IMO fix the dampness no vanity likes high humidiity not to mention the walls the doors all hate humid. IMO go with a nice large pedestal sink and forget the vanity. Or be prepared to wipe down everything after a shower . Marine plywood maybe but still needs a wipe down

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about the brands mentioned. If you aren't able to get a satisfactory answer about the brands, I can suggest possible alternatives. I know that's not what you're really after, but it's the best I can do.

If you get something that has legs or is wall-hung (IKEA has a few examples, and so does the Houzz shop) you will at least avoid the worst of the dampness creep from mopping the floor, random spills, etc. These options may not last forever, but if you choose one, it likely won't owe you much money by the time you want to replace it—if you ever do. (I don't know how long you plan to hold onto the condo.)

If you have the time, transportation access, and patience, you might try places like Habitat for Humanity Restore or Big Reuse for something built to last.

Thanks @amystoller. Are there any other brands you do recommend?

Very good point about getting something that is on legs rather than sitting entirely on the floor with a toe kick. Thank you!

I'm not gutting the bathroom and the walls are covered with two layers of tile already, so I don't trust doing a wall hung or the Ikea vanities with just two legs on the ground because I'm not sure where the studs or any blocking is in the walls.

I don't have the patience for Habitat and Restore shopping. This condo is where my parents live and when I'm in town here, I'm spending time with them. Don't know how long we will hold on to this condo. Perhaps long as my parents are alive, which I hope is a very long time, but one never knows. They are in their early 80s.

I can't recommend a brand, because I replaced one builder-grade vanity (primary bath) with a console sink, and the other (guest bath) with a free-standing one that does not come in 24-in (I just checked).

Most of the vanities I see online are … dispiriting. Almost everything seems to be melamine coated particle board. Does the distributor you've already contacted have anything with legs instead of a toe-kick? Sometimes it's any port in a storm.

not familiar with the brands listed, but I would stay away from any particle board.

I understand the need for a vanity, to replace footprint and plumbing, but are you able to remove doors, or replace with a mesh screening?

@Lyn Nielson The wall behind the vanity is a total ugly tile train wreck disaster, which I don't want to fix. I need the doors to hide that part of the wall, and to keep the wastebasket away from my dog, who has an affinity for chomping on used kleenex. Gross!

Interestingly, there is not much humidity damage to the inside of the current vanity. It all seems to be on the exterior. It has held up remarkably well given how many years it has been in this bathroom.

Thanks for checking on your vanity @amystoller. I just checked this AM the distributors website regarding the brands they carry and will get more details on their available pieces when I go in person tomorrow. I have seen a few recommendations on other threads for Bertch.

It is truly disheartening how much crap there is in the way of vanities. When we redid our guest bathroom in NYC I asked our contractor for a quote on a 26" custom wall hung vanity - $8k. I almost fell over considering he was doing an entire kitchette/ laundry room of cabinets for $12k. Why so much for a vanity? I didn't even bother asking and just got a nice console sink instead. If I were gutting this bathroom I'd do a console or pedestal in a heartbeat. But for this simple renovation, I need to replace like with like.

@Kendrah, try the Houzz search feature to look for each brand you’re considering, and specify that you want results in Advice.

I have specified Bertch many times and clients have liked the quality. They do offer furniture style. Can’t speak to the other brands.

Kendrah - you can use an IKEA floating vanity - but just not have it actually "float." You build a base for underneath it (towards the back so it will look like it's floating + provide extra foot room). You can also have the base be larger + add the supporting legs, I looked these up when my daughter was renovating one of her bathrooms. They looked nice and provided quite a bit of storage.

I'll look up the "hacks" that I found tomorrow for you. I will also find the names of the other vanities we looked at + researched quality.

For the love of heaven................buy something, seal the inside , paint it and move on: )

369.50 $

"Need 24" vanity. Prefer stock and not custom. There is nothing beautiful about this bathroom. Will any of these stand up better than junk from Home Depot and Wayfair? Are any of these better performing in humidity?

