Bathrooms typically have the highest humidity level of any room in the house, so it’s important that the materials used to make the vanity hold up under high moisture conditions. Here are the common choices for materials for a bathroom vanity:
- Particle Board: Avoid buying or building a vanity from particle board, since moisture can cause it can swell and deteriorate over time.
- MDF: Medium Density Fiberboard holds up pretty well under high humidity, but it isn’t the best choice available.
- Plywood: Cabinet grade plywood, combined with solid wood door frames, are the best choice for a bathroom vanity, since both hold up well under high moisture conditions.
Watch this video to find out more.
Further Information
- Selecting a Bathroom Vanity (video)
- Best Material for a Bathroom Vanity (article)
- How to Choose Quality Kitchen Cabinets (video)
- How to Install a Bathroom Vanity (video)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Stephanie asks: I’m choosing cabinets for my bathroom. What kind of material should they be made from?
Danny Lipford: When you’re making that decision on a bath vanity, you have to consider that the bathroom can have the highest levels of humidity in your home. And when you choose a nice-looking cabinet like this, even though it is very attractive, it does contain a lot of particle board, which is not the best thing to use when you’re having a lot of humidity around a particular area.
This is a step up, it’s called medium density fiber board. And it’s less prone to the expansion and contraction that’s so common in a bathroom. But still you need to make sure all the edges are sealed.
But I actually prefer to go with the old-fashioned cabinet plywood, with all of the glue that’s used in between the different layers of wood. It holds up very, very well. It doesn’t expand and contract very much. And it’s perfect when coupled with real wood for the cabinet doors.
