Do It Yourself Glass Front Kitchen Cabinets

Remove the cabinet doors that you want to replace with glass fronts. Use a screwdriver to loosen screws, hardware and hinges. Examine the doors to determine the size opening for the glass. Leave at least 2 inches from the top, bottom and sides to allow space for the molding. Take a tape measure and pencil and make two marks for guides to draw the top, bottom, left and right sides. In most cases, the opening shape will be rectangular. Repeat this process for each cabinet door.

Add up the total inches of each outline to determine how much molding you will need by adding the length of the top, bottom, left and right sides. Combine the inches for each door, and then add 20 percent to allow for mitering and the possibility of cutting errors. For example, if the combined total inches were 120, you would add 24, for a total of 144 inches of molding, which equals 12 feet.

Drill a hole at each corner of each cabinet door. This will serve as your pilot hole for your jigsaw blade. Cut along the pencil lines from the top, bottom and sides to cut out the opening for the glass on each cabinet door. Sand the sawn edges smooth on all openings.

Measure and mark the molding to the correct measurements for each door. Lay the molding in the miter box so that your pencil mark is at the longest end of the angle indicator. Saw the molding at a 45-degree angle. This will make the lip of the rabbeted edges of the molding fit neatly when you join them at the corners of the cabinet door opening.

Place the grooved edge of the rabbeted molding, one piece at a time, against the cut edges of the openings. Sand or cut the molding, if needed, to ensure that each piece fits snuggly. Lift one piece at a time and apply a thin bead of wood glue along the edge. Place the molding back into position on top of the glue bead, starting with the top and bottom pieces. Hammer one 3/4-inch nail on the left and right side of the top and bottom pieces to secure the molding firmly to the door. Repeat the process with the molding pieces for the left and right sides. Use wood filler, if necessary, to adjust any gap between the mitered corners. Repeat until molding is applied to all doors.

Turn the doors over, one at a time. Measure each opening, according to the cut line only. Do not include the molding in your measurement. Add 1/8-inch to the measurements for the top, bottom, left and right side. Have glass panes cut to the measurements for each door.

Apply a thin bead of clear silicone, along the entire edge of the opening on all doors. Gently lower the glass into place. Allow the silicone to dry and cure for at least 24 hours. Reattach the hardware to complete the installation of your glass cabinet doors.