How to Add Glass to Cabinet Doors

Many homes have small rooms, and homeowners learn to adapt to having a smaller bathroom or bedroom. One room that is difficult to adjust to, however, is a smaller kitchen. Many people spend a good part of their day in their kitchen cooking, eating or even doing homework, and a tight space can be frustrating. While you may not have the funds to completely remodel, there are some tricks that can make your kitchen look bigger. One of these is replacing heavy wooden cabinet doors with see-through glass for an airy, expanded feeling.

Measuring tape
Grease pencil
Straight edge
Drill
2-inch drill bit
Jigsaw
Tack cloth
1/2-inch picture frame molding, 4 strips
Miter box
Hacksaw
Fine-grit sandpaper
Heavy-duty clear wood glue
Clear silicone caulk
Painters tape
Paint or stain to match cabinets

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the length and width of the cabinet panel you will be removing to insert the glass. Subtract 1 inch from each measurement to allow for framing. Order glass panels from a glazier according to these dimensions.
- 2
  Remove the cabinet doors. Lay them face up on a flat surface. Measure in from each edge and note how far from the edges the panel you are removing begins.
- 3
  Turn each cabinet door over. Measure in from each edge to where the panel begins on the front and mark this with a grease pencil. Use a straight edge to connect all of the marks to form the entire shape of the panel (usually rectangular).
- 4
  Drill a 2-inch hole in the middle of each outlined panel from the back. Cut out each panel with a jigsaw. Wipe down each cabinet door with a tack cloth, a special cloth with a slightly tacky surface, to remove the sanding dust.
- 5
  Measure the inside length and width of the openings and add 2 inches to each one. Cut the 1/2-inch picture frame molding so that two pieces match the modified width measurement and two match the modified length measurement. Miter both ends of each piece of molding 45-degrees, 1 inch in from each end, using a miter box and hacksaw.
- 6
  Sand the edges of the molding if necessary to remove splinters. Attach the prepared molding along all four edges of each panel opening with heavy-duty clear wood glue, forming perfect corners using the mitered angles. Let the glue dry 1 hour and fill any gaps in the joints with clear silicone caulk.
- 7
  Wait three hours. Line the division between the molding and the rest of the cabinet door with painters tape and paint or stain the molding to match the cabinets. Let the doors dry overnight.
- 8
  Lay all of the cabinet doors face down. Squeeze a bead of clear caulk along each edge of the molding of one door. Carefully set a prepared glass panel into the opening atop the caulk.
- 9
  Install the glass into all of the doors as you did the first. Let the doors dry overnight. Reinstall your cabinet doors.

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