The medicine cabinet is an essential part of a house. It helps to store medicines in an organized way and in a properly controlled environment.
To set a medicine cabinet properly at home, there are some essential rules that need to be followed. One of them is that a medicine cabinet must be set at a proper height.
Let us help you understand how high a medicine cabinet should be and some necessary tips for arranging them as well.
How high should a medicine cabinet be?
The top of a medicine cabinet should be 72 inches from the floor. This is the general rule to set a medicine cabinet. Likewise, the center of the medicine cabinet should be 64 inches above the floor. This is the standard height to set a medical cabinet. Depending on room height, this may vary.
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A medicine cabinet has a standard height. This height is 64 inches from the floor to the center of the mirror of a medicine cabinet.
This measurement is approved worldwide and is maintained in various countries. This height will vary based on where you set the medicine cabinet at your home. According to setup location, this height may increase or decrease.
Let us help you understand some common places where you may set your medicine cabinet and inform you about the accepted height for the positions as well:
Standard height of medicine cabinet from the floor above a vanity:
You may set a medicine cabinet above your vanity. This is a common and reliable spot to set a medicine cabinet.
The standard height from the floor above a vanity to the center of the window of the medicine cabinet is 64 inches. This height will vary based on the height of the vanity.
If the height of the vanity is around 33 – 36 inches from the floor, then the medicine cabinet should be mounted at the standard height.
Medicine cabinet height above a toilet:
A standard height of a medicine cabinet should be mounted 24 inches above the toilet. This height may vary depending on the height of your toilet.
It is possible to set a medicine cabinet above a toilet. To set it, you must keep in mind that you must set it at a certain height so that there is enough distance between the bottom of the medicine cabinet and the toilet floor.
Distance between vanity and medicine cabinet:
The distance between the vanity and the medicine cabinet is essential to ensure no lack of clearance. The medicine cabinet should be mounted 12 – 18 inches above the top of the vanity.
The distance between the vanity and the medicine cabinet is important because if and only if the medicine cabinet is set properly, then you can open the doors of the medicine cabinet without any hassle.
Medicine cabinet height from the sink and faucet:
The medicine cabinet should be mounted 5 – 10 inches above the sink and faucet. This distance may vary depending on the height of your sink and faucet.
You should set the medicine cabinet at the proper height depending on the height of the sink and faucet. Because it will ensure for you to be able to open your doors of the medicine cabinet when needed without any problem.
Moreover, the center of the medicine cabinet should be centered properly based on the sink.
Where should I put my medicine cabinet?
If you want to set a medicine cabinet at your home, some necessary tips can help you choose an ideal location for setting it up nicely. Here are some tips from us that may help you decide where you want to set your medicine cabinet:
Put it somewhere cool and dark:
Your medicine cabinet should be set at a place where the temperature is moderate and low. A cool place is good for medicines.
It helps the medicine to last longer and has a better shelf life. Setting your medicine cabinet somewhere dark can keep your medicine cabinet stay cool.
So put your cabinet in a dark place to ensure low temperatures.
Put it in a dry place:
Water and humidity are enemies of medicines. Therefore, you must ensure that there are no water sources around the medicine cabinet.
Moreover, you should choose a place where the humidity is low. Because places with high humidity are also not good for storing medicines.
Try not to put it in the kitchen:
The kitchen is the worst place where you can set a medicine cabinet. The temperature, humidity, and condition of this area always fluctuate.
As a result, these changes may force the stored medicines to change their characteristics and properties. Therefore, it is best not to put the medicine cabinet in the kitchen.
How high above the medicine cabinet should the light be?
The light should be around 11 – 16 inches high above the medicine cabinet which is the standard height to set the light. Moreover, it should be 75 – 80 inches high from the floor.
This height depends on how high you have set the medicine cabinet on the wall. The light should be set properly at the top of the medicine cabinet.
It has to be set aligned center of the medicine cabinet. This is important because if this is not done properly, then you cannot use the mirror of the medicine cabinet properly.
If you set the medicine cabinet above a vanity, then the light should be set 35 – 40 inches above the vanity. If you want to set the light over a medicine cabinet, then the light can be set a few inches above as there will be no mirror on the medicine cabinet at that spot in most cases.
Which way should a medicine cabinet open?
There is no right or wrong way to open a medicine cabinet. The doors will open depending on the hinge system that is used on your medicine cabinet.
Traditionally, if you want to open a medicine cabinet, you will have to pull the doors of the medicine cabinet outside of its place and swing the left door on the left side and the right door on the right side.
The way of opening a medicine cabinet depends on the door mechanism of your medicine cabinet.
Are medicine cabinets standard size? What is the standard size for a medicine cabinet?
Yes, medicine cabinets have a standard size based on the place that they are set. The standard size varies between 14 – 68 inches in width and 22 – 40 inches in height.
The standard size of a medicine cabinet depends on where you are setting the medicine cabinet at. If you want to set it over vanity and sink, the standard sizes will vary according to that.
For small sinks and vanity, the standard size is 20 inches wide, 15 inches tall, and 24 inches deep. But, if you have a compact space, the ideal size to set it up will be 33 x 20 x 24 inches which refer to the width, height, and depth respectively.
For medium-sized vanity and sinks, the preferred width, height, and depth will be 45 x 30 x 24 inches respectively.
How do you mount a medicine cabinet to the wall?
There are some necessary steps to mount a medicine cabinet on the wall. Let us discuss those steps with you so that you can set your medicine cabinet on the wall properly:
Decide the place to put the medicine cabinet:
The wall that you want to hang the medicine cabinet on must have to be spacious. You have to check if there are any studs behind the wall or not. Besides, determine the density of the wall as well and get the screws of the proper size as per need.
Mark the top of the medicine cabinet on the wall:
Get a measuring tape and mark the top of the cabinet based on the location that you want to set the medicine cabinet at. Use a pencil or any other marking tool of your choice to mark the positions.
Drill the holes based on the requirement of your medicine cabinet:
Get a drill machine and start drilling holes on the wall according to the marked positions of your medicine cabinet. Drill the holes properly and make sure that they are aligned properly.
Mount the medicine cabinet on the wall:
Set the medicine cabinet on the wall by aligning the holes. Use anchors and toggle bolts if required to securely set it on the wall. Also, use a align tool for aligning the cabinet properly.
Final thoughts
The center of your medicine cabinet should be 64 inches high from the floor. This is the standard height to set a medicine cabinet. But this height may vary depending on where you set it at. Although the difference will not be that much significant and will be within the standard range at all times.