subject: What To Look For When Buying Bathroom Vanities [print this page] If you are buying bathroom vanities you know that they are not exactly inexpensive. High end models or those purchased from specialty stores may be quite pricy indeed. Therefore, when you are shopping for bathroom vanities, you want to make sure that the ones you are purchasing are good quality. Here are a few things that you need to look for before you buy.
The first is the construction. Remember that even though bathroom vanities are considered in a different light than other types of cabinetry in the end that is exactly what they are. In fact, bathroom vanities often have to contend with challenges that normal cabinets do not such as extreme humidity and the frequent opening and closing of drawers and cabinet doors. They may (in the case of homes with small children) have to put up with the added pressure of children leaning on the bathroom vanities when they wash their hands or brush their teeth. A sink full of water can also be very heavy.
You want to make sure that you read what materials individual bathroom vanities are made from. You want to look for bathroom vanities that have as much real wood in them as possible. If they are veneered, you want to make sure that the basic materials used to construct the bathroom vanities are wood rather than MDF or particle board. There are a few reasons for this. Bathroom vanities that are made of solid wood are usually more durable than bathroom vanities that are made of composite materials. They can also release toxic chemicals into the air over time and this can be a problem for chemically sensitive individuals.
You should look for doors with good quality hinges since bathroom vanities will often be opened and closed many times a day. Therefore, hinges that are light weight or badly installed will lead to bathroom vanities which will fall apart much too quickly to make them worth spending any money on. You can always upgrade some elements such as handles but the hinges used in the doors of bathroom vanities may not be as easy to change out as other decorative elements may be. You also want to make sure that the drawers used in bathroom vanities have mitered corners so that they can handle the moisture and the rough treatment that can tear lesser drawers apart.
If there are drawers you also want to take a look at the glides. A good feature is to find bathroom vanities with drawer stops that prevent the drawers from being able to fall out if they are pulled out all the way. A dropped drawer can hurt the feet and the stress of being dropped can also cause the finish to sustain damage and become marred or chipped.
If you are careful about the bathroom vanities you install and look for quality construction, you may find that even though they may be pricier, they are a much better buy because these bathroom vanities will not simply fall apart the first time they are used.
