Replacing an old recessed medicine cabinet
Measure the wall opening, not the old cabinet door. Most recessed cabinets fit between studs 16 inches apart, which leaves about 14 1/2 inches of width. A new cabinet that fits the same opening is a direct swap. A wider one means cutting framing; a surface-mount cabinet is the simpler way to gain space.
Bathrooms in postwar houses like many of Rosemead's were often built with a recessed medicine cabinet: a steel or wood box set into the wall above the sink, with a mirror door. Where the original is still there after seventy-odd years, the box tends to rust at the bottom shelf, the hinges sag, and the mirror silvering goes cloudy at the edges.
Replacing one is usually a tidy job, as long as the new cabinet fits the opening that is already there. Here is how to plan it.
Measure the opening, not the door
The mirror door almost always overlaps the wall, so it tells you little about the hole behind it. Open the cabinet and measure the inside of the box, or better, take the box out and measure the rough opening in the wall: width, height and depth.
Most older recessed cabinets were built to fit between two studs. With studs set 16 inches apart on center, the clear space between them is about 14 1/2 inches. That is why so many recessed cabinets list a box width around 14 inches. Heights vary more, so measure that carefully too.
What you may find inside the wall
Once the old box comes out, take a look before anything new goes in.
- Old razor blades. Many vintage cabinets had a slot in the back for used blades, and they dropped into the wall cavity. Wear gloves and do not reach blindly into the opening.
- Wiring. Some cabinets had a built-in light or outlet. If there are wires in the opening, turn the circuit off at the breaker and call us before going further.
- Pipes. A plumbing vent or supply line sometimes runs up the same stud bay. The new cabinet has to fit without touching it.
- Signs of water. Stains or soft drywall around the opening point to a leak from the shower or a pipe. That needs to be sorted out first.
Same opening, or bigger?
A cabinet that fits the existing opening is a swap: the old box comes out, the opening gets cleaned up, and the new one is set, leveled, and screwed into the studs on both sides.
A wider cabinet means cutting a stud and framing a header above the opening. That is a bigger construction job outside our scope, and it usually means patching and repainting a good part of the wall too. If you are set on a bigger cabinet, a surface-mounted model is the simpler route, since it hangs on the wall in front of the old opening once that is patched.
Patching around the new cabinet
Old cabinets sometimes leave a ragged edge, chipped tile or a lip of plaster around the opening. Most new cabinet frames cover a small margin. Anything outside that gets patched and painted to match. If the wall around the cabinet is tile, measure how much the new frame will cover before you buy it.
What we do on a visit
We take out the old cabinet, check the opening for wiring, pipes and moisture, and clean up the edges. Then we set the new cabinet level, fasten it to the framing, adjust the door and patch any gaps outside the frame. We like to fit cabinets in the opening the house already has, so the wall framing stays as it is.
If we find wiring, a leak or a stud in the way of the cabinet you picked, we will stop and talk it over with you before going further.
What to send us
Send a photo of the cabinet open and closed, the inside measurements of the box, and the model you are considering. If the wall around it is tile, include a close-up of the edge. You get a price before any work starts.
When you want it done for you, our mounting and furniture assembly page lists the jobs we take and what to send for a quote. More on the houses themselves: repair notes for postwar Rosemead homes.
Need a hand with this?
Call or text (310) 628-9399, Mon–Sat 8:30 AM–7 PM. A photo is usually enough for a free estimate.
Call or text for a free estimate