Mirrored Medicine cabinet.

[OFWW]

I am looking to make a medicine cabinet 4 foot wide by 30 inches tall

+or- and 6 inches deep outside measurements. I am planning on three mirrors hinged in such a way as to be used for make-up or what ever.

I am planning to put a row of lights above and prettying it up with molding.

My question is regarding the mirrors and hinging them. Frameless would be nice, but I'd like to attach the glass in such a way as it would never come loose or fall.

Currently the one I am looking at replacing had a mirror come off, and somehow my handicapped kid caught it, or prevented the complete fall onto a granite top. That was a couple years ago. Recently a daughter in law was using that same bathroom and had a mirror at the other end come loose, yet it caught her by surprise and it did hit the counter and crack all over in multiple places. On inspection I saw that its "hinges" cracked in two, both top and bottom and I can see that the next one is not too far behind. So I am looking to replace the whole thing. These mirrors had beveled edges and the glass and mirror shop said I would have to order mirrors if I wanted beveled edges, and there is no way to attach a beveled edge to a pivot or hinge that I know off and to do so reliably.

Any thoughts, ideas, or links would be appreciated. I had thought about a channel for the top and bottom for both the mirror and a glued backing, but don't like the esthetic appeal or the problems of cleaning the mirror, LOL, well my wife would be the one, but I'd like to make it easy for here. I definitely would like the mirrors to open like \_/ as the existing do.

Thanks for considering anything in this regard.

[J. Clarke]

I have one that is something like this .

While it has its issues, so far dropping mirrors has not been among them.

[OFWW]

It looks to be a better hinge setup that mine, does the wooden frame create any cleaning problems at the edges of the mirrors?

I looked at Lowes site but they had no 48 " with surface cabinet without there being some huge expense, yet their quality would be no better than normal.

I bought some hinges similar to the ones in this Mirror, they are worthless for a bevel edged mirror. And somehow to be it just looks cheap. This one has a particleboard chest, not too good in a bathroom.

[J. Clarke]

Not really. The biggest problem it has is that whatever finish they used isn't really adequate for bathroom use. One of these days I'm going to have to strip it down and shoot some Magnamax on it.

[OFWW]

Thanks, now to see if my wife will buy into the framed mirror.

[Steve]

Frame the box in whatever pretty wood you want, but for those doors, I'd us e exterior grade/Wet area Plywood. Then veneer your 'finish' material arou nd the edges of the ply to make it look good.

1) the Ply won't break down in the moisture, 2) the ply will be coarse-- you can then use the PL Mirror grade constructi on adhesive to grab the mirror and the ply. Press it down nice & firm, (Thi s is TOUGH, viscous stuff-- you'll need to press hard or else your mirror m ay not hang evenly. Use a thick blanket or canvas/fuzzy back drop to prote ct yourself from a break in the glass as you press.) 3) DOUBLE CHECK that when you pressed, your mirror didn't come out of align ment over the plywood substrate 4)put a weight or three on them, and give it the overnight. 5) then, where the ply meets the mirror around the edge, hit it with a high quality 100% k&B silicone to keep the moisture out. make it a well-coved b ead. you need a good seal here with decent 'drip'.

Doesn't sound like you're painting this thing, but keep the "unpaintable" s ilicones in mind-- better yet, just use a paintable version just in case y ou decide to do so down the road.

Those mirrors should stay on there for you, there are no wooden frames for your whiskers to get stuck in while shaving, and you've got a happy wife.

In regard to your hinges, mirrors are heavy, and so is plywood, so this is the one place that I wouldn't mess around trying to hide euro style cabinet hinges, or something. Find some old-style door or gate hinges, something that looks nice-- like whatever your other metal finishes are in the bath or elsewhere in the home. (Bright Brass, antique brass, bronze, black iro n, satin nickel or whatever you already have in there). They make them all and you can find your finish-- But make them solid, beefy hinges. Matchin g the finish will make seeing it forgivable and frankly, they look good, to o. Better yet, give the bride some choices-- She might pick something dist ressed, for example, which makes your finish job even easier. the smaller side of the hinge goes outside the box for "Show" (You might need to morti se the edge of the box slightly) and the long side will sit inside your doo r, but they'll do their job better than any "typical" cabinet hinges toda y, which is the point, and they'll open the way you want them to per your d iagram.

Hope that helps.

S

[OFWW]

Thanks Steve, you've given me a direction I hadn't considered, and some good pointers on the adhesives. I've been sitting on the project due to some kinda cough, congestion going around that sets you back a few weeks to three.

[Steve]

Happy to help! Hope you feel better soon. (A couple of my family members had that cough this year.... just. won't. go. away.) Get well.