# Are the bathroom vanity lights old news?



## Ostrich Society (Dec 14, 2021)

I’m building my own house and I did exactly that. 1” recessed lights w/ square trims 12” off the wall above the vanity and a lighted mirror.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I like that look in the picture. Who’s making good 1 inch wafers? I think I’d prefer to stick with wafer style because of the ease of install. The last lighted mirror looked cool, but had this crappy flexible cord to connect to, so next time around I really need to look closer at items bought by the customer.


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## Ostrich Society (Dec 14, 2021)

nrp3 said:


> I like that look in the picture. Who’s making good 1 inch wafers? I think I’d prefer to stick with wafer style because of the ease of install. The last lighted mirror looked cool, but had this crappy flexible cord to connect to, so next time around I really need to look closer at items bought by the customer.


I went with NORA 1” and 2” throughout the house. The 1” still puts out something like 600 lumens and the 2” is 800. These were can lights but they make wafer styles too. I got them specifically for the LED “warm dim”. the color temperature changes from 3000k to 1800k when dimming.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Name brand stuff is good. I’ll keep that in mind.


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## kb1jb1 (Nov 11, 2017)

With the mirror lights be careful to use UL or other listed products. Many people don't want to spend $$ and find them cheaper on the internet. Some are not grounded and do not have a label. Also the back lighting type is not functional for make up and some are not bright enough. They are a great product when chosen correctly.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

Has that....gas chamber... kind of look.


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## kb1jb1 (Nov 11, 2017)

joe-nwt said:


> Has that....gas chamber... kind of look.


But I don't see the toilet.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

joe-nwt said:


> Has that....gas chamber... kind of look.


Put a couple of dividers in there and it'll pass for a public washroom 

Definitely a cold looking room, not hospitable


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Depends upon the customer. If it works for them and they are good to work with, have the dinero, I’ll work with them. I don’t care whether they want pink devices or not so long as they are team players and pay promptly.


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## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

Lighted mirrors are a huge PIA. I'll put the outlet or box with wire in, but someone else has to install it. I like the look though.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Have lighted mirrors in my bathrooms since building my house the year 2000. Doesn't look as nice as that one in MH's picture though.... 

But that's what 22 yrs and three kids will do to your fancy (at the time) Roburn mirror light medicine cabinets.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

What I’ve done, not any different than setting chandeliers, is bring the customer in and hold the mirror to the height they like and the framing gets done to hold it at that height.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I had to install one for a direct to owner job , opened the box up to check the hardware . It had 4 plastic mollies for anchoring to drywall and 4 screws . Backside of mirror had tear drop openings for the screw heads to slip in when you left 3/8" of space from the drywall to the screw head. Instead of hassling with all that I set one lead screw in anchor at top center, put a threaded hook into that, installed 2 tek self tapping screws into the trim rail on the backside of the mirror, and ran a piece of #14 between the screws like how you hang a picture on the wall. She's happy.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Ive yet to install one of those lighted mirrors yet, but I’m starting to see them in customers houses. They look good.

As far as the recessed lights go, I would be very hesitant to use anything other than 6” or 4”. Preferably 6”. The smaller the light - the more you lights you need, the more lights you need - the more creative the layout gets.

Right now, both of my bathrooms are due for a light remodel. Its been close to 10 years and has seen better days. Fix sheet rock, replace some trim, new vanity & toilet, new mirrors & lights, couple coats of paint - BOOM! This will be my wife’s Christmas present.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

If he was getting 600 lumens out of a one inch that’s doing well. I know, how it’s put together can make a difference, thinking flood vs spot. The laser beam thing, if it’s a thing could be a problem.


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## Ostrich Society (Dec 14, 2021)

MHElectric said:


> Ive yet to install one of those lighted mirrors yet, but I’m starting to see them in customers houses. They look good.
> 
> As far as the recessed lights go, I would be very hesitant to use anything other than 6” or 4”. Preferably 6”. The smaller the light - the more you lights you need.


The LED trims I used at my house came with different lenses. Wide flood, 38°, and 20°. I worked in Aspen for many years and often 1-3” was par for the course. Maybe the fancier the house the smaller the lights 😆?

I’ve probably hung 30 lighted mirrors and some of them are a nightmare like the 72” wide ones, but I’d say more often than not they go up as easy as a vanity light with the added benefit of being able to stub the wire just about wherever behind the mirror during the rough. Typically either a receptacle if the mirror plugs in or a surface mounted 4 square box if it comes with just a whip.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I have been flushing a box in the wall behind the mirror and then it's a single gang metal cover with the ko from the factory. For the purists who now are worried I have a metal cover on a blue box, I find it's best to run a Caddy 16" sliding box brace with a steel 4s and a 1 gang sw ring turned on it's side behind the mirror someplace high so the cord doesn't hang down below the mirror.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

I'd rather buy a mirror from a lighting company than buy lights from a mirror company.

That's going to be an interesting service call when they don't work.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Anyone doing smart mirrors?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I really like the recessed+lighted mirror look. I haven't wired for it yet since we don't really do residential anymore, but if I can find a good deal on a lighted mirror I would give it a go in my house.


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## MikeWhitfield (Aug 1, 2011)

nrp3 said:


> I like that look in the picture. Who’s making good 1 inch wafers? I think I’d prefer to stick with wafer style because of the ease of install. The last lighted mirror looked cool, but had this crappy flexible cord to connect to, so next time around I really need to look closer at items bought by the customer.


Maxilight (IUseElite.com I think) makes a pretty good 5" dia. 1" thick wafer light. Not the brightest - tops out at 900 lumens - but plenty good enough for residential. 

I like the lighted mirrors if they are quality, but I suspect eventually someone's gonna get electrocuted from an Ebay special and we'll get a slew of new codes about them.


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## MattM-NC (Dec 11, 2016)

MikeWhitfield said:


> Maxilight (IUseElite.com I think) makes a pretty good 5" dia. 1" thick wafer light. Not the brightest - tops out at 900 lumens - but plenty good enough for residential.
> 
> I like the lighted mirrors if they are quality, but I suspect eventually someone's gonna get electrocuted from an Ebay special and we'll get a slew of new codes about them.


I always put mine on afci/gfci.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Looks like I’ll be doing 2 bath remodels this month with the lighted mirrors.

One will have the mirror and recessed lights, the other will have mirror and vanity light.


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

I don't know if I'd like the thought of waiting on the other trades to place hardware.

One has to make sure the carpenter didn't frame out right over the light space, asking for a 
box out is no less than an eyebrow raiser, and extra money for him. Trying to spot the second light like might not work because the wall drain might be just a single drain pipe one and one would have to know the second basin centerline.
Or the drain pipe doesn't have to be centered to bowl centerline to begin with.

I realize the new design of the low profile self contained pop in lights.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Doing the rough in on the first one now. Dont know whether it’s going to be a hardwired or plug in type….

So I’m thinking of leaving a long tail about chest height and seeing what happens on the trim out…

😬 You guys got any suggestions? I’ve got it run to the switch box now so it can be switched.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

If it is plug in… does that mean it needs to be run off the 20amp Bathroom circuit??? Or can it be run off the lighting circuit and have a GFI behind it?


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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

I've been working on my basement bathroom for awhile. I don't have room for a vanity light because of the ductwork above, so I thought I'd mess with something a little different before I get a call do do it on the clock. Mud in LED strips. Wasn't too hard to install, bitch for mudding though. Bought a mirror that had a frosted edge and made my own 'lighted mirror'. All of the ones I've installed have been kinda crappy so I didn't want one of those.


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