How To Make a Glass Cabinet Door

One of the ways woodworking homeowners like to display their handiwork is to have a hand in the construction of the kitchen cabinets. Learning how to make a glass cabinet door brings the level of excitement up one more notch. You will need a little experience with power tools or an adventurous spirit to tackle this type of project for the first time.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 by 6-inch lumber Table saw Electric miter saw C-clamp (optional) Variable speed drill Wood glue Bar clamps Picture frame molding Pin nails (or small brads) ½-wide flat mold Wood putty Sand paper

Cut the Parts

1. 
   Add 1-inch

   Measure the door opening in the cabinets and add 1-inch to both the width and the height. This is for a full overlay door, therefore the hinges will need to be full overlay hinges. For more information on door hardware, including hinges see "Woodworker's Hardware" in the Reference section below.

2. Set the fence of the table saw at 2 inches. Rip as many pieces as necessary to make a frame for the door sizes measured in Step 1. Next, measure from one end of one of the pieces and make a mark for the height of the doors.

3. 
   Repetitive Cuts

   Cut this with the electric miter saw. These are the stiles. If the saw is installed on a worktable that is level with the surface of the saw, place a block of wood at the end of the piece and secure it to the table with a C-clamp or drywall screws. Be certain that the block is placed to make the next cut the same as the one you just cut. Cut as many as you need for the doors.

4. Measure and make a mark for the widest door and subtract 4 inches. Cut two pieces for the top and bottom of the frame. These are called rails. Repeat this process until all the rails for the doors are cut.

5. 
   Glue Them Up

   Place all the door frame pieces together according to the door size. Apply wood glue to the ends of the rails, place them between the stiles and clamp them together with the bar clamps. Allow the glue to dry according to the manufacturer's suggestions.

Molding for the Glass

6. Measure the inside of the opening on each door and subtract 1/8-inch. This is the size the glass needs to be.

7. Measure the inside of the opening again and add the width of the molding to it. The goal is to have enough of the molding hanging inside the opening for the glass to rest against. For example, if the opening is 22 by 14 inches, the inside of the molding frame should not be less than 21 ½ by 13 ½ inches. Repeat this for every door.

8. 
   Picture Frame for Glass

   Cut the molding on 45 degree angles to form picture frames on the front of the doors. Apply wood glue around the perimeter of the glass opening and secure the mold with the pin nails. Clean up excess glue immediately with a damp cloth. Repeat this on the rest of the doors. Allow the glue to dry before installing glass.

9. Cut the ½-inch flat mold to fit on the inside edges of the glass opening. These pieces will hold the glass in the door.

10. Place the doors on a worktable face down. Insert the glass into the opening and secure it in place with the ½-inch molding you cut in the previous step. Sand any rough edges around the door and fill the nail holes with wood putty. Stain or paint.

Tips & Warnings

• You can stain or paint before the glass is installed to save time. Make certain the ½-inch flat mold fits tightly. Handle glass with care.
• Do not raise the table saw blade any higher than necessary to make the cut. Do not leave power tools unattended in the presence of children. Do not stain or paint without proper ventilation.

References

• Woodworker's Hardware
• Applied Moulding Profile Index

Resources

• How to Install Glass Cabinet Doors