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| by:
Gord Graff
photos: Christopher Campbell
illustration: Len Churchill |
MEDICINE CABINET MAKEOVER |
| From
metal box to Mission style, this makeover transforms the bathroom |
We look into them all the time, fumble around inside
as we struggle to start our day, but do we give much thought
to the lowly medicine cabinet? Probably not. You likely have
one of these metal or plastic medicine cabinets in your bathroom,
with all the usual weaknesses. The metal ones rust, the plastic
ones crack, and neither have enough space. Isn’t it time
you made something better?
This
upgraded cabinet is nothing more than a melamine-coated particleboard
box with a solid wood face frame and mirrored door. Melamine
is the perfect material for the bathroom because it is inexpensive
and easy to clean. You can get it in sheets, but I used precut
shelf stock.
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| A
perfect reflection of Mission design elements, this
medicine cabinet is a major improvement on a store-bought
cabinet |
|
This project is custom work. Your
medicine cabinet won’t be the same size as mine. That’s
why I’ve given you a building method rather than exact
sizes that probably wouldn’t be of much use. It’s
crucial to measure the cabinet opening before you start to build.
All of this starts by tearing out the old medicine cabinet.
The thin blade of a cat’s-paw prybar works well for levering
out the cabinet.
With the
old thing removed, peek into the hole looking for obstructions:
wood, wires or pipes within the wall that may restrict the overall
size of the new installation. If the way is clear, make the
new cabinet as large as you like. Typically, the only limiting
factor in this equation is the width of the space between studs.
This is usually 14 1/2", although not always, especially
in older homes. Resist the temptation to cut studs to make a
wider opening. While it’s possible to reinforce wall frames
to allow stud removal, it’s better to leave structural
wall members alone.
Next,
carefully measure the width of the stud space you’ve created,
with numbers noted from three places. These measurements ultimately
determine the width of the melamine box, so be careful to get
them right. In most cases I build inset cabinet boxes 1/4"
to 1/2" smaller than the narrowest of the three measurements
I find. This makes it possible to square the cabinet and position
it just right during final installation.
Once
you’ve determined the overall width and height of your
melamine box, you’re almost ready to make sawdust. But
there’s still the issue of cabinet depth to consider.
The name of the game here is to maximize usable cabinet depth,
given the wall cavity you have to work with. Walls framed with
2x4s offer a 3 1/2"-deep internal cavity, plus 1/2"
for drywall. That works out to a 3 3/4" overall cabinet
depth, allowing for a 1/8" cabinet back panel and some
space. A 2x6 wall has room for a 5 3/4"-deep cabinet. If
you’re working on an exterior wall, see “Insulation
Insights”.
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| The
simple melamine interior is inexpensive to build
and is long-wearing and easy to clean |
|
Prepare the sides, top and bottom
of your cabinet, including a series of holes drilled into the
cabinet sides to accommodate adjustable shelf supports. I used
1/4"-dia. shelf supports, the kind you’ll find at
most hardware stores. A 1/4" brad-point drill bit and a
drillpress make clean, square and accurate holes. Another option:
a shop-built plywood drilling jig used after the box is assembled.
Join the sides, top and bottom
of the cabinet with biscuits, dowels, pocket holes or particleboard
screws. When all four sides are together, add a 1/8"-thick
back. It strengthens the cabinet, but be sure all corners are
square before nailing it on. Once the back is in place, nothing
moves. The cabinet box is finished. Test-fit it into the opening
before moving ahead.
Build the Face Frame
The three-inch wide face frame sits flush with the top edge
of the cabinet bottom, so you can slide things out easily. The
face frame sides and top are set in on the cabinet edges, creating
a 1/4"-wide internal ledge that serves two purposes. First,
it acts as a stop for the shelves, preventing them from accidentally
being pulled out of the cabinet. Second, the inset allows for
any variation from square in the cabinet or the face frame;
in other words, the inset covers any building blunders you may
have made so far. Join the face frame using glue and whatever
method you like—dowels, pocket screws (my choice), biscuits
or mortise-and-tenon joinery.
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| PART
1 | PART 2 |
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