Potential finishes for bathroom vanities cover the spectrum from soft, traditional painted finishes that blend in deftly with an established decor to custom designed, high end veneers that will create a striking visual counterpoint to other design components at play in the bathroom. Selecting the appropriate finish for your bathroom can be a confusing process so in this post we’ll try to clarify things a bit by taking a quick look at your options.

Finding the Right Finish for Bathroom Vanities in Scarborough: The Basics

If you keep a few things in mind about the pros and cons of different finishes it will simplify things for you. Here are a few facts about the different types of finish for bathroom vanities in Scarborough. 

• Polyurethane – Polyurethane is legendary for its ability to repel water which would seem to make it a perfect match for the heavy humidity of the bathroom. The thing that gives people pause when it comes to poly though isn’t its durability, which is without question, but the thick, high gloss finish that typically results. The face of the vanity isn’t a countertop after all and most people believe it shouldn’t look like one either.

• Stains – Stains are more pliable and therefore more durable overall than paint which makes them a good match for bathroom vanities in Scarborough. Their durability stems from the fact that the stain won’t crack the way paint on a wood surface can when the wood expands and contracts with the seasons. Stains also provide a deep, rich finish that has a natural lustre and glow paint simply can’t match.

• Paints – Painting the vanity face seems like it should be a breeze but in fact it almost always requires spending hours properly preparing the surface and then waiting as much as several days between coats for the paint to cure properly. If done right the effect can be satisfying and long lasting but if rushed you’ll find yourself repeating the process in short order.

• Veneers – A veneer is a sheet of natural hardwood that’s attached to an underlayer of lesser quality wood. Because it’s real, high quality wood a veneer typically looks great. But because it’s basically glued onto the underlayer there’s always the chance it could become unglued if the initial application process was defective in some way.

• Laminates – Laminates are basically a wood grain or other pattern printed on a sheet of paper or plastic and then fused to an underlayer of inexpensive wood product. If you’re looking to keep costs down laminates will definitely fit the bill. If laminates have a drawback it’s that they tend to wear through, especially around the edges, revealing their artificial nature.

Talk to the pros at Bertone Woodworking for comprehensive answers to all your cabinetry questions. We’re the GTA’s premier woodworking company and have been providing fine custom furniture and millwork as well as bathroom vanities in Scarborough and vicinity for many years. Don’t trust your home’s woodworking to just anyone with a lathe and jigsaw, call Bertone today.