Kitchen Cabinet Doors

[Jim Guy]

I am wanting to redo some kitchen cabinet doors and place some glass pains(?) in them. The doors are about 40 years old and are one solid piece of maple. They're in good shape except the finish is not to my liking. I would really like to have some grid work with just one piece of glass. I don't know where to start as far as the grid work. Can I buy the grid work or do I need to make it? Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks - Jim Guy

[Matt Meiser]

Jim, Are you saying you want to remove a panel from the center of the door and replace with glass? Or make a whole new door?

There was an article in one of the WW magazines a year or so ago on replacing the panel with glass.

[Jim Guy]

Matt - They are solid doors - no panel at this time. I would be cutting out the center of the door and replacing it with glass.
Another question. These cabinet doors are about 40 years old and they are still very flat. When I remove the center what is the chance of wood movement after all these years?
If there is a strong chance, maybe I should build new doors. We will be refinishing everything anyway.

[Matt Meiser]

I think you'd end up with a pretty weak door cutting out the center because you'll have short grain above and below the glass. You'd probably be better off making new doors.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I agree with Matt here, if you cut out the center, you are going to have the top and bottoms with the grain running up and down, not left to right. The door would be VERY weak in those areas.

[Lars Thomas]

Since I hate to refinish, I would just make new doors. However, if I had a lot of doors to do, once I took a look at the cost, I may rethink my position on refinshing and adding the mullions!!

Even though you didn't ask (that doesn't stop me from answering;) ). . .if I were to take the refinishing route, I would tackle as follows:
- Using scrap, make a frame roughly 4-1/2" smaller then the door by length and width. This will yield 2-1/4" Rails and stiles.
- Mark the inside permiter of the frame on the door
- Cut the center of the door out with a jig saw. Cout about 1/4 to 3/8" from the line.
- Attach the frame to the door with doublesided tape or hot glue.
- Using a pattern cutting bit in your router clean up the hole in the door. You will need to manually square the inside corners.
- On the outside of the door, route a profile on inside edge (next to where the glass will go), if desired. If you want a profile on this edge, you will need the inverse of this profile cut on the ends of the mullions (that could be difficult)
- On the inside of the door, cut a rabbit to hold the glass with a rabbiting bit in your router.
- Construct your mullions to be 3/4" longer and wider then the opening. This will allow the mullions to be inset into the frame 3/8" all around. I am assuming your mullions are not profiled (rectanguler).
- Using a chisel, cut the slots in the rabbit so the mullions sit flush - creating a half-lap joint (sort of)
- Refinish as necessary, assemble and finish.
- Sit back and enjoy,

[Bill Fields]

Jim:

While I agree with the previous posts about weakening the doors, I believe that some of this could be prevented by using a strong frame surround in the opening.

Also, Rockler ( www.rockler.com (http://www.rockler.com) ) sells attractive metal grilles expressly for this purpose.

Good luck!

Bill Fields

[Lars Thomas]

Jeff and Matt raise a good point about the durability of the door. I hadn't considered that aspect. But in thinking about it, I feel Jim would still have a relatively durable door. Probably comparable to a traditional Rail and Stile door where you have an end-grain gluing situation.

Jeff and Matt's points also got me thinking about the vertical grain orientation for the rails. That would drive me nuts. If there weren't too many doors, I would still lean to building new (plus you might eek a new tool out of it). Lars

Another thought, use the old door stock to cut new rails and stiles, you'd have plenty of wood. (This is what I would do).