywood bottom piece, using just a few nails to temporarily hold each piece.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
With the dividers in place, add the shelf support stretchers and top cleats.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Only tacked in place, the plywood dividers can be knocked into alignment with the face frame before fastening it in place.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Tackle the wood top glue up in stages – first glue together pairs, and then glue the pairs together – to make for a stress-free process.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
After the glue is dry, use the circular saw to cut the top to length.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252
Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Sand both sides of the top, working through the grit until you reach 220.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use a chamfer bit to ease the top and bottom edges of the counter, which can then be further eased with sandpaper to create a subtle, flattened curve.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Before applying any finish to the top, use a jigsaw to cut the opening for the drop-in sink.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Use a crosscut sled on the table saw to create the stub tenons on the door rails.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Left a touch on the tight side, the tenons are easy to slim up using sandpaper glued to a block.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Assemble the doors with MDF panels, leaving the stiles long so they can be trimmed later.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Once dry, use the tablesaw to cut the top and bottom edges of each door.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
A simple T-shaped router jig and mortise bit can be used to create perfect mortises for the door hinges.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
With hinges installed on the doors, hold each door in the opening and mark where the hinges meet the face frame.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
After fitting the doors, remove them and drill holes to receive the glue-in wooden knobs. A piece of painters tape wrapped around the drill bit acts as a visual depth reference when drilling.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
After tacking the drawer fronts in place (or temporarily attaching them with double-stick tape) open each drawer and permanently fasten the front from the inside using screws.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Fully assembled, the vanity is ready for paint or stain before installation.
Read Justin Fink’s full article from Fine Homebuilding #252 Build Your Own Bathroom Vanity
Launch Slideshow
View Comments
You show no accommodations for plumbing access in the back. Wouldn't it be easier to leave the center back open or did you plan on using a jig saw to cut holes for the necessary pipe(s)?
Looks terrific.
Really recommendable. He done a great job.