Vanity Makeover On a Low Budget

Erica Van Slyke
by Erica Van Slyke
Looking for a cheap and simple way to transform your bathroom vanity? I was able to transform my outdated vanity for under $50.
Have you ever heard of gel stain? If not, I have got a treat for you. It has been one of the easiest formulas to work with.
Here is what the vanity looked like when I first moved in. I wasn't feeling the "yellowish" tint of the wood. Seeing what an ordeal it was painting our kitchen cabinets with oil-based paint, I began looking for easier options. That is when I came across General Finishes's Gel Stain. It was so easy to work with. Essentially, it requires no prep and doesn't contain fumes as harsh as those from oil paint.
One catch though....the first coat is going to look horrible. Here is the vanity after one coat....kind of scary, huh? Not to fear, because after hardly any prep and three coats of gel stain later, in the color "Java", our vanity turned out lovely.
After some new hardware and stain, this vanity has been brought to the current decade. Even, better....the stain cost me under $20.


To read the full tutorial, please visit my blog.
Erica Van Slyke
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  • Morgan Morgan on May 29, 2018

    Ive been thinking about doing the same to my vanity. How is the stain holding up over time?

  • Lynette Edwards Lynette Edwards on Jan 12, 2019

    In the second pic, the top of the counter looks pinkish, is that just the lighting?


  • Nancy Nancy on Jun 14, 2020

    Can the gel be applied over paint?


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