What Are Glass Cabinet Doors?
Updated December 2, 2024
Glass cabinet doors feature glass panes instead of wood panels, offering a modern aesthetic and making spaces feel brighter and more open.
As a cabinet maker or contractor, choosing the right cabinet doors for your designs is essential to delivering high-quality results and keeping your customers satisfied. Unique options like glass cabinet doors can elevate your designs, but if you’re not familiar with their features and applications, they can lead to costly mistakes, dissatisfied clients, and harm your reputation.
At Cutting Edge Doors & Woodworking, we’ve spent over 20 years crafting premium cabinet doors and innovating to stay ahead of industry trends. Our expertise includes designing glass cabinet doors that combine functionality and style, helping you meet the growing demand for modern, open-concept designs.
In this article, you’ll learn:
Glass Cabinet Doors Have Glass Panes Instead of Wood Panels
Glass doors have glass panes instead of the usual wood panels. These doors can add a stylish and modern look to any room.
The outer frame of a glass door usually matches the other doors in the space. For example, if a customer picks wood doors, the glass door frame will have the same wood type and finish. If they choose painted doors, the frame might be wood or MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard), painted to match.
Thanks to the glass panes, glass doors make any space feel brighter and roomier. This characteristic makes them popular among homeowners looking to make the most of their space. The glass panes can be clear, frosted, or textured, allowing frames to fit many styles and preferences.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Glass Cabinet Doors
Like any product, glass cabinet doors have their pros and cons.
Benefits of Glass Doors
Glass doors have four benefits that make them a popular choice.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Glass doors give a clean, modern look and make small spaces feel larger and brighter. You can use glass doors in your designs to showcase your customer’s beautiful dishware or collectibles.
- Pair Well With Many Styles: Glass doors can be paired with many cabinet materials and finishes, making them adaptable to different design themes. Frosted glass is great for modern kitchens, while clear glass suits more classic styles.
- Customizable: Various types of glass, such as frosted, clear, or textured, offer flexibility in creating a specific style or privacy level. In addition, you can offer mullion frames for additional detail.
- Easy to Clean: Unlike wood, which requires special care, your customer can easily clean glass surfaces with glass cleaner. However, you (and your customer) still need to be careful with the outer frame, typically wood or MDF.
Drawbacks of Glass Doors
While glass cabinet doors have their perks, there are also some considerations to keep in mind:
- Fragility: Glass can break or crack more easily than wood. Be careful during installation to avoid damaging the glass panes.
- Visibility of Contents: If your customer chooses a glass that isn’t frosted or textured, they will see the contents inside the cabinet. This visibility can be a disadvantage if the interior is cluttered or not aesthetically pleasing.
- Higher Cost: Depending on your supplier, they may or may not include the glass pane with the cabinet door. Either way, glass cabinet doors are generally more expensive than solid wood or MDF options due to the added expense of the glass.
- Potential for Smudges: Glass can easily show fingerprints, smudges, and other marks, which may require frequent cleaning to maintain a pristine appearance. Although your customers can clean the glass as often as they need, they also need to avoid damaging the exterior frame.
Three Types of Glass Cabinet Doors
Understanding the three types of glass cabinet doors can help you include the best option in your designs. The three common types are open frame, mullion frame, and mullion insert frame.
1. Open-Frame Glass Cabinet Doors
Open-frame doors consist of a single pane of glass or multiple panels separated by a full-size center rail or stile. They provide a minimalist look, making them ideal for modern or contemporary spaces.
Open-frame doors are the simplest and least expensive option. Most door styles (including NEXGEN and thermofoil) have an open frame option.
2. Mullion Frame Glass Doors
Mullion frame doors are more intricate and can either have a single pane of glass or separate panes for each opening (or lite), depending on the construction method.
These doors feature multiple openings separated by narrow mullion bars. Mullion bars are flush with the stiles and rails and typically have the same profile.
Cutting Edge sometimes fastens mullion bars into place with staples for added stability. Depending on the glass you install, these staples may be visible from the back of the door.
Mullion frames are available in wood, MDF, and thermofoil. They cost more than double the price of open frames and are around the same price as mullion insert frames.
3. Mullion Insert Frame Glass Cabinet Doors
Mullion insert frames are similar to mullion frames but come with a separate mullion insert that rests behind the inside profile. At Cutting Edge, we machine mullion inserts using a CNC router, which allows us to achieve decorative designs featuring curved or angled bars. However, it is not possible to profile mullion inserts.
The installation requires placing the mullion insert first, followed by the glass pane. Because mullion inserts are about 4mm thick, they can rest in front of the glass while leaving room for silicon or other fastening methods.
Mullion insert frames are available only with wood and MDF cabinet doors. Depending on the size and complexity of the piece, mullion insert frames are similar in price to mullion frames.
Additional Information to Know About Glass Cabinet Doors
As you offer these three glass cabinet door options, it’s important to keep the following information in mind and educate your customers where needed to avoid miscommunications.
1. Visibility of Staples
For added stability, mullion bars in glass cabinet doors are sometimes stapled into place where the profile allows it. However, these staples can be visible from the back of the door, which can be a potential issue for clients who value a seamless and clean aesthetic.
If your customer is concerned with the visibility of staples, notify your supplier before you place your order or suggest design changes (such as using frosted or textured glass) that minimize staple visibility. This proactive approach positions you as a problem-solver and an expert, boosting client trust and satisfaction.
2. Mullion Bar Positioning
The mullion bars used in mullion frames are flush with the face of the stiles and rails, providing a seamless look.
Unlike fixed mullion bars, mullion inserts rest behind the inside profile and in front of the glass. These inserts are separate pieces that you or your team need to fasten in place during installation.
3. Ensure the Glass is Securely Installed
Ensuring you have securely fastened the glass within the frame is essential to avoid rattling or potential breakage. How you fasten the glass in place can change depending on your supplier and the profiles you choose.
For example, when you order glass cabinet doors from Cutting Edge, certain profiles have the option for a gasket groove. When you order frames with this option, you can also order a free rubber gasket that slots into the groove and firmly holds the glass in place.
Other profiles don’t have the option of a gasket groove. In this case, you will need to silicon the glass into place.
When you order glass cabinet doors, ensure you understand the fastening requirements. You may need to contact your supplier to confirm this information.
Price Out Your Glass Cabinet Doors
Now you have a better understanding of the types of glass cabinet doors, their benefits, and their drawbacks. Glass cabinet doors can add style and design options to a space, but you still need to consider your customer’s budget, style and preferences.
Choosing the right type of glass cabinet door is key to meeting your customer’s needs. With this knowledge, you can avoid mistakes and provide your clients with the quality results they want. Your next step is to learn how to submit a quote online so you can see how the price compares to traditional wood doors.
