How to Make a Vanity Table With Recycled Items
Having a vanity table in your bedroom or bathroom provides the perfect spot to style your hair or put on your makeup. You'll delight in your morning routine when you have an organized space for all your necessities. Creating a vanity table from recycled materials gives you a unique piece of furniture that saves resources and re-purposes outdated pieces from your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 file cabinets (each with 2 drawers) or kitchen cabinets (with 2 shelves)
- Measuring tape
- Skill saw
- Wood piece cut to desired tabletop size
- 3 "L" shaped shelf brackets
- 3, 3/4" screws
- Screwdriver
- Primer paint
- Desired paint color
- Paintbrushes
- Sand paper
- 5-gallon hard plastic pail with lid (check with a local restaurant for a pickle bucket)
- Pillow form or foam rubber for chair seat
- Fabric for table skirt/chair
- Large mirror with hanging bracket
- Wood screws
Instructions
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1
Measure the area for the vanity. Set the cabinets so the outside edges are at the edges of your space. Make certain there is room to sit between the two cabinets.
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Measure for the top of the vanity. Width: from the outside edge of one cabinet to the other. Depth: from the back to the front of the cabinets, then add ½ inch for overhang. You also can lay the wood on top of the cabinets and use a pencil to mark the width and depth, based on the cabinets. Remember to add the overhang.
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3
Cut the wood with skill saw, following measurements carefully. Sand the edges until smooth.
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4
Make a pencil line along the wall that is the length of the tabletop and is both at least the height of your cabinets, and at least four inches higher than the height of the plastic bucket. Line up the three L-brackets so the bottom of the "L" is even with your pencil line. Space the brackets evenly along the length of the line. Fasten the brackets to the wall with ¾-inch wood screws, with the flat bend of the bracket on the pencil line. Lay the wood top onto the brackets and fasten the top of the L-bracket to the underside of the wood top with ¾-inch wood screws. Lay the wood top onto the L-brackets and place the file cabinets under the shelf at each end.
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5
Paint the shelf and the file cabinets with primer. Let dry thoroughly. Paint with desired paint color. If desired, lightly sand around edges, hardware and corners to give the piece a worn, antique look.
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6
Hang mirror above table with wood screw. Fasten screw into stud in wall.
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7
Cut a piece of wood to fit the top of the plastic bucket. Cut pillow form to fit the wood top. Cover both the pillow form and the wooden top with fabric and staple fabric to underside of wooden seat. Secure wood to bucket lid with a large screw. Cover bucket with either matching or contrasting fabric, securing fabric to bottom of bucket with glue or staples.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure L-bracket screws are fastened into studs on the wall. Remember the old carpenter's adage: Measure twice, cut once. If plastic bucket seat is uncomfortably small, simply use a wooden chair from a mismatched set or garage sale. When sanding paint for the worn, antique look, sand very lightly, checking often.
