Update your existing bathroom vanity instead of replacing it.
Updating your bathroom with a new vanity gives the whole room a facelift. However, you don't have to buy a new cabinet to enjoy the look of one. You can transform a traditional walnut cabinet into a sleek and modern vanity or you can keep the style and only change the wood color. If your existing cabinet is sturdy and in good condition, making the face look new takes only a few tools and supplies.
Instructions
1. Remove the screws that secure the hinge hardware to the cabinet. Place the on the floor and remove the hinge screws from the door. If the hinges are in good condition, you can save them to reuse on the new door.
2. Draw a straight line out from each hinge screw hole around to the side edge of the cabinet very lightly with a pencil. This is your height guide for positioning the new hinges.
3. Remove drawers. Remove the screws that fasten the face plates to the drawers as explained by Bathroom & Kitchen Guide. Screws are located inside the drawer behind the face plate.
4. Measure the length of the stiles, vertical trim strip sections, on the face of the cabinet. Measure, mark and cut the self-stick veneer strips to the lengths needed for each stile with a sharp utility knife, suggests Alexandra Bandon for This Old House.
5. Measure the length of the rails, horizontal trim strip sections, on the cabinet face. Measure, mark and cut the self-stick veneer to match those measurements.
6. Peel one end of the paper backing from one stile veneer strip. Align the strip with the cabinet stile. Press the top edge of the strip against the cabinet. Peel the paper away from the back as you press the veneer strip against the cabinet working from top to bottom. Install the remaining stile strips in the same manner.
7. Peel one end of the paper backing from one horizontal rail veneer strip. Align it with the corresponding horizontal rail. Press the end of the to the cabinet. Peel the paper backing away as you work left to right. Install the remaining rail veneer strips in the same fashion.
8. Trim overhanging veneer from the cabinet using a utility knife. Keep the blade flush against the cabinet edges to make clean cuts.
9. Position each set of hinges over the pre-drilled holes on the cabinet door and insert screws with a screwdriver.
10. Place the manufacturer's hinge template on the upper edge of the cabinet stile where the hinges will go. Align the template with the height location markings you made on the edges of the cabinet. Mark the screw holes with a pencil using your template as a guide. Repeat this for all hinges.
11. Lift the cabinet door and align the hinges with the screw hole markings on the cabinet stile. Insert screws through the hinges and into the cabinet stile at the markings with a screwdriver.
12. Place the new drawer face plate on the drawer and align the holes. Insert manufacturer-provided screws into the holes from the back side and tighten with a screwdriver.
13. Align the new door handle and drawer-pull hardware with the pre-drilled holes. Insert the bolts through from the back and tighten them down with a screwdriver.
Tags: cabinet stile, Peel paper, veneer strip, with screwdriver, against cabinet, cabinet door, from back