** I have done everything I can to remediate the ventilation and it is now as good as it will get. ** I don't want to belabor the ventilation factor on this post as I have done so throughly in other posts. Pedestal sink is not an option here either, have already belabored this in other posts. I am truly just needing advice on whether any of these brands will hold up better given the humidity. This is in a second condo that is not used 365. "

It's a VANITY: )

Nothing is going to hold up better than solid maple, painted, and a sealed inside. There is NO humidity that can destroy it, short of a flood

Painted maple vs Painted MDF in a humid environment - please compare and contrast how these materials would perform:

A. Ms. For The Love of God @JAN MOYER had a good idea to get a solid maple vanity, I paint it, and seal the inside. (Can paint be used as the inside sealant? Never found a sealant that hasn't triggered my asthma!) It is RTA, bummer, but someone must make solid maple already assembled - right?

B. Yesterday I thought to get a Room and Board vanity because their customer service is excellent so if the thing starts to peel and warp, I'm certain I can actually talk to someone about it and get replacement. I like that the top, bowl, cabinet comes as one. Less shopping and coordination because I'm not in this city full time. Bonus, it is on legs, more air circulation. There is a massive hot as hell radiator in the wall that is 1.5" from the right side of the vanity and I have no control over.

Room and Board Link

https://www.potterybarn.com/products/marino-24-30-single-sink-vanity-mp/

https://www.potterybarn.com/products/gisela-single-sink-vanity-mp/

They look good on paper. Quality in real life? I have no idea. They come assembled; on the other hand, I hear Pottery Barn's customer service ranges from unacceptable to non-existent.

Yours for the love of Mike … 😉

Oh, here's an idea! No idea about prices, though—sorry!

https://www.gothiccabinetcraft.com/custom-furniture/bathrooms/custom-dark-stained-vanity/

Can you add a ceiling fan or a wall mounted fan, they make a difference. Boats have small wall mounted fans, check West Marine if necessary.

Sorry for absurdly long URLs!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/177423956934?_skw=sealed+maple+24-inch+bathroom+vanity&itmmeta=01KEMAWAXNDZ6TH0AKWFY0C6JY&hash=item294f4abbc6:g:rnsAAeSwH-FozRdi&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fFb1QxLcI0RwMwRGzlZV14YOc0ZnPhedQ445loG%2F9lA%2Fnrq3hzI1krgV%2FkS%2F06i0MbadvQBHyJUVjhg0ZKgZjhp7iHqad%2BRGK%2FFyj0Wy7bL0u5vloM6jEjf4a7T8eZeokh%2F0AbORsQSjUFHjZel0tpp%2BobvJSeBDuGZ1kiSbTD4IH6OAsoWZQ6sqPQuPnyulwYXhsZu426gYcGLCPgEkdyR3QBPC21SIqR9D7avv6Fs3gNoRCR%2BuObFFZU6D6FfXX%2F4TVuecu2K3Ql6RiR7yrZe3Z6tZi4PZHd30epd%2BetafOBnwo%2FpzsAWyWno9ZM4DA%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4Cv8Yr1Zg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/197709931169?_skw=sealed+maple+24-inch+bathroom+vanity&epid=4044105755&itmmeta=01KEMAWAXP7AWR822B9Y3GTNJJ&hash=item2e086e22a1:g:BZ4AAeSwVTRozQl6&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fQkt1yQYsfn4cUw7c7FRgsMd8GFVpou28STkxVdjEF8NSL0RVaB3dNmysvFbRKIq40CpqRx7L1TbEvpDa%2FaZ0naw0P0Ukt8oGURuOZkOqVZXorP3BrOpT6flIpZR%2BH%2BRxH5O82U4JGdZFKr--Qp7aLc%2FuACQ8UpP%2Fxe38Fkwt225ZpH0l1roaJl3Y4JJpWl8nFRVvQXgMP%2FKjrVUUBOqzBE1gFxt1O8tQdncpsGXvMh68LpHz1orP%2FNxH3tmd9fZPlKrKfoNIG9Aaiiys1ieDifznpkL7YW8Wb8WOBDQLIEYMS1tlLz%2Fcf02IArh49oi0%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4Kv8Yr1Zg

@ker9 - The bathroom is so small, I don't think there is room for a fan anywhere plus we don't want to run new electric - plaster walls. But would a fan make a difference anyway if there is nowhere for the air to escape to? Would it not just be stirring up the same humid air in the same enclosed pot?

@amystoller - Thanks for the links. I'm very anti-Pottery Barn. They have terrible customer service and I think a lot of their furniture is crap. Not sure about their vanities.

