Regardless of the method chosen for installation. First you must lay your door face down on a flat and stable surface. Just about any work table will do, or your dining room table will work just fine. Be sure to protect your dining room table as well as the front of your cabinet doors by placing padding on your dining room table first and then your cabinet door on top. An old towel should work pretty good.

How to Install your glass cabinet inserts- Method 1

The quickest and easiest method to install your new insert is to use glass panel retainer clips if they came with your cabinet doors. If your cabinet doors did not come with any type of clips or glazing bead for your installation please click on the following link to obtain them. CSHARDWARE

We recommend using installation clips that have a rubber bumper that goes against the insert and helps cushion the glass. These types of clips are not recommended.

Some manufacturers use a "glazing bead" to secure the glass into the cabinet door. This rubber or vinyl glazing bead will fit into a machined groove on the backside of your doors. We are sorry, but we do not offer this type of glazing bead at this time. Please visit CSHARDWARE

If you are purchasing new cabinets that will be prepared to accept glass inserts, be sure to ask your cabinet supplier what their recommended procedure is for installation. They really should be supplying you with some method of installing the glass inserts.

Ask them if they will be supplying the glass clips for the installation or if they are supplying a glazing bead. In many situations, you will find that your supplier of cabinets normal method of installation would be the use of a silicone caulking.

How to Install your glass cabinet inserts- Method 2

For someone who is skilled at applying caulking, you can apply a bead of high grade clear silicon.

Apply small drops of caulking at each corner on the back of your cabinet door where the glass will be sitting. Also apply small drops of caulking every 6 inches or so prior to placing the insert into your cabinet door. Do not apply too much caulking as there is a very high risk of having the caulking squeeze out onto the front of your cabinet door when you place your new panel into the opening.

Be sure to "bottom out" your new insert and center the glass. Now you are ready to apply a complete bead of caulking to the interior of the cabinet door. At this point, if you are not fully confident, you can mask around the perimeter of the glass insert prior to applying the bead of silicon. Be sure to use a "painter's" type of masking tape to avoid leaving any glue residue. First mask off the actual door panel to prevent caulking from overflowing onto the wood. Then mask off the actual glass insert itself to prevent the caulking from being applied to the actual "visible" area of the cabinet insert.

Smooth (tool) the caulking using a finger that has been dipped into a small dish of very soapy water. This will help to avoid having your finger make a complete mess of your caulking. Once this is done, immediately remove the masking tape so the new caulking does not permanently cure the tape to the glass insert. Following these tips will result in a far superior installation for the inexperienced.

Read and follow the recommended instructions for the caulking you have chosen. (This is normally found on the side of the tube of caulking). Drying times vary among the different brands of caulking.

Temperature and humidity can also dramatically change the time necessary for the caulking to cure. Often clear silicone caulking will apply as white and then cure to a clear. The caulking is designed like this so that you may see the application of the caulking better.

If no specific instructions are given for drying or curing times, then let the caulking cure for at least 24 hours before you re-install the cabinet door. Be sure to test your insert before installing.

If you do not feel completely confident in using silicone caulking, visit your local kitchen cabinet supplier to have them install your glass inserts for you.

As well, many glass shops will also be able to install your new cabinet glass inserts for a nominal fee.