Build and Install a Medicine Cabinet

Sand the Doors

By now, the door should be impressive, but it will look a whole lot better after sanding. If you have a belt sander or the orbital sander shown, bring it on. Otherwise, use sandpaper and a sanding block—a flat tool or just a hunk of flat wood—and be sure to sand parallel to the grain, not across it. Start with medium sandpaper, and then change to fine and extra-fine grit.

Install the Mirror and Mirror Backing

With the door made, measure the openings left by stepped dadoes in the back:

• The mirror should be ¹⁄₈" shorter in each dimension than the inner stepped dado. Order a ¹⁄₈" mirror from a glass company, cut to this size.

• The mirror backing should be ¹⁄₈" shorter in each dimension than the outer dado. Cut this piece from ¹⁄₄" Masonite.

To insert the mirror and mirror backing, follow these steps:

1. Put 2" masking tape around the face of the mirror, within ¹⁄₄" to the edge. The tape protects the glass from sticky caulking.

2. Place the door frame face down on a table.

3. Put the mirror backing in place and drill holes for #6 × ¹⁄₂" round-head screws at the very outside. Do not place a screw where it would hit the mirror.

4. Place a bead of clear silicone caulking designed to hold wood and glass into the mirror dado. The caulking holds the mirror tight in the dado.

5. Place the mirror face down in the dado and place the mirror backing on top.

6. Carefully drive the screws into the mirror backing, placed about every 6". Do not hit the mirror!

7. Remove the masking tape and scrape any caulking from the mirror with a single-edge razor blade.