Installing a medicine cabinet is not all that difficult using linear guides and I speak from experience. Back when I was single I used to have to do small things by myself and learned as I went along. One of the tasks I understood in my home was the installation of a brand new medicine cabinet that I had proudly purchased.
Here are ten tips to help you install a medicine cabinet successfully in your home.
1) Will you be installing a recessed medicine cabinet or nonrecessed/surface mounted medicine cabinet?
2) If you decide that you wish to install a recessed cabinet then you will need to see what is inside of the wall. You don’t want to place the cabinet where there is a large vent pipe or any load-bearing framing. These would be too difficult to deal with and it is better to just place the cabinet away from these challenges. If you want the medicine cabinet to go on the wall no matter what then simply by a nonrecessed/surface mount medicine cabinet for ease of installation.
3) Most medicine cabinets come with easy to follow directions so be sure to remove these from the box and see exactly what tools you will need for the installation process so you can gather them all together and begin to utilize them. You will normally need a level, stud finder, drill, drill bits, saw, Sawzall, drywall screws, level, and cabinet screws.
4) You will want to mount your medicine cabinet 72 inches off the floor to the top of the cabinet. This is a good rule of thumb but some people are simply short so you might want to adjust it to fit your requirements.
5) If you are installing a recessed medicine cabinet the odds are you will be faced with cutting away a stud. You will cut through the wall and disconnect it from the fasteners in the back.
6) Once the stud is completely out of the way you will need to install a frame. To do this install 2×4 vertical and horizontal blocking to build a frame. With this frame, you will be able to easily slide the medicine cabinet into place.
7) The lip of the cabinet will hide the cut in the drywall so there will be no noticeable cuts once the cabinet is securely into the hole you cut into the wall.
8) Normally the medicine cabinet will come with all screws and accessories but if it does not be sure to purchase actual drywall screws for securing the edges of the cabinet.
9) If you are installing a nonrecessed/ surface mount medicine cabinet then it will come in handy to have a stud finder. You will need to mount the wall surface medicine cabinet securely to a stud. Studs are normally spaced 16 inches apart in a wall.
10) It will also come in handy to have a level on hand to make sure that all cuts are level and straight. This will also come in handy when the medicine cabinet is actually installed. Most directions do not ask you to use a level but if you want a professional appearance then I strongly suggest the use of a level.
