Bathroom vanity sizes: how to measure and choose (600 to 1800mm)

If you are standing in your bathroom with a tape measure wondering whether a 750 or a 900 will fit, you are in good company. Vanity size is the question we hear most at the showroom, and it is worth getting right, because the vanity sets the width of the basin, the storage you get and how easy the room is to move around in.

The short answer: most Australian vanities come in 600, 750, 900, 1200, 1500 and 1800mm widths. A 600 suits a small ensuite or powder room, 750 to 900 suits most main bathrooms, 1200 gives you a big single basin or a tight double, and 1500 to 1800 is where a comfortable double basin vanity lives. The rest of this guide shows you how to measure so you can pick with confidence.

Standard vanity widths and where each one works

• 600mm - powder rooms, small ensuites and narrow bathrooms. Enough for one basin and a little storage. See 600mm vanities.
• 750mm - a common pick when you are replacing an old vanity in a small main bathroom and want a bit more bench space. See 750mm vanities.
• 900mm - the all-rounder for a family bathroom. Room for a decent basin, tapware and somewhere to put things down. See 900mm vanities.
• 1200mm - a generous single basin with lots of bench, or a compact double for a couple who do not mind sharing elbow room. See 1200mm vanities.
• 1500mm - the size most people mean when they say double vanity. Two basins with space between them. See 1500mm vanities.
• 1800mm - a master ensuite size, with two basins and plenty of drawers. See 1800mm vanities.

Across our range, the Otti, Aulic and ADP vanities cover 600 through to 1800mm, and ADP also makes a 1050mm size that is handy when a 900 is too small and a 1200 is too big.

How to measure your bathroom for a vanity

Grab a tape measure, a pencil and your phone camera. Here is the order we suggest:

1. Measure the wall. Measure the full width of the wall where the vanity will go, from finished wall to finished wall, or from the wall to the edge of the shower screen or toilet. Write it down in millimetres.
2. Check the door. Open the bathroom door all the way and see where it swings. A vanity that stops the door opening fully is a daily annoyance.
3. Leave room around the toilet and shower. Give yourself comfortable space beside the toilet and make sure the shower door or screen can still open. If you are working with an existing layout, measure what you have now and ask yourself whether it ever felt tight.
4. Measure the depth you can spare. Stand where you would stand to wash your hands. You want comfortable space in front of the vanity to move and to open drawers. If the room is narrow, look at slimmer or space saver cabinets.
5. Find the plumbing. Note where the water points and the waste come out of the wall or floor, and how high they are. Take a photo with the tape measure in shot. This tells you whether a wall hung vanity will hide the pipes, and which side the basin should sit on.

Once you have those numbers, pick the largest standard width that still leaves you comfortable clearance. It is almost always better to go one size down than to squeeze in a vanity that makes the room feel cramped.

What about depth and height?

Width gets all the attention, but depth matters just as much in a small room. Many of the Aulic vanities we carry are 460mm deep, which is a typical full depth cabinet. If your bathroom is narrow, a space saver vanity such as the Aulic Mini Ravia or Mini Hartelle gives you a basin and some storage in a smaller footprint.

Height depends on the style. A floor standing vanity has a fixed height. A wall hung vanity is mounted at the height you choose, so you can set it to suit the people using it. If you plan an above counter basin, remember to add the basin height on top of the vanity when you think about comfort, and pair it with a tall basin mixer or a wall mixer so the water clears the rim.

Every product page lists the exact width, depth and height, plus the spec sheet. Always check those numbers rather than relying on the size in the name, because a cabinet sold as a 900 might measure a few millimetres either side.

Single or double basin?

A double basin makes mornings easier when two people get ready at the same time. As a rough guide, 1500mm is where two basins start to feel comfortable, and 1800mm gives each person their own space. A 1200mm double can work if you are short on wall, but bench space between the basins gets tight.

If one of you is up earlier than the other, a large single basin on a 1200mm vanity can be the more practical choice, with more bench and more drawer space. Our double basin vanities and single basin vanities are split out so you can compare.

Wall hung or floor standing?

Size and style go hand in hand. A wall hung vanity leaves the floor clear, which makes a small room feel bigger and is easier to clean under. It needs a wall that can carry it, so check with your builder or plumber, and it should be installed in line with the manufacturer's installation instructions. A floor standing vanity sits on the floor, often gives a little more storage and suits older homes where the plumbing comes up through the floor.

We have a separate guide on wall hung vs freestanding vanities for small bathrooms if you are torn between the two.

A few mistakes we see often

• Forgetting the skirting and tiles. Measure to the finished surface, not the bare wall, if tiling is still to come.
• Ignoring drawer clearance. Drawers need room to open fully. Check they will not hit the toilet, a door or a towel rail.
• Choosing the basin last. The basin and top decide where the tap goes. Choose them together so the tap hole, the basin and the waste all line up.
• Not checking the delivery path. Large vanities need to get through doors, around corners and up stairs. Measure your hallway too.

Still not sure? Bring your measurements in

Write down your wall width, the depth you can spare and where the plumbing sits, take a few photos, and come and see us at Shop 4, 1 Bryants Rd, Loganholme QLD 4129. Our showroom is open Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Thursday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm. You can open the drawers, stand in front of the different widths and see how a 900 compares to a 1200 in real life. Or call us on 07 3209 9644. You can also browse every size online, starting with all bathroom vanities.