Fast Fix: Kitchens

Update Kitchen Cabinets With Glass Inserts

With these easy, step-by-step instructions, anyone can quickly and inexpensively transform builder-grade cabinet doors into beautiful, custom-looking glass insert doors.

By Ana White, Ana-White.com
Filed under: Kitchen Cabinets, Cabinets, Kitchens, How To

Materials Needed:

cabinet doors with panel insert
LEXAN glass sheets, 1/8" thick
utility knife or plastic cutting knife
clear silicone
Phillips screwdriver
measuring tape

carpenter's square or straightedge
circular saw
wood chisel
safety glasses
hearing protection
painters' tape

Remove Doors

Remove cabinet doors, place existing hardware in a plastic bag and label doors and cabinets openings with painters' tape, numbering them to make re-assembly easier. Note: This tutorial is for replacing cabinet door panels with LEXAN glass. The cabinet must be constructed with a frame surrounding a panel, like the cabinet in the diagram.

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Measure Doors

Remove doors from the cabinet and inspect top edge of the door. Each door will have a tongue-and-groove joint. First, measure width of groove on inside of cabinet then measure depth of groove on the cabinet. In example shown, depth of groove is 1/2-inch and width is 1/4-inch.