Replacing bathroom cabinets is a key element in most bathroom renovations. But, what does replacing bathroom cabinets, including the vanity area, entail?
Most homeowners realize that updating a bathroom can be one of the fastest ways to increase the value of a home. However, bathroom renovations are typically not what one would consider DIY projects, as gutting bathrooms can become sticky…quickly. In this post, the experts at TriFection will give you a few useful tips regarding bathroom cabinets.
Replacing A Bathroom Vanity?
Are bathroom cabinets and bathroom vanities the same? If not, what’s the difference? Put simply, a bathroom vanity typically describes the bathroom sink and the storage around it. The term “vanity” refers to the piece of bathroom cabinetry that holds the sink, conceals the plumbing and provides storage. So, the vanity represents just one component of bathroom cabinetry. Other forms of bathroom cabinets include medicine cabinets, linen cabinets, tower cabinets, and headknocker (or “above the toilet”) cabinets.
When updating vanity cabinets, you may have to relocate water supply lines and sink drains at least a few inches if the cabinet design changes. This is usually not a huge expense, but it is something to keep in mind.
Here are a few other things to consider:
How Big is Your Bathroom?
You want new bathroom cabinetry to provide lots of storage capacity and easy accessibility but not overtake the bathroom design. You must be mindful of your bathroom’s dimensions when making remodeling decisions. 
Particularly in smaller bathrooms, every square inch is precious, so you want a layout optimized to achieve your priorities and one that fits your budget. For example, do you prefer a bigger shower and/or tub area or more storage space? Do you want a knee space to sit as you get ready each morning or would you rather use it for storage?
TriFection’s custom cabinets are designed with only one bathroom in mind – yours. We will design the perfect cabinets to accommodate your preferred sinks and faucets and store all of your personal “stuff”, without the awkward fillers and spacers that pre-fab cabinets may require. We also carefully account for your lighting and mirror choices so that everything is properly centered and spaced. And, you don’t bang the wall with your elbow while brushing your teeth.
Also, one of our major goals in bathroom cabinet design is to eliminate “countertop clutter” by providing abundant storage. Through detailed consultations, we help you determine ideal cabinet placement as well as door and drawer configurations based on what you need to store. Again, our custom linen cabinets, tower cabinets and headknockers typically give our clients with far more storage than they had previously and more than they need immediately.
Bathroom Cabinet Features to Consider
Bath Cabinets Truly Customized for You
Aside from addressing your specific storage capacity needs, make sure you get bath cabinets that are comfortable for you.
The most common bathroom countertop height is 36″ above the finished floor. However, the possible height usually ranges between 30″ and 38″, depending on the height of the users. You don’t want to have to bend way over when using the bathroom sink…As far as a sitting space, we recommend a minimum of 24″ wide.
You can decide whether you want a drawer above your legs or more open leg room. Headknockers, linen and tower cabinets should be sized and placed so that you can actually reach stored items easily.
Solid Wood or MDF?
As Houston’s premier custom cabinet maker, TriFection builds bathroom cabinets only from real wood, not cheap wood substitutes like particle board or MDF. Those substitutes may save you a few dollars on the remodeling project, but they will not stand up nearly as well over time due to regular exposure to bathroom moisture and normal human contact. If you live in the house long enough, you’ll end up repairing or replacing bathroom cabinets made of MDF far sooner than wood cabinets. Plus, fake wood cabinets will not improve the resale value of your house.
Inset or Overlay?
You also need to decide whether you want overlay or inset cabinets. This refers to the size of the cabinet doors in relation to the cabinet opening. With overlay cabinets, the cabinet door is bigger than the cabinet opening. 
With inset cabinets, the cabinet door fits inside the cabinet opening. TriFection always recommends overlay cabinets. As humidity and temperature change, wood will naturally expand or contract, regardless of which style you choose. Additionally, home foundations shift to some degree with the underlying soil over time. Overlay cabinets are more forgiving of these movements, so the visual and functional impact on the cabinetry is negligible. Conversely, these outside forces will leave inset cabinets doors and drawers too tight or too loose in relation to the space cut for them, making them stick or show uneven gaps.
Stained or Painted?
The choice of stained vs. painted cabinets is usually driven by aesthetic preference. Do you like the look of natural wood grain or a more consistent finish? What finish goes best with your desired countertop and tile selections? From a visual perspective, take comfort knowing there’s no right or wrong answer. Very simply – what do you like? 
From a durability standpoint, however, just know that stained cabinets have an advantage. Stain absorbs into the wood whereas paint is a top coat. Even a high-quality painted finish very well may chip, wrinkle or peel from bathroom moisture or other impacts. You shouldn’t leave even small drips of water from the sink on painted cabinets or grab the doors and drawers directly instead of the cabinet hardware. If you’re concerned about future care and maintenance requirements, go with stained cabinets over painted.
Cabinet Hardware
The cabinet knobs and/or pulls on your doors and drawers can have a big impact on the style of your bathroom. Believe it or not, you could change the look from traditional to a modern one (or vice versa) by changing the hardware alone. Some people refer to cabinet hardware as the “jewelry” of the space. It should complement your other selections, including the finish on your bathroom fixtures, nicely. TriFection offers selections expertise that can be very helpful as you choose from many different hardware options. We’ll also make sure you size the hardware appropriately.
Call TriFection When It’s Time for New Bathroom Cabinets
TriFection’s team of remodeling professionals has designed and built thousands of custom bathrooms for Houston homeowners over the past 3o years. We can create a stunning, highly functional bathroom just for you! Enjoy the daily luxury in your master bath or provide your guests a bathroom that will make them envious and not want to leave! You’ll see why our clients love showing off their bathroom cabinets as much as those in their kitchen.
Ready to start replacing your bathroom cabinets? If you or someone you know is considering a bathroom remodel, call TriFection at 281.548.2436. You can also leave us a message on our website to start the consultation process.
