Easy bathroom DIY projects can help you customize your bathroom for a fraction of the cost of what you would have to pay professionals. The beauty of the easy bathroom DIY projects you’ll find in this article is that anyone can do them.
Transforming your bathroom into a highly functional spa-like retreat is easy if you are willing to put the work in. Get your tool belt on, and let’s get started.
Before You Get Started
Before you start on these easy bathroom DIY projects, you want to make sure that you address any plumbing repair problems. If you do not have the skillset to make the repairs yourself, it is a worthy investment to call in a professional.
Call the plumber and have the repairs done that you have been putting off. You do not want all your DIY work to go to waste on a bathroom that is not functioning as it should. A plumber can handle the problems and give you a clean slate to work with.
If your drains are running slowly, it can be very frustrating and kill the vibe of a nice relaxing shower. Let the plumber manage the drain cleaning services you need then you can get busy with improving the aesthetics through the easy bathroom DIY projects. It is really important to have clean and functional plumbing to keep your family healthy.
A Coat of Paint Goes a Long Way In Creating a Custom Feel
One of the easy bathroom DIY projects anyone can do is to paint the bathroom. Choose a relaxing neutral color or go bold with jewel tones. You can choose any color you’d like to project your personal style.
There is a myth about colors for small spaces that many homeowners have disproved. The common belief is that you should not go dark in small spaces. While going with light colors will make the space look a bit larger, a deep navy will add a touch of luxe to the bathroom.
Don’t be afraid to use color in the bathroom. If you do not want to paint the entire bathroom in a deep jewel tone, go for an accent wall behind the tub or sink. Accent walls can add a designer feel to any room.
Painting instantly refreshes the look of the bathroom and can be the anchor for everything else you do in the room. Gather your supplies, watch a few tutorials if you need to, start painting. Depending on the size of the bathroom, it should take you about eight hours from start to finish to get the project done.
Here are some bathroom painting tips:
- Drop cloths and paint tape are your friends. Unless you have consulted with a remodeling contractor who will replace the tub, sink, and shower, cover them up with drop cloths and tape them off. It will make for much easier cleanup.
- Consider a semi-gloss or satin finish. This is a moisture-prone room. Semi-gloss or satin finishes hold up much better than flat finishes.
- Invest in good paint. It can be tempting to go as cheap as possible on the paint. Spend a little extra, and your paint will hold up longer.
If the paint is still looking good in the bathroom, consider painting just the trim and doors. Painting the trim and doors in a bright white semi-gloss can give you a nice crisp, clean look and brighten the wall colors.
Don’t Stop At Painting the Walls
While you have the roller and the paintbrush out, why not tackle those cabinets? If you hate the look of your bathroom cabinetry, why not paint it? A little sanding to get the gloss off the old finish and a couple of coats of paint, and you can have like-new cabinets in your bathroom that are more in line with your personal style.
New Cabinet Hardware is an Easy Upgrade
Whether you decide to paint your cabinets or not, consider adding new hardware to your cabinets. New hardware can instantly upgrade your standard cabinets and add a touch of designer style. There is a wide range of cabinet hardware out there that can fit any style.
Replacing cabinet hardware is one of those super easy bathroom DIY projects anyone can do. All you need is a screwdriver to remove the old hardware and to install the new hardware. It will take you less than 30 minutes to switch out the hardware.
Add a Tile Backsplash
You may be thinking that a tile backsplash does not sound like one of those easy bathroom DIY projects. It can be, even if you have limited skills. Instead of laying out the backsplash tile by tile, you can purchase easy to install sheets of tile.
A tile backsplash can really add that custom look and has the added bonus of protecting walls from water. Choose a design that appeals to you. If you really want to take the easy way out, you can buy and install peel and stick tiles.
Install A Medicine Cabinet
Installing a medicine cabinet can help to get clutter off the sink and counters. When it comes to ranking easy bathroom DIY projects, this is an intermediate skill level project. If you have a power drill, it will make the project easier. At a minimum, you will need:
- A tape measure.
- A level.
- A screwdriver.
You want to make sure you measure out where you will put the medicine cabinet. A trick that the pros use is to “tape off” where the install will be. Measure the cabinet’s length and height, then create a template on the wall with painter’s tape.
If you have a stud finder or want to invest in one, that will make the job easier. Any type of wall cabinetry should be mounted right into the wall studs to give it the support that it needs. A level is also a must-have tool to ensure that your cabinet is mounted correctly.
