Bathroom cabinets, do you think you can just measure the size and choose a good-looking style to install? Do you know how many types of bathroom cabinets there are on the market?

Floor-standing, wall-mounted, open, semi-open, closed, just one style can make you dizzy. As for the material, countertop, storage, installation, size, any one of them will make you suffer a hundred times more! Everyone is in trouble, how can Xiao Qi turn a blind eye? Today, let's talk about how to choose a bathroom cabinet.

01/Cabinet Material

When the cabinet is installed in the bathroom, moisture-proofing becomes very important. General materials will mold, deform, and warp in a humid environment. Therefore, if you want the bathroom cabinet to be durable, you must choose a good base material for the cabinet. Common base materials for bathroom cabinets include PVC, solid wood, artificial boards, and stainless steel.

Let's talk about PVC first . Although it has good waterproof performance and is cheap, it can easily give off a cheap feeling and will turn yellow and deform over time. Moreover, PVC material is prone to toxicity when exposed to high temperatures, so it is not recommended to buy it.

The second is solid wood . Many people have misunderstandings about solid wood bathroom cabinets, and always think that they are more likely to absorb moisture and mold. But in fact, good solid wood has undergone professional waterproofing treatment, has a very low water absorption rate (in line with national standards of 3%-10%), and has excellent resistance to deformation. However, the price is really high, so you must pay attention to your budget when purchasing.

Compared with solid wood, artificial boards are cheaper, have more mature moisture-proof technology, are more cost-effective, and have the texture and feel of wood. For boards , multi-layer boards are more recommended , which have stronger moisture resistance and toughness than particle boards.

However, there is a risk of cracking when veneer is made of artificial boards. If the pasting process or adhesive material is not up to standard, the waterproof effect will be greatly reduced. Therefore, when purchasing, you should pay close attention to the edge sealing process to ensure that there are no gaps in the edge sealing joints.

As for stainless steel bathroom cabinets , although they are wear-resistant, moisture-proof and environmentally friendly, they have a single shape and are not cheap. In addition, stainless steel easily leaves traces of water stains and requires constant scrubbing.

Designer's summary: Generally speaking, solid wood substrate is better. If the budget is sufficient, solid wood is the preferred cabinet material; if the budget is limited, multi-layer solid wood artificial board can be selected.

02/Countertops and Basins

Another important point in choosing a bathroom cabinet is the countertop. If you want the wash basin to be beautiful and easy to clean, you should choose the countertop material carefully. The countertops of bathroom cabinets mainly include marble, artificial stone, ceramic, rock slabs , etc.

Marble. Marble is usually used as a foil for high-end decoration. It not only has an elegant texture, but also looks very grand in the overall combination. It is also easy to clean and maintain. However, it is not cheap. If you have enough budget and can accept regular maintenance, you can choose it.

Artificial stone. There are many varieties of patterns, strong waterproof ability, and the price is lower than marble, but the quality varies. If you can't distinguish the real from the fake, it is recommended to directly identify the big brands.

Slate. A popular countertop material in recent years, it is often used as a countertop for bathroom cabinets because it is durable, easy to clean, and waterproof. The disadvantage is that the surface texture is easy to lose its texture due to the infiltration of scale over the years, so light-colored slate is recommended .

Ceramic. It is the most popular countertop material with the highest cost performance. It is often made into an integrated basin and is also very easy to clean. It should be noted that the installation of ceramic integrated basins requires extremely high dimensional accuracy, and if you want to install a dual-control water vent and drill the hole yourself, you must be especially careful, otherwise it will easily break.

Designer’s summary: If you are looking for aesthetics and have sufficient budget, rock slabs and marble countertops are recommended. If you are looking for stain resistance, practicality and cost-effectiveness, artificial stone and ceramic countertops are recommended.

In addition to the countertop material, the choice of basin is also very important. If you want to clean without dead corners, the style of the basin is crucial.

The first is the split type. Whether it is a countertop or an undercounter type, there will be a gap between the countertop and the countertop during installation. Although you can apply glass glue, it will become moldy and black over time, which looks very unhygienic and is difficult to clean.

▲Water stains on the basin

▲Water stains on the undercounter basin

The second is the integrated type. It is formed in one piece, has no gaps, and is very easy to clean. Moreover, whether it is the recently popular rock slab integrated basin or the classic ceramic integrated basin, they are both very beautiful. It is recommended that the basin depth should be at least 13cm when purchasing so that you don't get your clothes wet when washing your hands.

▲Rock plate integrated tray

▲Ceramic integrated basin

Designer’s summary: If you want to clean without any dead corners, an integrated basin is recommended.

03/Cabinet Style

There are three main styles of common bathroom cabinets: fully enclosed, semi-open and open.

