I’m new to the forum, so forgive me if this isn’t the correct section. Anyway, I am building a hutch and want to mount windows (lights?) in the doors. I’ve rabbeted the doors, but am reluctant to experiment with the next step. I would like advice on how to caulk/attach/etc.
Thanks for your help,
Steve
Replies
There's lots of ways to mount glass in the doors. Many of them are ugly, IMHO. The ugly ones include: commercial metal screw-clamp hardware; commercial plastic linear grommet; plastic fingers; and caulk. I like the inside of the door to look as good as the outside. The way to do that is to make wood strips which hold the glass in. The glass goes in first, and the wooden strips fill in the remainder of the airspace which you rabbeted out. The strips can be held in with little screws (my preference because you can easily replace the glass), escutcheon pins (little nails), or pneumatically-driven pins (look up "pin nailer"). If you go the escutcheon pin route, spend the $8 to get the spring-loaded punch to drive them, and if you're working in hardwood, drill pilot holes.
I would like to add a small suggestion learned from many years and hundreds of glass doors. If the glass is in direct contact with the frame and wood retainer moulding, a disturbing crunching glass sound will emanate when the door is opened or closed. I correct this by putting a small bead of clear latex caulk around the frame and laying the glass into this, then pinning the wooden retainer strip around the opening. Flip the door over and clean any squeeze-out off the glass, and you'll have a door which opens and closes silent and tight.
I like this idea, particulary since the doors will look good even when opened. I'm not sure where you attach the screws, though. Are they in the space between the glass and the side of the rabbet, or do you drive them at an angle into the frame? Also, what do you fill in any extra space on the sides with? I wouldn't think you'd cut the class to an exact match to the opening, since the wood might move some.Thanks,
Steve
One way to do it is to drive the screws at an angle, so that they miss the glass. When I'm doing that, I like to bevel what would be the exposed long edge of the strip. The screws then go in at right angles to the bevel. You'll probably find you want screws which are #4 or smaller.
Steve,
No one has mentioned good old traditional putty, so I will. A good paint store will carry DAP brand painter's putty (not glazing compound). Get a can of that, a box of whiting and an assortment of colors of universal tinting colors. They should all be available at the same store, if it caters to the professional painters in your area.
On a piece of scrap glass or formica countertop, start by mixing the tinting colors into a quantity of putty to get a color match to your finished door frame. Add whiting to stiffen the putty back to near its original consistancy, so you can apply it with a putty knife.
If you like, you can shoot a few glazing points into the frame to hold the glass fast til the putty sets up. Make sure they don't protrude past the frame's edge, or they will be visible from the front of the door. Then work a generous bead of the colored putty into the rabbet with your fingers and the putty knife, pressing the putty tightly into the corner formed by the glass and the frame. Follow this by drawing the putty knife along the edge of the frame. Hold the knife at a slight angle with one corner against the glass, and the face of the blade against the corner of the rabbet. You'll be cutting thru the putty you've applied. This will leave a smooth angled surface on the putty, and you'll have a line of cut-off putty to remove from the glass and another on the frame. The corners are the trickiest. If you are careful, you can get a neat job. Remove the excess putty, and leave the glazing to harden for a few days. It'll skin over pretty soon, and you can then carefully clean the smears off the glass, and the finish of the door, using windex, razor scraper (just on the glass, of course), and paper towels, or maybe steel wool. It will take up to a month to cure hard, but will be usable in just a week or two.
You will want to make sure the glazing isn't visible from the front of the door, so angle the putty knife steeply enough that you can see the edge of the rabbet thru the glass right behind the edge of the putty, when you pull up the excess putty from the glass. Do over if necessary, it's really forgiving to work with.
If the putty won't smooth under the knife, it's likely too dry (crumbly) or too gooey.
Good luck,
Ray
I've always used small strips of matching wood mitered to fit. Say, 1/8" x 1/4". Pre drill holes for very small nails. Set with a small nail punch. Slightly round over the outside edge with small grit sandpaper after it's installed. Glue the sandpaper on a block so it doesn't scratch the glass. Don't glue the strips in to facilitate later removal, if ever necessary. But, this requires that the rabbets be deep enough, obviously.
If not that, then tiny brass screws and small short brass strips??
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Teach, I do whatBuxton and Plane do, i.e use mitred strips. The thickness of the frame determines if these are set in rebates and pinned or screwed. I like a 2 step rebate, then the retaining strips can be flush with the frame. I use a little putty or silicone to stop any rattles. Screws look good and make replacing glass easy.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a rebate in this context?Thanks,
Steve
Rebate is Brit, Kiwi and Ocker speak for rabbet, plus a few other nations that use British English rather than Americanese understand the term.
Hopefully the rabbets being talked about won't reproduce as fast as any rabbits you could plan to house in your hutch. (Oh, forget the word play then if it's gone over your head, ha, ha!) Slainte.
Richard Jones Furniture
Edited 8/30/2005 3:29 pm by SgianDubh
< but what is a rebate in this context?>thats when you bate again.......I couldnt help meself........
I built a hutch with glass doors and held the glass in with small strips of wood that matched the doors. Made the strips buy routing a nice profile in some extra stock and ripping it to the thickness I needed and then pinning it in place with a pin nailer. When it comes to glass if you have access to old window glass (pre 1914) it looks much better than modern glass. I get mine from contractors who are renovating old houses and removing rotted window sashes
Good luck
Troy
Steve, little kids and glass don't mix Rather than chance it, go tempered glass. (costs more, but pays dividends) Steinmetz
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