How to Paint an Oak Vanity

Remove all hardware and drawers from the vanity. Put on safety glasses or other eye protection. Using an orbital sander or a sanding block, sand the vanity and drawers just enough to create a rough surface so paint will adhere.

Prime the vanity with a primer designed to work with latex paint. You need to wear gloves and a mask while painting to protect your hands and prevent you from inhaling chemical fumes. You can use a small paint roller for flat surfaces and a paint brush for uneven surfaces. Prime the drawers. You can paint the inside or leave them, according to your personal preference.

Paint the vanity using a paint roller for flat surfaces and a paintbrush for uneven surfaces. You can use latex paint, which will go on easily and dry quickly. Latex paint also ages better than oil paint. High gloss is the most durable paint, but you can use any finish as long as you add a coat of polyurethane afterward. Make long brushstrokes going in the same direction. You can use a dry brush to conceal brushstrokes by running it over the paint while it is still wet. Let the paint dry thoroughly.

Add a coat of polyurethane to protect the finish. You can paint it on, but using a spray polyurethane is the fastest technique. Hold the spray can about a foot from the vanity, and spray as you move evenly and quickly across the vanity. Spray drawers as well. Allow the polyurethane to dry.

Replace hardware and put the drawers back in the vanity. If the drawers do not fit properly, sand the edges until they do.