Fully enclosed. It has strong storage capacity and waterproof performance, but it is a bit troublesome to take things out because you always have to open and close the cabinet door. When making a fully enclosed cabinet, it is recommended that the partitions should not be too fragmented, as fragmented space is not very friendly to storage.

In addition, the cabinet door decoration should not be too fancy, especially in a small bathroom. Even if there are just some wireframe decorations and simple handles, it will create a visual sense of fragmentation. It is recommended to purchase simple-shaped, undecorated cabinet doors and invisible handles , which will look lighter visually.

▲Handle line decoration

▲Simple and handleless

Semi-open. It is more convenient to use. The open compartment can be used to store commonly used tissues, combs, toiletries, etc. However, you should pay attention to tidying up, otherwise the open compartment will look messy.

Open. If the bathroom storage requirements are not high, but the appearance requirements are very high, and you also like the minimalist style, then the simple and chic open bathroom cabinet is a good choice, but the open bathroom cabinet must be made under the condition of dry and wet partitions.

Designer’s summary: If you want to make it easy to get things, it is recommended to install an open or semi-open type; if the bathroom does not have a dry and wet separation and has a high storage demand, it is recommended to install a closed type.

04/Installation method

There are two main ways to install bathroom cabinets: one is floor-standing type, with support feet on the ground, and the other is suspended type, supported by connecting parts to the wall.

▲Floor-standing type

▲Suspended

Floor-standing type. It is very convenient to install, and it can be installed as long as there is enough space. The general drainage method is floor drainage, so it is necessary to dig a hole in the bathroom cabinet, which will take up space in the cabinet and is too unhygienic.

Moreover, because the cabinet feet are in contact with the ground, you need to pay attention to the moisture-proof performance and load-bearing capacity of the cabinet feet. In addition, it is also inconvenient to clean .

Hanging type. It has good waterproof and moisture-proof performance, and most importantly, it is clean. The drain is not exposed, there is no odor, there is no need to dig a hole in the cabinet, and there is no sanitary dead corner on the wall.

However, there are installation restrictions. It needs to be installed on a load-bearing wall or solid wall, and heavy objects cannot be placed on it. If the storage demand is large, it should be carefully considered. The hanging type can have another layer of suspended partitions at the bottom to increase storage while maintaining transparency.

The designer concludes: If you don’t like cleaning but like good looks, it is recommended to make a hanging bathroom cabinet; if you want easy installation and your home has a floor-standing bathroom cabinet, and you pursue practicality, it is recommended to make a floor-standing bathroom cabinet.

05/Size Selection

If you want a bathroom cabinet that doesn't splash water, doesn't strain your waist, and doesn't get your body wet... you must pay attention to the size of the bathroom cabinet when purchasing it.

The standard size of a bathroom cabinet is 45~50cm in width and 80~85cm in height (including the basin). This way you can bend over without effort and wash your hands without getting wet.

If the bathroom is too big or too small, you can customize the bathroom cabinet, but the overall size should not exceed one eighth or one ninth of the bathroom.

If you install a mirror, the bottom of the mirror should be ≤ height - 30cm from the ground to ensure that the shortest member of the family can also see their upper body; if it is a mirror cabinet, the bottom of the cabinet should be ≥ 30cm from the countertop to ensure the normal use of cabinet doors, open grids, and water holes; the thickness of the mirror cabinet should be 10-12cm to prevent heads from hitting each other.

06/Purchasing Tips

1. Pay attention to the hardware.

Choose low-lead antibacterial copper for faucets to avoid excessive metal content; choose high-quality ceramic valve cores that are heat-resistant, wear-resistant and not prone to leaks.

2. Choose a good mirror cabinet.

Choose a mirror cabinet that is larger in the middle and smaller on both sides to maximize the mirror area in the middle, thus capturing the entire portrait; avoid choosing a design with two or three doors that are evenly divided, leaving a gap in the middle, as this will cut off the portrait.

▲Big in the middle and small on both sides

▲Two doors, with a gap in the middle

▲Three doors, with a gap in the middle

It is best to choose a mirror cabinet with a defogger function. The bathroom is full of water vapor, and the mirror surface is always covered with water vapor after showering. Intelligent defogger can make the water vapor disappear immediately, which is very practical. As for other various intelligent functions, such as: lighting, temperature, music, etc., you may not be able to use them. It is recommended that you choose rationally according to your needs.

3. Choose a drawer style.

It is best to choose a bathroom cabinet with drawers, so that even if the things are placed deep, you don’t have to bend over or squat, or reach out to fumble around. You can pull them out and take them clearly.

Do you know how to choose a bathroom cabinet after reading this article? What style of bathroom cabinet do you have? Welcome to leave a message in ** area to share ~