How to Replace a Door Panel With Glass

If you want to add more light to a room, have a better view or simply improve the quality of a space, replacing a door panel with glass is an effective way to achieve these. When you replace a door panel with glass, you will instantly achieve a brighter interior. There are many different types of glass you can install, from safety to decorative glass, but the main principles of instalment are basically the same.

Measure the door panel of your door and decide how big you want the glass part to be.

Choose the type of glass you want to use on your door and have the glass cut to the right size according to the measurements that you took. Leave 1/8 of an inch extra on all the sides of the panel. This is necessary to prevent the glass from breaking due to the seasonal contraction and expansion of the wood.

Remove the door from the hinges and lay it out on a flat surface.

Cut the existing door panel with a circular saw. Cut along the inside edges of the rails that frame each panel. Then cut inside the profiled edge of the rails.

Detach the corners of the panel with a chisel, taking care not to damage the flat surface of the door. Slowly remove the door panel, but do not remove the moulding.

Check the sides of the cut area for any damage. Paint the sides with protective wood paint and wait for it to dry completely.

Add a layer of silicone caulk to the inside edge of the area that you cut.

Insert the glass panel into the cut area carefully and press the glass onto the moulding that was not removed. Put a new moulding on top of the glass panel. The two pieces of wood moulding will hold the glass panel in place. Try to choose a new moulding that matches the old one.

Nail the moulding to the door, taking care not to damage the glass. Use decorative finish nails to fasten the moulding onto the door.