Oak Vanities

How to Choose an Oak Vanity Tone

An oak vanity is easiest to choose in two steps: pick the tone that suits your tiles and light, then check the cabinet material behind it. The same tone name, such as Prime Oak, appears on solid PVC, MDF and plywood cabinets, so the name alone does not tell you how the vanity copes with water.

Coastal, Classic, Natural and Prime Oak Vanities from Light to Deep

Coastal Oak is the lightest of the four core oak vanity tones, and Prime Oak is the deepest. Classic Oak and Natural Oak sit at a similar depth between them: Classic Oak leans warm, while Natural Oak leans cool. Choose by the colour temperature of your tiles and lighting, not only by how light the vanity is.

• Coastal Oak is the palest choice, for a vanity that reads light against white walls.
• Classic Oak keeps the light look but adds warmth. The Scandinavia 450mm Classic Oak listing pairs it with white or marble-look tiles.
• Natural Oak suits grey or cool white tiles, where a warm oak can look slightly orange.
• Prime Oak gives the most contrast against a white stone top or pale floor.

An oak vanity finish also shifts with lighting. Our listings note that the same oak finish looks warmer under yellow downlights and cooler and greyer under daylight or LED. Treat any photo as a guide to the overall tone, and email info@rjbathroom.com.au for extra real photos of a finish before you order.

Tas Oak Vanities and Real Tasmanian Oak

A Tas Oak vanity in this collection is an oak-look finish on an MDF cabinet, not a solid Tasmanian oak cabinet. Tasmanian oak is the trade name for Australian eucalyptus species rather than a true oak, and the Hera Tas Oak range copies its warm, natural tone. Choose it if you want that local look on a ready-made vanity.

The Hera Tas Oak 900mm wall hung vanity is a good size to start from. If Tas Oak feels too warm for your tiles, Elegant Oak in the same Hera range is described as a lighter, finer grain. Every oak finish here sits on a PVC, MDF or plywood cabinet, so check the material line in each listing. For walnut and other tones, browse our timber vanities.

Oak Vanity Tone Names vs Cabinet Material

An oak vanity's cabinet material decides how it handles a wet bathroom, and it changes by series, not by tone. Two Prime Oak vanities can have different cores, so read the material line in each listing before you settle on a colour.

• Solid PVC (Eden, Scandinavia, Artis): the board itself does not absorb water. This is the most forgiving core for a busy or steamy bathroom. Compare more in our waterproof vanities.
• E0 MDF with oak-grain PVC film (Camden): the film wraps the cabinet edges to seal the board.
• Moisture-resistant or thermolaminated MDF (Hera, Rita, Rhea): MDF resists splashes and only swells if water is left sitting on it.
• Plywood (Ravello, Ridgewood, Brooklyn): cross-laminated layers, which the listings describe as more moisture-tolerant than particleboard.

Whatever the core, the listings we checked do not cover water damage under warranty, so wipe up standing water around the basin and keep the room ventilated.

Matching an Oak Vanity with Tops, Tapware and Handles

An oak vanity pairs most easily with a white or marble-look stone top, which lifts the grain without competing with it. For tapware, the listings name specific pairings for each tone, so start there and match the handle to the tap.

• Classic Oak (Scandinavia): brushed gold tapware or brushed nickel tapware.
• Elegant Oak (Hera): matte black, brushed nickel, brushed gold or gun metal.
• Sandy Oak (Ravello): brushed brass, matte black tapware or gunmetal.
• Eden and Scandinavia handles: five finishes (Brushed Gold, Brushed Nickel, Gun Metal, Matte Black and Matte White), so the handle can match your tapware.

Stone tops on the oak vanities we checked include Carrara, Calacatta White, Calacatta Night and matte white solid surface. Tops are drilled to the tap hole position you choose, and that cannot change once the order is placed. To finish the wall above, browse our shaving cabinets in the same width as your vanity.

Wall Hung or Freestanding Oak Vanities

About two thirds of the oak vanities here are wall hung. Choose a wall hung oak vanity for an open floor that is quick to mop, and a freestanding oak vanity for storage that runs down to the floor and hides floor plumbing.

• Wall hung oak ranges include Eden, Artis, Brooklyn, Ravello and most Hera sizes. See all wall hung vanities.
• Freestanding oak ranges include Camden (on legs or with an optional kickboard), Rhea, Scandinavia and Rita. See all freestanding vanities.
• A wall hung vanity needs solid fixing: noggins or a masonry wall behind the lining.

Eden and Artis have fluted fronts, and Artis and Ravello have curved ends. For a tight ensuite, start with our ensuite and slimline vanities.

Which Oak Vanity Should You Choose?

The right oak vanity depends on three things: how light you want the room to feel, whether your tiles lean warm or cool, and how wet the bathroom gets.

• If you want the palest oak, choose Coastal Oak in the Camden range.
• If you want a light, warm oak in a steamy bathroom, choose Classic Oak in Eden or Scandinavia for a solid PVC cabinet.
• If your tiles are grey or cool white, choose Natural Oak in the Rhea range.
• If you want contrast with a white stone top, choose Prime Oak, such as the Eden 600mm Prime Oak.
• If you want the Tasmanian oak look, choose Hera Tas Oak.
• If you want an all-drawer layout, compare this all-drawer 1200mm oak vanity.
• If you want something darker than oak, choose from our walnut vanities.

Oak Vanity Pickup and Viewing

About a third of the oak vanities here are Poseidon or Koti models, and you can pick those up free from Dandenong South (VIC) as well as from our Sydney warehouses. Pickup is free and needs no booking. To see an oak finish in person in Sydney, call 0480 746 325 to view by appointment.

The RJ Bathroom team in Sydney wrote this guide from the product listings in this collection. If a listing and this guide ever differ, the listing is correct, and you can call us to check before you order.