Hi!

no pic yet as we are waiting for our door to be done. We only did 1 door, but this is what we did. Bought a new "glass prepped" door from the cabinet maker, we paid about $75 dollars for the door. It is maple, 42". Then we went to glass shop that specializes in glass door inserts. We picked some beveled and leaded glass so our insert was a little pricey, $200. However, they have glass inserts for as low as $30 on up. Just depends on the type of glass and the design. If you don't want to purchase new "glass prepped" doors, you can have a wood shop route out your existing doors so that they are ready for glass. We live near Amish and the cabinet makers can do this. Also, the glass shop that we went to could also route out the existing doors. Since we were only doing 1 door, we choose to purchase the "glass prepped" door.

Elaine

Oh..want to add that in order to use your existing doors, they need to be panel type doors. Here is a pic of our kitchen, we are doing the corner cab.

Elaine

Thanks Elaine. I can't wait to see how yours turns out, please post a picture when it's done :)

I do have paneled cabinets so I know the middle can be taken out - I'm not sure if it's possible to add back a wood design though? Say those grids/boxes that are popular? Or if I can only have an open rectangle? I guess the first step is to see if I can find a wood shop or carpenter in my area.

Thanks for your response!

I don't think so. We have non-panel doors and the glass shop said the woodworking guy can just cut out a standard size.

with a good router bit and some talent, a woodworker can cut a pretty opening in a non-panel door easily. One could be a lot more creative with a solid panel. With a raised panel, you are pretty much limited to the opening you'll end up with once the panel is removed.

Adding a grid should be no big deal either, unless you have a very unusual routered edge around the styles and rails of the panel.

I would like to see you add that grid macybaby! You really can only cut out the entire center panel wether it is flat or raised does not matter. Now a 3/4 thcih flat slab door is a different matter. You have no finished edge when you are done if you cut something out of it.

Adding Mullions is not that easy you will not really be able to pull that off unless you have the talent of a cabinet maker as a do it your selfer. Any laminate top router will cut the panel out with everything adjusted on it. You have to have a steady hand to do it right. The router will want to jump all over the place.

dave, I did say someone with decent woodworking skills could do it. At the last woodworking show DH and I attended we saw some folks do amazing things with routers and templates - but I admit it is not the thing the average person would afford.

DH and I have been doing major DIY projects for over 30 years - and have the outfitted shop to go with that. I was adding up and got to about $7,000 worth of tools that are being used to complete our cabinets (and we do not have a cabinet table saw or it would be way more than that).

I have to remind myself often that while many things can be done DIY, very few people want to invest in tools and time to do a great job.

Cathy

Macybaby

I was not trying to be confrontational. I am sure you know what you are doing. Making mullions is tough for the average DIY but it is possible. your follow up to me sounds like you are making your cabinets yourself. When you make the mullions I would love pictures and up date on how it was.

Yes, DH and I am making our cabinets. It has ended up being way more work than I expected (but doesn't every project end up like that?).

I'm considering putting glass doors for my dish cabinet - but I found a look where they used fancier routered edges on the shelves so when the doors are closed it sort of looks like mullions, but is not. The top section does have mullions, our ceilings are not tall enough to get that look. This was my inspirational picture - but unfortunately what I'm ended up with has strayed quite a bit from this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crown Point Victorian Cabinets

If one removes the panel in order to put a glass backing to change the look, there will be a "routed" groove where the panel inserted- what can be done with that to fill/camouflage, not see it?

My assumption is one takes out the panel, then backs the now door frame with the desired material... leaving this groove visible??

You can order the (not sure of term) backing trim to hold glass in place (on inside door) at most online cabinet/woodworker sites. There is a wood adjustable one that you can easily trim to fit the thickness of glass if you are unsure of what thickness to get. If you know the thickness of your glass insert I think there are two choices of clear trim sizes. I know they sell them at cabinetmakerschoice because I have ordered them for my kitchen.

The back of the grove has to be removed so the glass will fit flush with the front edge of the grove (you turn the grove into a notch).

You can purchase small wood strip that can be glued or tacked in place to make it look like there is a grove, or you can use glazier tools to insert points (small metal barbs) to hold the glass and then use glazing putty to hide them. That is the way it use to be done before people had neat tools like routers to use.

If you have a chance to look at glass doors on old furniture, you'll see some different options for adding glass after the frame is assembled.

That looks wonderful Jeanteach! Could you give info on your countertops?

Excellent jeanteach!! thanks for the pics.

Macybaby- ok, so basically after the panel is removed the back of the door needs to be prepped so that the glass will fit in similar to the way a picture frame works?

So I guess I could use a router with the depth set to just get that side opened up... I think I get it, of course once I look at it with the panel out I should be able to plan the execution from there.

My hope is to have opaque glass, in some form, just trying to dress up the darn beat up cab's!

I will try to take a photo of the back of the door tonight to show you what my carpenter did with the glass. He used some sort of clear adhesive.
jterrilynn: my counters are honed Jet Mist (aka Virginia Mist). There are more photos of it in my "finished" posting. If you search jeanteach I think it will come up.

Thanks jeanteach.

In an effort to find a visual I did finally find a nice instruction with some drawings, that although that was how I thought it would be done, picture speaks a thousand words.

For anyone else interested....

Here is a link that might be useful: Converting panel Cabinets to Glass front