bathroom vanity depth

What’s The Standard Bathroom Vanity Depth?

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When shopping for a bathroom vanity you need to make sure that it has the right depth to fit comfortably in your available space. Recently, I spent many hours researching bathroom vanity sizes. So, I thought I would write up my findings on vanity depth and share them with you.

What’s the standard bathroom vanity depth? The standard bathroom vanity depth is 21 inches, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. But typical bathroom vanity depth range is 20 to 23 inches. For narrow bathroom layouts, shallow depth vanities are available in 18 or 16 inches depth.

When you are shopping for bathroom vanities, you will come across advertisements that say, “21-inch depth and 22-inch countertop”. What does this mean? This is why it’s important to know how they measure the depth of a bathroom vanity.

How To Measure Bathroom Vanity Depth?

The depth of a bathroom vanity is measured from the front of the cabinet to the rear of the cabinet and does not include any overhang of the countertop.

According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the standard vanity depth of 21 inches is measured from the back to the front of the box plus the thickness of doors and drawers. Basically, it means the depth of the bathroom vanity’s cabinet box is stated as the depth of the vanity.

This standard depth measurement does not include the countertop, so you don’t need to subtract the countertop overhang. That’s why you find vanities for sale with statements like, “21” depth and 22″ countertop”.

Now that we know how they measure the depth of a vanity, let’s have a look at the details of the different vanity depths you find in the market today. 

Standard Depth Bathroom Vanities

As I defined above, the standard bathroom vanity is 21 inches deep. This depth size is a common standard for almost all types of bathroom vanities including single sink bathroom vanities, double sink bathroom vanities and also wall mounted bathroom vanities. (21-inch depth is a common standard for all except maybe corner bathroom vanities!)

21 inches, is deep enough to accommodate a large size sink and also have countertop space to keep your toiletry and even makeup items which you will need while using the vanity. This width is also wide enough to create enough space inside the cabinet to store all your toiletry and bathroom items.

One of the main advantages of this standard 21-inch depth size is, it doesn’t take up much bathroom space. The standard 21-inch depth vanities fit snugly against a bathroom wall and take up less than two feet space from the wall. So even with a countertop overhang of one or two inches in the front it still looks very lean.

Practice has shown this standard depth is a very optimal size for the average American bathroom. That’s why the Kitchen and Bath Association has recognized and standardized it. So most of the bathroom vanities for sale in the market come in this standard depth size or near to it, like from 20 to 23 inches in depth.

But standard depth vanities are not always the best size for every bathroom. The best bathroom vanity depth can vary depending on your bathroom size, layout, preferences, and needs.  So, let’s take a look at the other common bathroom vanity depth sizes and details.

Narrow Depth Bathroom Vanities

Bathroom vanities with depths below 20 inches are called narrow depth bathroom vanities or shallow depth bathroom vanities. These vanities are useful when you got a narrow bathroom or space constrained bathroom. In such situations, you can gain floor space by trimming at least part of vanity depth and opting for an 18 or 16 inches deep bathroom vanity. 

Even in a normal size bathroom, installing a shallow depth vanity with a few inches longer countertop overhang, will increase your open floor space and make a small bath look bigger.

The most common depth of narrow bathroom vanities ranges from 18 and 16 inches. These sizes don’t provide as much countertop or storage space as standard bathroom vanities. But still its sufficient for most of your needs.

You can also find even narrower bathroom vanities, with depths as little as 12 or 8 inches.  These super narrow vanities come with a larger size sink, jutting out of the top of the vanity cabinet.  So, 12 or 8-inch depth vanities are still useful and enough for your normal sink activities. But they are not very practical as storage units if your aim is to store things. 

The 12-inch depth and lower vanities don’t provide much countertop space either. Storage space within the cabinet also depends on the model. If the model allows it, maybe you can store a couple of towels and a few toiletry items inside the cabinet. 

Super narrow vanities like 12 inches or lower are mostly bought for aesthetic purposes, instead of installing a boring looking pedestal sink. The cabinet under the sink adds to the room decor and covers the plumbing under the sink. So they are very popular for use in powder rooms and dining rooms.

18 Inch Depth Bathroom Vanity

After going through all the vanity depth sizes, I found 18-inch depth vanities is one of the most popular vanity depth sizes after the 21-inch standard depth vanities. 

By trimming a few inches, 18-inch deep vanity allows you to have more open space in the bathroom than a 21-inch standard depth vanity. It doesn’t compromise much on countertop size, sink dimensions or reduce much storage space inside either. 

So, if you want a space saving bathroom vanity, then an 18-inch bathroom vanity with an inch or two larger countertop is a great choice for you.

24 Inch deep bathroom vanity

When talking about bathroom vanity depth, the focus is very often on standard depth and shallow depth vanities. But there are also many larger depth vanities. Most popular of larger depth vanity sizes is the 24-inch depth bathroom vanity.  

In large bathrooms, a 24-inch depth bathroom vanity looks better and well proportioned to the room size. 24-inch deep bathroom vanities also provide more storage and countertop space than standard 21-inch deep vanities. 

So, if you have a large bathroom where space is not a problem, 24 inches or higher depth bathroom vanities are a better choice for you. Because in such large spaces a standard depth vanity might look small and cheap.

Corner Bathroom Vanity Depth

Corner bathroom vanity depth is measured differently than normal bathroom vanities. As corner vanities are triangular in shape, their depth is measured from the two sides that fit against the wall.

The designs and styles in corner bathroom vanities differ a lot. So the standard corner bathroom vanity depth varies and depends on the style and model of the corner vanity. According to my findings, the typical corner bathroom vanity depth ranges from 24″ to 18″.

Related Questions

What are standard bathroom vanity sizes?

The standard bathroom vanity sizes are 24″, 30″, 36″, 48″, 60″ and 72″. Bathroom vanity size is taken from the width of the vanity. So, a 24″ bathroom vanity means the vanity width is 24 inches long. 60″ and 72″ vanities are typically double sink vanities while lower sizes are single sink models.

What is the standard bathroom vanity height?

Bathroom vanities have two common standard height levels. The old standard vanity height referred to as the “standard bathroom vanity height” is 32 inches. The new standard vanity height, known as “comfort bathroom vanity height” is 36 inches. Vanities in both these heights are fairly common. A household with kids and short height people prefer the 32-inch standard height vanities as it’s easy for them to reach and use. Taller and elderly people prefer to go for the 36-inch tall comfort height bathroom vanity because with it they don’t have to bend too much.

What are the standard bathroom vanity cabinet dimensions?

 Standard bathroom vanity dimensions are 24″, 30″, 36″, 48″, 60″ or 72″ in length, 32″ or 36″ in height and 21″ depth. This is taken from the standard bathroom vanity heights of 32″ or 36″, standard vanity depth of 21″ and Standard vanity lengths of 24″, 30″, 36″, 48″, 60″ or 72″ 

What’s the standard double vanity dimensions?

Standard double vanity dimensions are 60″ or 72″ in length, 32″ or 36″ in height and 21″ depth.

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