Mirrored Medicine cabinet.
On Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 4:58:07 PM UTC-4, OFWW wrote:
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.
Frame the box in whatever pretty wood you want, but for those doors, I'd use exterior grade/Wet area Plywood. Then veneer your 'finish' material around 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 construction adhesive to grab the mirror and the ply. Press it down nice & firm, (This is TOUGH, viscous stuff-- you'll need to press hard or else your mirror may not hang evenly. Use a thick blanket or canvas/fuzzy back drop to protect yourself from a break in the glass as you press.)
3) DOUBLE CHECK that when you pressed, your mirror didn't come out of alignment 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 bead. you need a good seal here with decent 'drip'.
Doesn't sound like you're painting this thing, but keep the "unpaintable" silicones in mind-- better yet, just use a paintable version just in case you 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 iron, 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. Matching the finish will make seeing it forgivable and frankly, they look good, too. Better yet, give the bride some choices-- She might pick something distressed, 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 mortise the edge of the box slightly) and the long side will sit inside your door, but they'll do their job better than any "typical" cabinet hinges today, which is the point, and they'll open the way you want them to per your diagram.
Hope that helps.
S
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