Can I paint my bathroom vanity myself, or should I hire someone? It's an older oak one that looks really dated?

Refinishing an older oak bathroom vanity is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make for relatively little cost, and it's a project that falls right in the middle of the DIY-versus-hire spectrum.

If you're handy and patient, you can tackle it yourself. The key is committing to proper prep — oak's open grain needs to be filled before painting, or you'll see the wood texture through the finish. Use a grain filler, let it cure, then sand smooth with 150-grit followed by 220-grit. Apply a bonding primer (not regular primer), then two coats of a cabinet-grade paint like a hybrid alkyd-acrylic. The whole project takes three to four days with drying time.

The DIY risk is in the bathroom environment. Vancouver's humidity, especially in homes without adequate bathroom ventilation, can cause adhesion failures if the paint doesn't cure properly. You need at least 48 hours of low humidity after the final coat, which can be tricky in our climate outside of summer.

Hiring a professional painter for a single vanity refinish typically costs $400 to $750 in Metro Vancouver, depending on the vanity size and whether you want the interior painted as well. That includes removal of doors and drawers, proper spray application in a controlled environment, and reinstallation. The spray finish is noticeably smoother than what you can achieve with a brush.

Most homeowners find the professional route worthwhile for bathroom vanities specifically because the finish quality matters so much in a small space where you see it up close daily. As a next step, remove a drawer and bring it to a paint store to discuss colour options and get a feel for the wood's condition before committing to either approach.

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