Raising a bathroom vanity can accomplished in several ways. Whether you have back problems or would just like your basin to be a raised a few inches, it is possible for you to raise your vanity to a height that is more comfortable and easy to use.
A short bathroom vanity can lead to a hunched back and extreme discomfort for taller individuals. When people want to raise their vanity, it’s most commonly because their existing vanity is 30″-32″. This was common in older homes built prior to the post-war boom where parents shared a restrooms with their children in 2/1 bedroom & bath combinations.
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- Standard Height Bathroom Vanity – 32″
- Comfort Height Bathroom Vanity – 36″ and up
- Vessel Sink Bathroom Vanity Height – 30″
If you don’t have a bathroom vanity with adjustable legs, you can raise your bathroom cabinet by using one of these methods.
4 Ways to Raise a Bathroom Vanity
1. Raise the Countertop – “High Heels for Your Vanity”
Cassity from Remodelaholic shared her project where she raised her 30″ master bathroom vanity. Cassity found the short vanity to be troublesome due to the fact that she is 5’10”, something you may experiencing similar problems with. Her solution was to raise the countertop.
Instead of raising the entire vanity, you can increase the height of the countertop with a new framing that matches the existing vanity. This is probably one of the most affordable ways to raise your vanity. You can even add faux drawers and some molding to the cabinet for a stylish update that hides the seams.
Raising the countertop also allows you to have more storage space in your cabinets as your basins won’t drop as deeply into the cabinet. While it’s pretty simple to do, you don’t want to add more than 6″ or the cabinet will start to look funny.
2. Add Permanent Legs to Your Existing Vanity
To add legs to your bathroom vanity, you will have to add a frame that screws into the base of your vanity; this is what you new legs will screw into. You can see how Kate did it from Centsational Girl and the same project by Paige at Lively Green Door. Check out their posts for step by step pictures/instructions.
3. Adjustable Cabinet Legs
You can also purchase adjustable cabinet legs that allow you to raise and lower the height of your cabinet with minimal effort. These ones only cost $10 from Home Depot. Here’s a video from Bob Vila that gives a great visual demonstration and shows you how they work. They’re a great idea if you just want your legs to add height to your vanity and aren’t as concerned with having the legs being visible after installation is complete.
4. Install a Wood Foundation
This method requires removing the old vanity and placing a wood foundation on the bottom to raise the height of the entire vanity. To do so, you can screw a 2″ x 4″ or a 2″ x 6″ wood block to the floor that the vanity will sit on. When you do this, make sure you recess the wood foundation away from the edges of the vanity so they aren’t visible when the vanity is reinstalled.
You can install a toe kick around the vanity to eliminate gaps between the base of the vanity and the floor. The foundation needs to be screwed into the floor so that the vanity does not move around once installed. When the vanity itself is reinstalled, you will secure the vanity to the wood supports using wood screws.
5. Raising Wall Mounted Vanities
Wall Mounted Bathroom Vanities only need to be re-mounted. These vanities do not rest on the ground like a free-standing vanity so you just have to remove it from the wall and then reinstall it at a greater height. Learn how to install a wall mounted vanity.
Tips for Raising Your Vanity
Detaching the Vanity from the Wall
You can learn how to do this without ripping out your wall. This will save you time and money from having to re-drywall your bathroom. Typically a vanity is held in place by several screws that are driven through the vanity and into the wall studs. You may be required to remove the mirror and backsplash to do this. To do so, use a razor to cut the caulking where the backsplash meets the wall. Then place a 2″x4″ against the wall and use it to leverage the backsplash away from the wall using a pry bar.
Turning Off the Water
Remember to turn off the water so you can disconnect the water lines from the wash basin. You’ll also need to disconnect the plumbing from the P-Trap so you can move the vanity away from the wall.
Upgrade to a Taller Bathroom Vanity
Tradewinds Imports carries thousands of unique, quality-made bathroom vanities. To find a bathroom vanity that fits your needs, Visit This Page to shop for vanities by size.
More Ways to Update Your Vanity:
- A Guide to Turning a Dresser into a Vanity
- Update Your Bathroom Cabinets for Under $70
- Renewing Laminate Vanity Countertops with a Fresh Coat of Paint
- How to Wax Wood Cabinets
- How to Install a Bathroom Vanity
About the Author
Cheryl Khan is a designer and writer at Tradewinds Imports.com, an online specialty site dedicated to retailing fine bathroom furnishings. She has extensive knowledge about all the finer details that go into planning the perfect bath renovation project and is an expert on all things bathroom! Send her your bathroom Q’s on twitter @SuperInteriors!