Backlit cabinets with glass faces - best way to do?

As far as cutting the actual cabinets, I would recommend using some type of applied trim piece as you will never get straight edges using a jigsaw.THat is the most difficult part of retrofitting cabinets. WE ended up having the builder put in some glass doors where we wanted them when we optioned the house.


For lighting, you can get LED lighting, but all I have seen still have that blue tint to them.

I did the top and inside of my kitchen cabinets using Ambiance linear low voltage lights from Sea Gull lighting. The only caveat is that it is not cheap.

The system is essentially a heavy guage lamp cord that snaps into a plastic track. Then the lights clamp to it and when installed it is very very small and gives a nice even look since you are using lots of small lights. I used frosted to make the light more diffuse, but they have clear bulbs as well.

The undercounter are standard flourescents installed by the builder and the color is not as bad is it look in the pictures below, but I still need to change them to a better match.

Large wall

Corner


RIght at the top of the cabinet as the wire is about to exit out the top.

The top of the large run.

I used one light on each side per shelf and have been very happy with it. I used 5 watt frosted bulbs and they have 10 watts as well so I could go brighter if I wanted but there is no need.

The lights can be spaced somethign like every 4 inches IIRC so you could put in a stupendous amount if you wanted to as long as you had the transformer to run it. I would not go that much unless you were lighting a soffit or something though as it would just be too bright.

You will need to build a jig with some scrap wood to guide the router in a straight line. Let us know if you need specific instructions.

That's a good plan except for the pull with pliers part. Until you get the first corner chiseled out a bit and can get a good look at the "staple" you won't know for sure if it will come out. It might actually be a fairly long piece of metal that is integral in holding the corner joint together. If it is, then I would think you could bend it out of the way with needle nose pliers or bend it back and forth enough until the exposed part snaps off.

If you have the ability to post a pic of the corner staple we might have other suggestions.

Yeah, what you are talking about sounds like a piece that holds the joint together. I would make the glass opening smaller to avoid that.

Lets see some pictures of those doors!

I used these guys to purchase my LED under-cabinet lighting. I've been very happy with it so far, and the prices are extremely reasonable. I hope that helps.

Look at the Tresco line under Kitchen Accessories.

Nice job.

Router bits are expensive as heck. I've seen some that cost as much as the router.

If is probably not a huge issue, but since the doors were not made for glass from the start, it would probably not be a bad idea to use silicone caulk all around to give it some rigidity.

Also, I forgot to mention before, but it would be a good idea to use tempered glass in the doors in case they break on you.

LOL. Ran into the same problem the first couple of times I mudded my drywall. Yeah, using the "more is better" theory doesn't work too well there either.
The doors look great.
I think the glass will be a nice addition.