I have a place getting me quotes on Shiloh, Greenfield, and Bertch cabinets. Shiloh felt more solid to me than Bertch, which felt as flimsy as Home Depot. I have read bad things about all of them -- no manufacturer is perfect, but the customer service is my concern when something fails and I know that Room and Board has great customer service. I need to go see and feel their vanities in person at their Manhattan store. Some of the stuff they make is junk too.

"Ms. For The Love of God @JAN MOYER had a good idea to get a solid maple vanity, I paint it, and seal the inside. (Can paint be used as the inside sealant? Never found a sealant that hasn't triggered my asthma!) It is RTA, bummer, but someone must make solid maple already assembled - right?"

.............................!!!!!!!!!!! below😳

FOR love of almighty HEAVEN. We know you well,, Kendrah. We know "resources are not the issue"

You order it, get a painter /handy person to pick it up.AND ASSEMBLE it. Painter.... seals the inside! The painter paints it in a color you spec. It is sprayed, because you want it smooth and satin quality to last.

You are making brain surgery of mega magnitude over a gnat size problem. All within a bath "not used 365."

You will not be submerging your HEAD inside a cabinet door, and it will have been left open to dry the Asthma inducing seal for as long as is necessary prior to installation IN your bath. . You come into contact with the outside world every day............and unless you don't? You come into contact with every type of toxin on earth.

"Solid maple" already assembled"?

Go to a kitchen and bath venue, pay 1500.00 and design it, pick a top, and it is called CUSTOM!!! Pick your poison.

Price, quality, delivery time, PERFECTION. .......DO I NEED TO FINISH THAT?? : ) You still only get to pick TWO.

I visited Room and Board today. They said their painted Copenhagen vanity is not going to stand up to moisture and humidity as well as other lines nor as well as a veneer piece. I will now likely order the Linear Walnut veneer vanity.

- Unlike the Copenhagen, it has zero MDF, which is what is turning to mush on the current vanity. And unlike the painted surface, they said the wood veneer stands up much better water. The sides are veneer covered particle board, which still allows for expansion and contraction. The doors are solid wood. It felt more sturdy than any other vanity I have looked at (Bretch, Greenfield, Shiloh)

- They just switched from lacquer finish to water based for lower VOC and off gassing. Awesome.

- The top and sink are already attached to each other and it will be very simple for a plumber to adhere the top to the base cabinet.

- They detailed their delivery process and it seems really good for my situation of needing to receive it while I may still be out of town.

The black accents are helping me figure out a more masculine vibe for this bathroom, which is helpful too.

Rambling thoughts:

- If you're not going to fix the humidty problem, any wooden vanity is going to suffer the effects. Water always wins -- always.

- Leave the door open after showering. Place a small fan in the room.

- You said you're trying to be realistic. So plop in any 24" vanity and accept that you'll need to do it again in a couple years.

- Does it have to be 24"? I lived with a 36" vanity for 11 years in my first house, and it was a misery because it was too small.

- You say a pedestal sink won't work, but it would eliminate the problem of wood + humidity.

Yes, @Theresa Peterson, a pedestal absolutely would solve the humidity issue. But, the wall behind the sink area is a complete disaster - bottom layer of 1940's turquoise tile showing beneath cracks and chips in the top layer of ugly and very beat up 2000's faux travertine tile. It is horrible and we don't want gut and redo tile.

Also, I have always anchored pedestals into blocking or studs. I'm not sure how well we would be able to have that done on this plater wall with two layers of tile on top. Then there is also the issue of wanting a vanity to hide the trash can from our dog!

There is no room for any larger vanity. This bathroom is tiny. I'm okay with it. I have lived in old cities my entire life with small vintage bathrooms and am used to pedestal and small vanities. I would like the storage from the vanity cabinet, but if a pedestal could work, I'd sacrifice it.

We shower with the bathroom door open and leave it open all day long, which certainly had helped a lot. There is no mold in the bathroom, no odor, no water running down walls. We take a short shower so the mirror hardly gets steamed up.

The Room and Board Linear Walnut looks like it ticks the most important boxes. And it's handsome, as well. I know the selection process was a drag, but you did it!

Yes, @Theresa Peterson, a pedestal absolutely would solve the humidity issue. But, the wall behind the sink area is a complete disaster - bottom layer of 1940's turquoise tile showing beneath cracks and chips in the top layer of ugly and very beat up 2000's faux travertine tile. It is horrible and we don't want gut and redo tile.

