Build a Floating Bathroom Vanity

Bathroom real estate is brutal. A floating vanity reclaims every inch below the cabinet, making small bathrooms feel larger and cleaning genuinely easier. The appeal goes beyond aesthetics — no baseboards to cut around, no legs collecting dust, and the floor runs continuous underneath. A well-built floating vanity looks expensive but costs less than most pre-made furniture-grade cabinets, especially if you use quality plywood and handle the finish yourself. The hardest part is not the carpentry. It's trusting your wall anchoring enough to hang a sixty-pound cabinet plus a stone countertop. Done right, a floating vanity will outlast the house.

1. Locate and mark studs. Use a stud finder to locate all studs across the vanity area. Mark each stud centerline with painter's tape from floor to ceiling. Confirm stud locations by drilling a small test hole at the planned mounting height. You need at least two studs, preferably three, for a secure mount.
2. Cut cabinet box components. Cut cabinet sides, top, bottom, and back from three-quarter inch plywood. A standard vanity runs thirty-six inches wide, twenty-one inches deep, and eighteen inches tall, but adjust to your sink dimensions. Cut dados for the back panel to sit flush. Sand all interior surfaces now before assembly.
3. Assemble the cabinet box. Join sides to top and bottom with wood glue and finish screws driven from inside. Check square with a framing square at each corner before screws set. Slide the back panel into dados and secure with brad nails every six inches. Clamp overnight if possible.
4. Install French cleat or mounting rail. Rip a two-by-four at thirty degrees to create matching cleat pieces. Screw one half to the wall studs at your desired height, level checked twice. Attach the mating piece to the cabinet back, ensuring it's level and positioned to catch the wall cleat perfectly. Test fit before proceeding.
5. Finish and seal cabinet. Apply primer and two coats of semi-gloss paint or polyurethane, letting each coat dry fully. Pay special attention to bottom edges and anywhere water might wick in. Install soft-close drawer slides if adding drawers. Add magnetic door catches if using doors.
6. Mount cabinet to wall. Lift cabinet and hook the French cleat onto the wall-mounted rail. Check level in both directions. Add two additional screws through the cabinet back directly into studs for redundancy. The cleat holds weight, the screws prevent tipping or twisting.
7. Install countertop and sink. Set countertop on cabinet, ensuring equal overhang front and sides. Secure from below with silicone adhesive or brackets if countertop is stone. Cut sink hole if needed using a jigsaw with appropriate blade. Drop in sink, connect plumbing, and run a bead of caulk around the sink rim.
8. Add trim and final details. Run a bead of caulk where cabinet meets wall to seal the gap. Install drawer pulls or door handles. Touch up any paint dings from installation. Connect plumbing supply lines and drain trap. Turn water on slowly and check for leaks.