DIY question: Installing glass doors on cabinets?

[Rajah]

Has anyone ever installed glass/plexiglass doors on existing cabinets? If so, was it difficult?

My mom has 2 cabinets that my dad built that are open-faced. Now that she's getting one of our kittens, she wants them to have glass doors on them, but has no idea how to go about it.

I personally don't think it would be that difficult, if we could find somewhere that would cut and finish the glass for us. But, I haven't found any instructions (yet -- still looking) for installing glass doors DIY.

Any tips? Suggestions?

 

[monkeyboy]

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_kitchen_bath_cabinets/article/0,1797,HGTV_3744_2437527,00.html

 

[FroggyinArk]

unless you are a very accomplished diy er i would recommend having the doors made and installed by a pro, teh diyers can do this, but its not easy to get doors lined up and properly operational.

 

[Rajah]

MB -- thanks, but not quite what I was looking for. That's putting glass panes in doors that are already installed. What we want is a single glass pane to *be* the door. We have that on the cabinets of our entertainment unit at my house (came that way) and that's what we want to have on hers.


Froggy -- Well, I helped my dad in his workshop off and on for years, and while I'm not sure of my abilty to build an entire cabinet by myself, I did help him (or rather he helped me -- he had me do most of it) build a computer table for our apartment a few years back. Is hanging glass paned doors more difficult than that? (Honest question, not trying to be sarcastic. ) If so, where would you recommend we look for someone who could install a full-pane glass door? I don't think that's something Home Depot or Lowe's do, is it?

Thanks!!!

--

edited to add: Oh, and my dad and I installed a screen door on the door to my craft room so we could keep the kitties out but still allow circulation in the room. It wasn't easy, but I feel confident that with someone to help hold, I could do that again. Is doing glass doors on an entertainment cabinet about the same?

 

[FroggyinArk]

you could probably handle a wood framed glass door, but for full glass, which i thoght you meant, yeah i would try asking local glass shops if they can help, unframed glass hung slightly out can and will shatter or break, i've been building cabinets for the last 18 years and i still prefer to let glass man hang the single glass pane doors, i will frame in a pane door and hang that but plain glass alone, let a pro

 

[mickeyboat]

I bet a reputable glass store could help you out. I would assume the door would come complete with all the hinges and a magnetic closer. Seems to me you would just have to srcew the hinges into the cabinet.

Good luck!

Denae

 

[Rajah]

Thanks Froggy! Never occurred to me that if it wasn't hung right, it could shatter!

I'll have my mom call around to a few glass shops.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[FroggyinArk]

anytime,, i learned the hard way with a gold etched beveled mirror door on a bathroom cabinet once,, i told the other carpenter that the door was warped,, he told me it wasnt and had me to fasten the glass down tight,, he then procedded to shut the door hard to show me he was right and the mirror shattered and he ended up with stitches to fix his arm. After that he let me call in the glass shop that made the doors