If you have been following all your dentists recommendations and buying all the oral care products, a medicine cabinet can be a great place to stash it all. If your medicine cabinet project goes well, consider installing other cabinetry to store the rest of your stuff.
Refinish Your Sink And Tub
If we had a rating system for easy bathroom DIY projects, tub and sink refinishing would be at the high end of the intermediate skill set level. It is not that the project is overly daunting, but it is a process that needs a lot of attention to detail.
You can purchase kits to refinish your sink at your tub at most home improvement stores. If you are like most Americans, you use your bathroom for everything from pet grooming to hiding from the kids. An unsightly sink or tub can kill the aesthetics of a room that you spend a lot of time in. Refinishing the sink and tub does take a little work, but in the end, it can be very much worth the effort.
Tackle the Floor
If you want to upgrade your bathroom and totally change the vibe, a new floor can do it. Replacing the flooring with seamless flooring can help to transform your entire bathroom. Flooring has the power to update your bathroom quickly.
Don’t panic if you have tile floors. You do not need to rip them out. You can simply lay the new floor over the old flooring. The goal of easy bathroom DIY projects is to make the projects as easy as possible. Ripping out old tile is never easy.
Get Organized
If your bathroom is on the small side, one of the easy bathroom DIY projects that can help improve the space is to organize it. Use decorative baskets and containers to organize the mess and bring harmony to the room.
It can be challenging to find room in a small space to organize it. Here are some tips for organizing your bathroom regardless of the size:
- Use vertical space. Mount shelving to the walls to hold baskets to keep you organized. Shelves do not suck up floor space and can help you to keep everything tidy.
- Over the toilet shelving is another way to save floor space and take advantage of vertical space.
- Use over the door hooks. Make the best of your space by using hooks that hang over the door to hold everything from bathrobes to blow dryers. While you are at it, mount hooks on the sides of cabinets as well.
Making the most of your space can be as simple as adding hooks and shelving. If what you need in your bathroom is more surface area, consider building a simple tub surround to act as shelving. Thinking outside the box will help you find the space you need to stay organized.
Upgrade Your Mirror
A new bathroom mirror can change the feel in your bathroom. You do not have to go with a traditional bathroom mirror. You can go as elaborate or as simple as you like to stay on theme with the rest of the styling.
Many bathrooms are built with frameless mirrors. If you do not want to actually replace the mirror, you can pgrade the one you have by framing a frameless mirror. It will add a touch of style and deliver a custom feel.
Change The Outlet Covers and Light Switches
On the easy bathroom DIY projects meter, changing out the outlet covers and light switch covers is right at the novice level. All you need is a screwdriver to remove the old covers and install the new ones. Decorative outlet covers and light switch covers are the perfect attention to detail that you find in designer bathrooms.
Don’t want to purchase new ones? Outlet covers and light switch covers can be painted. A little spray paint made for plastics can add some decorator color to the old boring white covers. Engraving cute sayings on your switch and outlet covers is also something you can do with the right tools (you can buy them at any big box discount store). Get creative.
Change Out the Lighting
Builders typically throw up some pretty standard lighting. Changing your lighting to a fixture that is more in line with your bathroom style can change the feel of the room. If you are a little leery about working with electricity, hire an electrician to make the switch.
These Projects Are NOT Easy Bathroom DIY Projects, Let the Pros Manage Them
It is great to get in the bathroom and start tackling all those easy bathroom DIY projects, but don’t get ahead of yourself. There are some projects that you are just better off leaving to the pros. For example, installing a custom glass shower really needs to be done by custom glass shower contractors. That type of project is tough to get right unless you have the solid know-how and experience.
When you really overstep your skill set, you can wind up with not only a failed project but one that is going to cost you a lot of money to repair. If you are doing a major overhaul to your bathroom, like replacing the tub, shower, sink, toilet, or changing the footprint, it is best to have some professional support.
There are plenty of DIY projects that you can accomplish with very little skill, but major things like plumbing problems, or extending the size of your bathroom, should be left up to the pros. In the end, sometimes it is simply more cost-effective to have things done the right way.
Stick to the easy bathroom DIY projects you can succeed at instead of stressing yourself out and risking causing serious damage to your bathroom. If you have done all you can in the bathroom and feel a little antsy while you are waiting for the plumber to show up to complete your transformation, get outside and start that landscaping DIY you have on your list of things to do. Leave the big stuff to the professionals.