I hear you -- you're trying to do as little as possible to make this bathroom functional, and you want to leave the wall "as is". But replacing the wall with tile and going with a pedestal sink would give you a more permanent fix.

We shower with the bathroom door open and leave it open all day long, which certainly had helped a lot.

I'm sure that does help a lot.

But replacing the wall with tile and going with a pedestal sink would give you a more permanent fix.

The wall is already tiled, twice over. Replacing the tile would mean a total gut of the whole bathroom. :(

How about a pedestal sink that you can attach a decorative fabric skirt to, much like as a bed skirt attached to the bed rails with Velcro. Then you could launder the skirt when it looked “tired”, and it would hide the unsightly tile mess.

@AC M - That is a good suggestion and I have thought of it too. I'm still afraid to have a pedestal not bolted into the wall well. Do you think this is a worthwhile concern?

I just think about guests leaning their weight on it if it is not well bolted and I'm not sure if I can get it well bolted to a plaster wall with two thick layers of tile and I don't know what is behind the wall or where things are.

I also think a skirt will be a turn off when I go to sell. As a buyer, I'd see it as a cheap DIY fix and wonder what is wrong with the bathroom and what else in the apartment is shoddy.

I know many on here think who cares about selling, someone will buy? But I have an excellent track record of selling places quickly because I think of these little things. And in the long run it saves a lot of headache and money to not have a home sit on the market.

Kendrah, I agree with you about the safety factor. You want a pedestal sink anchored to a wall. And a skirt, though it can be charming in the right sort of bathroom (or kitchen, for that matter), is IMO not the best idea for the bath you're working on now. Did you order the Room and Board Linear Walnut veneer vanity? Or are you still looking for other options?

IMO veneer never stands up in a damp place so last choice for sure . Get a dehumidifier and run it every time you use the bathroom

Yep @amystoller - I'm going to go for the walnut vanity from Room and Board. Just need to figure out my schedule for when I will be in town to receive delivery and do install, and then I will order it. (Might be able to get there in Feb or might have to wait until Passover.)

Get a dehumidifier and run it every time you use the bathroom

Unfortunately no space for a dehumidifier in here. Hardly room for a person to stand in this bathroom.

Good for you for ordering. Sometimes Done is better than Perfect.

Agreed. There is no perfect!

metal legs on these vanities

They make mini dehumidifiers for small bathrooms - this one is 5"x6"x11"

https://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-Edv-1100-Electric-Petite-Dehumidifier/dp/B000H0ZDD2?tag=bhg-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=5660723%7Cn1c3b9fa0ed9d44fb8263153a0c22e03618%7C%7C1768503526542%7C%7Cr3222202437648ddm

Thanks for the pic @Cathi Thomas. It is so helpful to see the vanity in a real bathroom. The size seems so pracitcal for our purposes. A lot of countertop surface for being a smaller vanity.

@BeverlyFLADeziner - Those metal legs would be ideal - so much less to warp. But the drain pipe and p trap are so low they would be half in and half out of the cabinet and the messed up wall would be visible too.

OOOOH @Jennifer Hogan - I never knew there were such tiny dehumidifiers. This looks like it could fit on the back of my toilet tank. Perhaps I'll get a humidity reader and when it reaches above 50%-ish I'll plug something like this in. Great idea. This makes me even more excited to get the walnut veneer piece and hope that I can protect it for a decent number of years.

I was following along, and I think that walnut vanity looks perfect. And who knew about the mini dehumidifiers? We don't have any moisture problems but that looks so practical and easy- . It reminds me a of a funny story... Years ago ( like 3 houses ago) a friend had shared that she had always wanted a spigot at a certain spot on her deck. She called a plumber- he was able to do it in a day and it worked great, and cost $100. ( this was ages ago like maybe 40 years ago).......She was so thrilled and she kept saying she was looking for more places to put a spigot because where can you solve such a long suffering problem in one day for $100?

And that dehumidifier is all of $55~

I tend not to be a believer.

Buy a bucket or three.....lets see how long it takes to dissolve....

20 bucks Amazon

I concur the reviews made me skeptical. I have damp rid in there now and it certainly collected water. And was much more concealable than the dehumidifier unit. I'll test out both.

Fan can make a difference in helping to dry out, used with door open it will move air around and out. We put a small ceiling hugger fan in a bathroom in Florida and it really helped. Lived on a boat and the fan for bathroom was totally necessary to dry it out - no ac on the boat.