Add a Touch of Style to Kitchen Cabinets
This is a cheap way to modernize your kitchen, add a touch of flare, and show off your fine dinning ware.
To begin with, you will need to collect the tools needed for this project.
Your list should consist of:
Screwdriver, flat and Phillips
Glass panels, or a clear Plexiglass (copper sheets could also be used to add a bit of country charm if you do not want to show off your wares!)
clear-drying silicone caulk
mirror clips with screws
masking tape
pliers
measuring tape
Before running out and buying your glass inserts for your kitchen cabinets you will need to do a little measuring.
Measure the inside of your kitchen cabinet door where you intend on the glass replacing. This will give you the measurements you will need to give to your glasscutter when you purchase your glass.
Make sure when you are writing down the measurements you are also stating exactly to which cabinet door it goes too.
It is also a good idea to use masking tape and write the same description upon the cabinet doors at this time. This will help you later when you go put the glass insert on and to reinstall the cabinet doors.
(The easiest kitchen cabinets to do this with are the ones where the middle insert is a separate panel and is attached to the back of the cabinet door frame with little carpenter staples. If yours cabinets are the notched style, you will also need to add a router to your list of supplies. You can rent one of these for the day at your local hardware stores often, range from $5.00 a day, and up.)
Next, you will take down your kitchen cabinets. Once again, make sure they are labeled as to where they go when the project is done. Tape the screws to the doors as well, so none gets lost in the process.
(If your cabinets are an inset notch style cabinet, this is when you would have to use the router to cut out the wooden panel inset. You have to make sure that you are only cutting the panel and not into the frame.)
The cabinets shown in picture had the outer mid-panel attached by carpenter staples so I am not going to go into detail with the ones with notched insets but that is what you would have to do briefly.
With the outer set panel, you simply use a pair of pliers and a flat head screwdriver to remove the staples, which frees the panel. (The panel inserts should also coincide with the glass measurements)
Next, you would lay the door down on a flat surface that you could work on easily then lay the glass panel in place. ( I used a few drops of clear-drying silicone caulk around the edges where the glass panel would lay.. mind you.. there is a rim on the outside of the glass panel so this does not show, but don’t get excessive. Just enough to hold the glass in place and this will also help prevent rattling when opening and shutting the kitchen cabinet door.)
Now, for your mirror clips. They should lip over to fit glass depth.
Place them around the glass piece.
(I put two on the bottom spaced, two on top spaced, and two on each side for eight total per each kitchen cabinet door.)
You should be able to screw the mirror clips on easily. Test this before applying the clear-drying silicone caulk by attempting to screw one in prior to setting glass insert. If it is difficult to screw, with glass off kitchen cabinet door, either use a drill with appropriate size bit for screw or take a nail smaller then size of screw and make starter holes.
(Drills can get tricky and if you are not real comfortable with them I do not suggest this due to over drilling could cause holes showing in the front of your project)
Your kitchen cabinet door is done! Now all that is left to do is remount the new and improved kitchen cabinet doors back on their frames and you have a beautiful new look!
This project can be a bit costly, so make sure you check with your local hardware store or where you plan to purchase your glass for prices before starting.
