Thread: Cabinet doors with mirror panels

Using 3mm glass, at 7.5kg per square meter you're looking at around 5.5kg of glass per door, plus the weight of your frames and whatever backing material you choose. Backer would need to be rigid to avoid flex and cracking the glass. You'd want to make sure that your joinery and hinge selection is up to the task. One of the glaziers I buy from says that they don't really work with 3mm any more...just 4mm. I'm not sure if that's a prevailing view but it adds 25% to the weight if so.

I assume there'd be some Australian Standards for this kind of application - relating to glass type/surface area size/backer type etc. Maybe toughened glass in case it cracks - if mirrors even come in toughened?

I'd suggest you talk to the glaziers that you're going to buy the glass from and get some pro input from guys that do it for a living. If there's a sale in it for them they'll probably give you some advice rather than fob you off, but make sure you ask someone that does installs, not just a glass supplier.

I've made cabinet doors about that size, with no backing on the 4mm glass panel doors, and have had no problems with it. As long as your joinery is good the doors won't sag. One thing to think about is how to replace the mirror if it gets accidentally broken. I have slots at the top of the doors so new glass can be slid in if necessary.

What I have done in the past is, mill the doors as per normal (stick and cope) but mill away the timber to change the groove for a rebate. The glaziers will steer you to use 4mm mirror with heavy vinyl sheet stuck on the back. This will give you the safety feature so if its broken the vinyl stops the pieces from stabbing you. To secure the glass, once you have put your finish on the timber door, lay it face down and "glue" the mirror into the rebate. Don't use too much and try not to use so much that it spews out into the mirror surface (because its hard to clean up) You will have to leave the door for a couple of days to be sure the Silicone is cured.

Thanks

I was considering using 3mm mirror stuck to 3mm ply backing.

asfar as the joinery wasn't going to cope /stick just square with tenons.

i like the rebate idea just got to see if the misses is happy with back of door like that, I could put laminate over back of mirror