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Wondering why glass kitchen cabinet doors cost more? Learn how pricing works and what factors affect the cost of glass cabinet doors.
You’re probably reading this article because you’re wondering why the glass kitchen cabinet doors your supplier quoted are more expensive than the original option. As a contractor or cabinet maker, staying on budget is tough when a few glass doors seem to skyrocket your costs. These types of surprises frustrate your clients and harm your reputation. What you need now is some clarity.
At Cutting Edge, we produce hundreds of kitchen cabinet doors daily, including glass cabinet doors. While they’re a smaller portion of our total production, we understand why they cost more and how to help you price them.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn:
Cost Of Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors – $45+
The cost of a glass kitchen cabinet door usually starts at around $45. That price is for an unfinished, shaker-style frame made from MDF, designed to hold a standard clear glass insert (although this price doesn’t include the cost of the glass).
This starting price is for a basic door. It increases with:
- Larger sizes
- Upgraded materials (like Maple, Oak, or Walnut)
- Mullion layouts or arched designs
Here’s a sample of starting price ranges:
| Door Style | Wood Type | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Shaker Frame | MDF | $45 |
| Shaker Frame | Maple | $55 |
| Shaker Frame | Walnut | $75 |
| Mullion (6-lite) | Maple | $120 |
| Mullion (6-lite) | Walnut | $175 |
These prices include just the door frame. Most suppliers require you to order the glass inserts separately, either from them or from another supplier.
Now, let’s explore why some doors cost more than others and what’s really behind the pricing.
Factors That Affect The Cost Of Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors
It’s not just the glass (or lack of it) that makes these doors more expensive. Let’s look at what drives the price up or down.
The Size Of The Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors
One of the main price drivers is size. Larger glass cabinet doors use more wood, increase machining time, and result in higher overall material costs. Because pricing is often calculated by the square footage of the frame components (not the whole door), even a small size increase can push the price higher.
There are also hidden costs that come with larger sizes. Bigger frames have a higher chance of warping during finishing or installation.
Plus, larger frames weigh more and are more expensive to ship. For example, a small frame (less than 40” wide or tall) can ship via Purolator for between $20-$60. However, a larger frame (over 40” tall or wide) must ship by truck, which costs at least $120.
The Door Style And Material Of The Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors
While shaker doors are the most common and cost-effective, other styles quickly add complexity:
- Mullion doors have multiple lites (panes), each requiring precise machining and extra sanding.
- Arched styles involve curved cuts and often require hand finishing or custom jigging.
- Custom widths or asymmetrical layouts increase machine setup and assembly time.
As for wood species, MDF is usually the most economical. However, MDF doesn’t work for all jobs. Changing to a solid wood frame (such as Maple or Red Oak) will increase the price by about $10 per piece. Upgrading to a more expensive wood type (like Walnut or Rift Cut White Oak) will increase the cost even further.
The Type of Glass Cabinet Door
Here, we’re talking about the construction method of the cabinet door, not about the glass itself.
There are several types:
- Shaker Frame: A basic four-piece frame with a single glass insert. This option is the most common type of frame.
- Mullion Frame: Divided into smaller sections (between 2 to 16 panes). Mullion frames are the most expensive, thanks to their detailed construction.
- Arched or Specialty Frame: With curves, angles, or custom top shapes. These are often featured items in a kitchen.
Each construction style has different machining and assembly requirements. Mullion frames, for example, can take up to twice as long to produce as a single-pane shaker door – hence the cost difference.
The design you choose affects how the frame is built, how it’s clamped and glued, and how it’s sanded. This all adds up when pricing your job.
So Why Are Glass Cabinet Doors More Expensive?
It may seem like glass cabinet doors should be cheaper than solid ones. After all, they don’t have a wood panel in the centre. But that’s exactly what makes them more expensive.
The core reason is this: the cost per square foot of the material used in glass doors is higher.
The panel of a shaker style cabinet door is usually plywood or MDF. These materials are inexpensive and account for most of the surface area. But in a glass cabinet door, that centre is removed. You’re only paying for the stiles and rails (the outer frame), but those parts are solid wood, which is more expensive per square foot than panel material.
That means even though you’re buying less material overall, what you’re buying is premium, and it’s where all the structural strength has to come from.
Plus, the labour involved in cutting, joining, and finishing these frames is just as time-consuming as a five-piece door. And for arched or mullion doors, the labour increases again.
And then there’s the additional cost of the glass itself. Most suppliers, including Cutting Edge, only provide the frame. You’ll still need to purchase the glass insert separately.
But you might still wonder how glass kitchen cabinet doors can be more expensive.
How Does Pricing For Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors Work?
Because glass doors aren’t priced like 5-piece doors, this is where many people get confused.
For traditional cabinet doors, suppliers calculate the cost using the total square footage of the door (frame + panel). However, glass cabinet doors have no panel, so that method doesn’t make sense.
Instead, most suppliers calculate the price based on the square footage of the frame. That is less material than a 5-piece door, but here’s the twist: because these components are solid wood and require high craftsmanship, the cost per square foot is closer to the price of a raised panel door than a plywood panel door.
Here’s how it looks in practice:
| Door Type | Area Priced | Price/Sq. Ft. | Typical Door Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Panel Door | Full panel + frame | $22/sq. ft. | $66 (18x24) |
| Raised Panel Door | Full panel + frame | $35/sq. ft. | $105 (18x24) |
| Glass Frame-Only Door | Stiles and rails only | $35/sq. ft. | $75+ (18x24) |
Even though you’re buying less material, the parts you buy are more expensive. Plus, it takes a much larger glass cabinet door to outgrow the minimum square footage. This leads to glass cabinet doors being more expensive than a similar-sized shaker style cabinet door.
Learn How To Price Out Glass Kitchen Cabinet Doors Online
You now have a clear picture of why glass kitchen cabinet doors start at $75, and how size, wood type, and door style all affect that price. If you’ve ever been confused or frustrated by how these doors are priced, or why they cost more than solid ones, we hope this breakdown brings you clarity.
Want to price your next job confidently? Use our online quoting system to get real numbers fast – no waiting and no back-and-forth. Your next step is to learn how to price out your glass kitchen cabinet doors online.
