Medicine cabinets are everywhere. You can find them in many homes and businesses, especially hospitals and clinics. They are usually located near the sink or shower. If you are keen enough, you will realize that they are of a particular size – especially if they are from reputable brands.
So, what size is considered standard for these cabinets? Well, most manufacturers have them in 24×30, 20×30, and 16×30. There are more sizes for the cabinets though.
Most manufacturers have standard depths, widths, and heights. To make the correct choice, you need to understand them.
What’s The Standard Medicine Cabinet Width?
The standard medicine cabinet width could be anything between 16 to 25 inches. This is the width of the cabinet itself, so you’ll typically want to install your medicine cabinet on the wall with a base that’s at least this wide. If you’re going to be installing it over your countertop, make sure your countertop is at least this wide as well.
Height
Medicine cabinet height is not standard and this may come as a surprise. That said, manufacturers tend to make them between 20 inches to 40 inches with 30 inches being the most popular. Why? Because it is the most preferable for housings that come with a typical ceiling height.
Coming in a close second has to be 26″. It is ideal if you are looking to install light features above the cabinet, rather than side sconces.
20″, on the other hand, is usually for half entry-level baths. It is often used for medicine cabinets that are 16″ or narrower.
There’s also 40″, which is ideal for loft style and master bathrooms.
Ultimately, you want to consider the position of light fixtures, faucet height, and overall size of your bathroom to choose the right size.
Depth
The typical medicine cabinet depth is 4″ with an allowance of ½ an inch higher or lower. The depth refers to the dimensions from the cabinet’s entrance, to the back wall, excluding the door. As you can imagine, the depth of the cabinet determines the amount of space you have.
Renowned manufacturers offer 6″ & 8″ to work as upgrades. However, these sizes can only be applied to recessed & dual-mounted cabinets. A surface-mounted cabinet in those dimensions would excessively stick out.
This is why manufacturers do not even make them.
Popular Medicine Cabinet Combination Sizes
The standard height, width, and depth of cabinets vary depending on the cabinet style.
The most common standard medicine cabinet height is 30 inches. According to bathroom remodeling contractors, this is the minimum height for a medicine cabinet to fit appropriately. The wider the cabinet, the more spacious it will feel and look in your bathroom.
You don’t want your bathroom mirror to overwhelm the rest of the space in the room by being too tiny or too large to fit with the size of vanity you picked out. As such, you want to ensure that it’s the right size for your vanity and doesn’t look like an afterthought.
Medicine Cabinets With Lights Standard Size
Cabinets with lights are a great way to add style and sophistication to any room. If you have already installed your medicine cabinet or are planning on installing one, you should know several ways to do it.
The Standard Medicine Cabinet is an excellent option for contemporary bathroom styles. This cabinet features dual LED lights on either side and can be customized to fit a variety of cabinetry styles.
When buying a medicine cabinet that features built-in lights, you want to consider whether you prefer to have the light on the whole time or just when opened.
Why Is It Necessary to Choose a Medicine Cabinet That Is Standard in Size?
From a design perspective, it is advisable to choose standard cabinet sizes. This will help you combine and coordinate different elements in the room. Also, it’s easier for the repairers to fix and replace parts on standard-size cabinets.
Here are more reasons why you should go for standard-size medicine cabinets:
- You can find them easily in most stores.
- They have a long life in that replacement parts continue to be produced and stocked even after discontinuation.
- You can get them in the standard size because different manufacturers have them.
The reality is that medicine cabinets are made to be customized by the manufacturer. This means you may not find any ‘standard’ sizes when comparing different companies. Instead, you will see variations in widths, heights, and depths.
The most reputable companies manufacture the sizes discussed above, while entry-level ones produce different sizes of recessed versions. Moreover, these companies usually introduce new dimensions to see whether or not they catch on.
We can’t talk about medicine cabinets without mentioning Kohler. The brand’s 26″ and 30″ cabinets have been in the market for a minute, but they have now launched a 24″ version.
However, there is only a single model of the same height from Kohler right now, and if it performs poorly, chances are you will not see it in the market.
Imagine buying a medicine cabinet and breaking it a few weeks after purchase. If it is discontinued, you must purchase an entirely new cabinet.
You can avoid all the hassle by sticking to commonly sold cabinets with standard sizes.
Surface Mounted Cabinets Do Not Have Standard Sizes: Why?
When it comes to replacing your standard medicine cabinet, the surface-mounted type will be easy to install and replace in the future. The replacement cabinet can simply conceal screw holes and brackets.
Because of this, manufacturers have not seen the need to make a single size of surface-mounted cabinets. Therefore, it is a good idea to purchase a surface mount cabinet, irrespective of its measurements.
How To Replace a Medicine Cabinet with Standard Size
As previously mentioned, choosing a standard-size cabinet is necessary to avoid problems when replacing it in case you need to.
If you need to replace yours, follow the following steps:
- Confirm that the size you need is available by measuring your cabinet.
- Detach your existing cabinet.
- Get the dimensions of the current cutout.
- Get a new cabinet with your measurements.
Ultimately, buying the right cabinet size will make things easier for you when you need to replace it.