Kitchen countertops are frequently large, custom pieces made to fit a specific space. Kitchen countertops are more often installed by professionals because they are large and unwieldy (and often quite expensive).
Not so in bathrooms, where vanity countertops are usually small enough for do-it-yourselfers to install. And, because most vanity top styles are available in a variety of stock sizes and configurations, you can usually find what you need without having to wait weeks for it to be made.
With a slight overhang at the front and sides, vanity tops are sized to match the typical stock sizes of bathroom vanity cabinets. Bathroom vanity base cabinets typically range in size from 24 to 60 inches, with front-to-back depths of 17 inches for small rooms and 23 inches for standard-sized bathrooms. Vanity tops are available to match all of these stock vanity cabinet sizes, which means they can be single slabs that are relatively simple to install for a do-it-yourselfer. Even granite or quartz vanity tops, which are quite heavy, can usually be handled by a DIYer with the assistance of a helper or two.
Bathroom vanity tops, like kitchen countertops, can be made from a variety of countertop materials. Many of the same materials used in kitchen countertops can also be found in bathroom vanity tops, though wood butcher-block and stainless steel are uncommon. When shopping for a bathroom vanity top, you have a choice of materials as well as basic configuration styles.
Styles
Bathroom vanity tops are classified into two types: integrated and cut-out. A third, smaller type of vanity top is designed for vessel sinks that sit on top of the counter.
Each vanity top style is available in single-basin and double-basin configurations.
Integrated Tops
When the term “integrated” is used in reference to a vanity top, it means that the sink basin is already incorporated into the vanity top, either because it is molded into the countertop material itself (known as a fused sink) or because it is attached below the vanity top at the factory. We’ve all seen the older style of sink known as cultured marble, in which the sink basins were molded as a single unit from the same piece of material that formed the vanity top. The same basic system is used with more modern integrated sinks made of solid-surface materials like Corian—the sink and vanity top are all one piece of molded material with no visible seams.
The integrated sink is a second piece that is permanently attached below the countertop at the factory with quartz and some other materials. The benefit of any type of integrated sink is that you don’t need to purchase a separate sink basin because it’s already built into the vanity top.
Cut-Out Tops
The name says it all: these are vanity tops with large cutout openings into which a separate sink basin is inserted. They require either a drop-in sink (called self-rimming) that rests on the lip of the cutout opening and is caulked into place, or an undermount sink that is attached below the lip of the cutout.
The benefit of a cut-out vanity is that you have a wide range of options when it comes to selecting a sink style. Sink basin options are limited with integrated tops.
Vessel Tops
Vessel vanity tops are intended for use with vessel sinks, which are elevated basins that sit on top of the vanity top. These are typically sold with only a small hole for the sink basin’s drain fitting. They may have no drain opening at all, with the expectation that you will drill one out wherever you intend to mount the sink basin.
Single-Bowl Integrated Vanity Top
A porcelain sink basin has been fused with a quartz (engineered stone) countertop in this example of an integrated vanity top. One advantage of all integrated vanity tops is that the sink has no raised rim or lip, which increases countertop space slightly.
Double Bowl Integrated Vanity Top
This is an integrated vanity top with two basins made of solid-surface material, with the sink basins fused to the countertop. The backsplashes can also be fused together to form a single piece.
Integrated, fused sinks have the advantage of providing a consistent appearance and never requiring caulking. However, in rare instances, a crack in a sink basin may mean that the entire vanity top needs to be replaced.
Single Basin Cut-Out Vanity Top
This is a cut-out vanity top with a single centered opening for a sink, which must be purchased separately. Cut-out vanity tops are widely available; home centers may have dozens of them on hand.
Because you can choose your own sink, cut-out vanity tops provide more design flexibility. You can go with a top-mount self-rimming sink or an undermount sink for more counter space.
Double Basin Cut-Out Vanity Top
Longer vanity tops with two cut-outs for sink basins and plenty of counter space can be ordered to fit base cabinets as long as 88 inches. A countertop of this length in natural stone or quartz, as shown here, can be quite heavy; DIYers will need assistance with installation.
