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 installment are basically the same.

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Measure the door panel of your door and decide how big you want the glass part to be.
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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.
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Remove the door from the hinges and lay it out on a flat surface.
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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.
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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 molding.
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Check the sides of the cut area for any damage. Paint the sides with protective wood paint and wait for it to dry completely.
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Add a layer of silicone caulk to the inside edge of the area that you cut.
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Insert the glass panel into the cut area carefully and press the glass onto the molding that was not removed. Put a new molding on top of the glass panel. The two pieces of wood molding will hold the glass panel in place. Try to choose a new molding that matches the old one.
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Nail the molding to the door, taking care not to damage the glass. Use decorative finish nails to fasten the molding onto the door.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- Circular saw
- Chisel
- Wood paint
- Wood molding
- Hammer
- Nail
Warning
- Always be very careful and make sure to wear protective gloves when working with power tools such as the circular saw.