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Recessing a medicine cabinet (pics)

harriethomeowner

15 years ago

The bathroom remodeling place we are using is going to try to recess our new medicine cabinet, but they couldn't guarantee it until they got the old cabinet off and looked at what's in the wall. If they can't recess it, it's going to be surface mounted.

Here's the old cabinet:

Here's what's behind there:

The gray metal you see in the hole there is the back of the master bedroom medicine cabinet.

We had no idea there was an outlet there (the small black rectangle to the left of the hole); I don't know if it's connected or what. The light fixture will go above the mirror.

So does this look like they will be able to recess it? Now I'm wondering if we should have gone with a single-door cabinet.

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Comments (7)

kgwlisa
15 years ago
It looks like the other cabinet is taking up the cavity space you'd need to recess the new cabinet.
harriethomeowner
Original Author
15 years ago
I should have said there's about 4 inches of depth from the outer surface of the wall to the other medicine cabinet.

Darn bathroom place ... they came out once, did some cursory measurements, and then had us order all the stuff with all these caveats. For what they are charging, I think they should take more responsibility, frankly.
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We used Robern recessed med cabs in all three bathrooms (mid-level in two bathrooms, a higher-end model in the MB because we wanted a 6" deep med cab in that bathroom--we didn't get it with any bells and whistles extras). Quality of all 3 is great, and all 3 could have been mounted with either a right or left opening (you just flip the cab over to mount either way). Ours have flat mirrors, but I think we could have gotten the same dimensions with beveled mirrors had we so desired. You can see pics or ours in my sub-albums on the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: cat_mom's bathroom albums
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We're doing a medicine cabinet perpendicular to the sink (technically a 6' T x ~ 20 W cab that projects 6" into the room -- we can't recess because of pocket doors). It's a variation on a newer-construction solution that works for our old house space. [Seriously, I can't think of a 1980s+ typical development house that DOESN'T have that set up!] So obviously I think that solution is fine; it's never bothered me when visiting people and I don't think it's any more inconvenient than moving/leaning over to access a cab above a toilet...and I've had THAT set up in another bath for 6 years.
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I am looking at the same RH cartwright as well. I would definately do the small for a 36" vanity. I'm doing a small for my son's bath and his vanity is 48". Part of it depends on how you will do your lights- scones to the side of the cabinet or fixture above. We are starting framing next week. The joists and subfloor on the first floor are in. FYI, RH will have a bath sale shortly after christmas and I plan to purchase the cabinets then. I'm trying to decide which size to do in the master. We have 2 vanites and each will be about 54-57". The big one sounds enormous, or maybe it feels wrong for that style of cabinet. Any opinions? Here is a link that might be useful: RH cartwright medicine cabinet
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Golddust -Thanks for responding! The mirror is 56" across and the vanity is 60", so the mirror should be adequate coverage for each sink. You brought up a good point about the styles being different and after seeing them together on my computer screen alongside the vanity I think I prefer the lines of the medicine cabinet complimenting those of the vanity. I guess if I had a vanity with more curves and curvy legs then the mirror would look better (which is what I would have liked). I hadn't considered the Cartwright cabs in espresso until you just mentioned it. Threedgrad: Thanks. As stated in my response to golddust that's what I'm also concluding.
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kgwlisa
15 years ago
If you've got 4" of space it would fit if it's designed to go in a standard thickness stud wall. That said I assume it is larger than that hole and you will need to reframe the opening - which could also impact the other cabinet depending on how it's installed and how the wall is constructed. If your walls are plaster you could see some damage to surrounding wall trying to get sections of stud out of there. Recessed cabinets are far easier to deal with if you are gutting.
lauren674
15 years ago
How wide is your new medicine cabinet? Since you state its not a single door cabinet, I'm guessing its wider than the hole that's there now. They'll probably be able to frame a new opening and recess it as that's their business. Unless there's plumbing that would have to be moved, then they'll probably recommend mounting it on the wall.
harriethomeowner
Original Author
15 years ago
The new cabinet is 36" wide (triview, frameless).

Yes, it's plaster, and they will have to cut a hole, but I'm hoping they know how to do that.

The master bath shower plumbing is behind the wall about 20" to the left of the edge of the master bath medicine cabinet. The cabinet will go to about 17" (where the old wallpaper ends in the picture), so it may be tight. The person who did the initial measurements did look at the master bath and did some measuring, and I told her the mirror was right behind the mirror in the hall bath.

They have been kind of pi**y about my questioning anything (because they TOLD me it might not work, that's supposed to cover them). We've been through a little drama over the tile repair, too.

I don't know why it is that people who you hire to do work for you are not more accommodating. I don't think we have been difficult, but OTOH, it's our house and we're paying for this.

I think the deal is that all these bathroom places prefer to gut and put in all new stuff. They are not really renovators.
pinkish23
14 years ago
that looks tough to figure out..

Here is a link that might be useful: my medicine cabinet
zippy_one
14 years ago
pinkish23-
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