How do you build a cabinet door with glass insert?

Question

I currently have old wooden painted doors on my cabinets. I would like to replace them with doors with glass inserts. I would like to do it myself so I can match the look with the rest of the older cabinet doors. (I would also like to save the money from having "custom" doors made.) Can anyone direct me on how to approach this? Thanks.

Answer 1

The center door panel is held in the "stiles" by a thin piece of wood on the front and back. The thin piece of wood on the back you want to remove, allowing the center of the door to come out through the back. Measure the opening allowing for about 1/8" all around the glass. Go to a homecenter and have the glass cut to your size, pick up some thin screen trim. Insert the glass into the opening and tack in the trim to hold it in the frame. You will have to do a little staining to match, but that's how you do it. Try it on an old cabinet door first to get the hang of it, and good luck.

Answer 2

If there already is a center panel then just follow the directions buildermeister gave - they describe it perfectly.

However if it is a solid flat panel door then it gets a little trickier. Take off the hinges so you can work on the door in a flat convenient position. You will need a router with a cutting bit that will form the lip that the glass will rest on. Make a template to hold the router out at the correct position so that the hole will be the size you want. It can be a straight piece of wood that you fasten to the back of the door with small brads. Then drill a hole inside the area and drop in the router bit and then pull it back till you hit the template. Now do the whole inner edge by holding the router flat and tight against the template. Stop and move the template to another edge and repeat. When all four edges are done the door will look like the stiles one with a lip.

Now get the glass cut to size (bring a door along) and install as per the door-with-the-stiles.

Answer 3

That plastic "stained glass" insert material was very popular in the late 60s and early 70s. Forget about replacing it, go replace all the plastic with a mottled clear glass. Buy it from a glass supply or stained glass supply. A cheaper way to update that dated kitchen. The kitchen was remodeled 40 years ago. Are the appliances still Harvest Gold or Avocado? Maybe Coppertone.

Answer 4

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/y0ckM
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 5

do not goto ikea they are bad in customer service and have terrible products most made in china and other European countries that do not have good quality control and many germs and diseases that come back over with the product. i recommend going to Lowe's.