RTA or Ready-To-Assemble bathroom vanities can be a great way to save money on your new bathroom or bathroom remodel. Whether you’re a novice DIY homeowner or a seasoned remodeler, ready-to-assemble cabinets are beginning to offer the same custom look of more expensive brands, while offering easy assembly and increased durability. There is a misconception that removable furniture has a shorter lifespan and can easily warp or bubble with water. Much of this misconception stems from early types of knock-down or ready-to-assemble furniture, such as the IKEA line of furniture. Much of this furniture is made of particle or fiberboard, which tends to crumble over time or suffer the adverse effects of water. When it comes to RTA or ready to assemble kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities that are on the market today, most of them have solid wood faces with solid plywood sides and backs. This makes for a much stronger piece of furniture with a longer lifespan.
In addition to the materials with which they are made, there have been significant improvements in the way they are assembled. Most Ready-To-Assemble lines on the market now have a cam lock assembly, which only requires a screwdriver to put the whole thing together. Prior to cam lock assembly, they used a combination of staples, wood glue, and screws that had a tendency to loosen or separate easily. If you have ever bought RTA cabinets or dressers from IKEA, you know very well that you have to buy each piece separately (hinges, doors, box, drawers, etc.). Depending on how many items you are buying, you could easily have 8-9 boxes for a single cabinet. RTA bathroom vanities that are available online come complete with everything in one box. As I mentioned, the only thing required for assembly is a screwdriver, which makes assembly quicker and less of a hassle.
While large home goods stores have some pre-assembled vanities in the store, most of what is sold will have to be specially ordered. This means that at best you will have a 3-4 week lead time from the time you order to the time the bathroom vanity ships. With RTA manufacturers and distributors, they usually stock their vanities, which means you could have your new vanity in 1-2 weeks, shipped right to your door. Even with the cost of shipping, you can still save 20-30% compared to buying your new vanity in a store. So when you’re getting ready to remodel your existing bathroom or add a new one, take some time to research what RTA bathroom vanities can offer and the money you can save.