Installing a Medicine Cabinet

Overview:

Most bathrooms today do not have wall mounted medicine cabinets. Bathroom accessories are typically stored in the vanity cabinet or drawers. However, there is another choice and that is a bathroom medicine cabinet. Bathroom medicine cabinets sort of went out of style a couple of decades ago but they have now returned.

The medicine cabinet offers more bathroom storage space for accessories. There are two types, the surface mounted medicine cabinets and the recessed medicine cabinets.

The surface mounted cabinet is mounted directly to wall, either above the bathroom sink or on an adjacent wall. Most have three or four adjustable shelves and are mounted with screws directly to the studs behind the wall board. They are available with mirrored doors although some just have a picture on the face of the door.

Recessed mounted cabinets fit flush into the wall. This is accomplished by removing a section of wallboard and inserting the cabinet into the hole. The wall studs are usually spaced 16 inches apart which leaves a 14.5 inch empty space between the studs to insert the cabinet. If you want to install a medicine cabinet that is wider than 14.5 inches you will have to cut out a section of stud to accommodate the width.  

Installing a medicine cabinet in the bathroom is an easy DIY task.

For a surface mounted cabinet simply locate the studs and align the cabinet mounting holes (usually four) over the studs at the desired height. Then screw the mounting screws through the wallboard into the studs. That’s it, now you have a surface mounted medicine cabinet.

It takes a little more work for a recess mounted cabinet. Cut out the wallboard to the size of the cabinet and insert the cabinet into the space between the studs. The mounting screws are usually located on the side of the cabinet so all you have to do is crew the mounting screws (usually 4) to the studs. If your cabinet is larger than 14.5 inches you will have to cut a stud the same size of the hole and install a piece of 2x4 for a nailer for the mounting screws.

Before cutting the wallboard for the medicine cabinet insure that there are no electrical wires, plumbing pipes, or heat ducts in the space where you want to install a recessed cabinet.

Medicine cabinets come in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colors. Before buying a medicine cabinet visit you home supply center or bathroom center to review the many different cabinets available. Installing a medicine cabinet is an easy DIY task using common household tools. Even though you may have a vanity cabinet in your bathroom a medicine cabinet will offer a lot of additional storage space for bathroom accessories.  

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