If you’ve been following along, you know we have a weekend place that’s a log cabin so naturally there’s lots of wood throughout the house. The previous owners had installed hickory cabinets in the kitchen and while they are appropriate for the space, it’s just a bit too much wood for me so we decided to change out some of the cabinets and install glass inserts.
The hardest part of this project is removing the panel. We experimented on a spare cabinet that we had, and although there are lots of tutorials on this, Fisherman was not able to make it work properly and ended up just chiseling out the wood. Although it was time consuming, it worked so I’m not complaining. We’re doing a couple of more cabinets and Fisherman bought a tool yesterday that hopefully will simplify the process. I’ll keep you posted on that.
We had some glass from a tabletop that had broken and I decided to experiment on that with some designs. I purchased some semi transparent frosted spray paint and got to work.
I used a combination of Frog Tape and painters tape for the first go around, and quickly realized they were a bit too wide for the look I was going for.
I was unable to find thinner tape at Home Depot but I found some pin striping tape at an auto supply store and that worked out nicely.
I also picked up some stickers in leaf shapes at Michaels.
I ended up not using the small leaf that you see in the above photo, just the larger cluster of leaves.
The pieces that we used to secure the glass were not as easy to locate. Lowe’s and Home Depot do not sell them, but I found them at a local, family owned hardware store instead. You know the kind…where the people actually know their stuff and want to help you. I believe you can also find them at a glass supply store or maybe a woodworking shop.
So here’s my masterpiece! I like how it came out, and you can’t beat the price that’s for sure. Maybe someday I will decide to make stained glass panels as a more permanent solution, but for now I’m happy with it. What do you think?
Here’s a shot of the kitchen with another door that has been removed which we will work on this weekend. All together, I think we’re doing three cabinets with the glass inserts.
The total cost was just under $30.00. Here’s a breakdown:
- Glass- 1/8″ thick – $10.00
- Spray Paint – $5.00
- Tape – $11.00
- Stickers – $3.00
- Glass Holders – $1.00
Total: $30.00
The cost for the second cabinet will be about half the cost of the first because I don’t have to purchase the tape, stickers or spray paint!
If you decide to tackle this project here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- This type of paint is not very durable, making it a poor choice for the outside of the cabinet glass, but it’s fine for the inside.
- Although the paint can says two coats are all you will need, I used four before I was ok with the results. I still would like a more opaque finish, but for the amount it cost, I’ll deal. For some reason, the semi-transparent paint was all I could find, but I’m sure there is an opaque option available, which would not only cut down on the amount of coats needed, but provide more of the kind of look I was hoping for.
- Try to do this when it’s nice outside. I had to spray indoors because it was too cold out, and the spray paint really stinks up the house!
When all three cabinets are done, I’ll post an update.
*To see the other two cabinets and a full view of the kitchen, go here.*
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susan moore says
Nice job. That, and fish stocking too.
Cynthia says
You are doing a great job.
Cynthia
Angela says
Fantastic job! I’ve been thinking about doing this to some of my cabinets but feared the cost and difficulty would be too much. Now I know better!!~~Angela
Ceciia says
Doreen,
That looks great! I love the look. Not envying the whole take out the cabinet panel thing though or having to spray the glass inside. Hope the next ones can be done outside! Can’t wait to see the finished look.
hugs,
Cecilia
Doreen Sargente says
You’re right Cecilia! That was definitely the worst part. I did the other glass pieces today outside and it was a lot less stinky! Unfortunately the pieces to hold the glass in place were out of stock and the ones I picked up instead didn’t fit the bill so we couldn’t put them up. Hopefully they’ll be back in stock this week.
Melanie says
Love it!
Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says
I love the look and your design is so pretty. Great tutorial too. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, marty
Eric says
This looks really nice. If your still looking for more of an opaque finish you could try a light sand blast to frost the glass. You could make it as “frosty” as you like depending on how much you sand blast the paine of glass.