Installing a Recessed Medicine Cabinet

They say that your bathroom is one of the most popular improvements that people make to their homes ,so I wanted to start here. Putting in a Medicine Cabinet is a fairly straightforward & simple project that will add immediate value to your bathroom.First, make a rough measurement and mark the space where the cabinet will go. The recommended height from the bottom edge of the mirror to the floor is 40 inches. Measure the width of your cabinet and mark the center point in the wall. Before you begin, locate the studs in the wall. You can do this with a stud finder, which is the easiest way, or by tapping on the wall with a hammer and listening for hollow versus solid sounds. The studs will usually be on 16-inch centers for 2x4s and on 24-inch centers for 2x6s. A serviceable medicine cabinet will not fit between studs on 16-inch centers, so don’t plan on installation without some partial stud removal and additional framing. Note: Narrow cabinets are available, but the size may not be practical for everyday use. Before you start cutting into the wall, turn off the electricity.
If you have a light overhead, then wiring will be located somewhere within the cutout section. You may wish to replace the current light with a lighted cabinet. In that case, simply attach existing wires following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Carefully cut a 6-inch “viewing hole” in your marked cutout to check for electrical wires and plumbing. If you have found a stud that is in the way, you will need to straddle it with your viewing hole. You can stick your hand through and feel around for obstructions that are out of range of a flashlight. There is no easy solution to moving plumbing. In this case, you may want to adjust the mounting location to be clear of the obstacles or consider a wall-mounted cabinet. You also need to make sure the space is deep enough for your cabinet. Standard depths for inset cabinets are 3 ½ inches or 4 inches. Removing a stud to make room for the cabinet may make a much larger hole than you had planned. Additionally, if you are removing any light fixtures above the space, consider taking the wall out in a strip up to the ceiling Replacing drywall in a larger area may be easier and the tapelines will look cleaner after the job is finished. Once the framing is complete, you can tape, plaster, and paint
Make sure that the stud section you remove is not part of a load-bearing wall. If the wall is part of an adjoining room,
be sure that the stud does not attach to anything from the other side. When removing a stud section, you can use a handsaw but a reciprocating saw will make the job much easier.
If the cabinet is designed for either wall mounting or as an inset, you will probably have to mark and drill mounting holes in the sides. Partially pre-drill holes in the cripple studs; the finishing screws will drive in without much effort. Even if your cabinet comes pre-drilled for mounting, this step will make your job easier.
If you are installing a lighted cabinet, you will now attach the electrical.
Once your cabinet is set into the space, make sure it is level. At this point, you may need to add shims. Screw the sides of the cabinet into the framed area. Mount the door, or doors, per the manufacturer’s instructions and you are finished. As always make sure to carefully read all the instructions that came with your cabinet. On my difficulty meter between 1&10 I would give this a 6. Good luck, email me with any questions.

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