How would you recommend I get glass doors for this?

[ChunkyZergling]

If you're into Ikea hacking, take careful note of the dimensions and then do a glass search on their web site. You can even look at Pax glass doors, etc. Just keep in mind that you can't cut or otherwise modify (drill, etc) any Ikea glass as it's all tempered. Ultimately you might even consider swapping out the Besta for something else that has a mating glass door from them.



Keep looking at different glass suppliers. For $500 I can buy glass for a complete shower, 3/8" thick and tempered - at least 1 wall, probably two, and 1 door plus fittings and silicone.

BTW, you might want to check Home Depot in your area to see if they sell glass.

I just purchased two regular float/annealed glass panels, 1/4" thick, 30" x 64" with four polished edges for $75 Canadian each (North of Toronto in Vaughan). It's a 40 minute drive. A more local supplier (West of Toronto) would probably be $300 for both.

Also, don't leave it up to the glass cutter to tell you what you need. Don't even tell them what it's for. Just specify the dimensions and properties you're looking for. If you're actually *in* Manhattan, try somewhere in the suburbs if you have to. Or in Jersey.

You won't need more than 1/4. 1/8" might be fine. You also don't need it to be tempered (though it's stronger and safer in case of breakage). You do need all four sides of each piece to be polished to prevent a cutting hazard. You have various options for hinges - pre-drill the glass or use slide-in hinges like many of the lower-priced Ikea cabinets. These can be bought from Home Depot and online on eBay for pretty cheap (especially if you need a bunch of them. Chrome, black, white, brass, whatever floats your boat. You can pick up suitable slip-on locks on eBay as well. No more than $5 ea.

Acrylic/Perspect/Acrylite/Lexan and other polymers are generally going to cost you much more than an equivalent sized piece of glass, for both width/length as well as thickness, even if you go to a decent plastics supplier.

Thanks! Good ideas here. Also drilling the holes in back. I have a Home Depot 5 minutes away from me. What should I ask them about cutting or whatever for hinges? I don't know how to attach the glass.

 

[Pixelpiper]

You might be able to use screw-on (slip on) hinges like this (hinge and doors are recessed):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PAIR-CH...337?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257510fc19

The above hinges only need mounting point above and below the door - it can work with cabinets that have glass sides.

If you can't mount the hinge through a hole on a surface under the glass then you'll need the side-mount version like this (mounting points are recessed, door doesn't need be):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Recess-Mou...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5d3965392f

This type of hinge requires solid sides that you can affix screws into (wood, MDF/HDF, particle board, etc.)

None of these require drilling the glass. If you're interested in a through-hole hinge then you'll need to obtain them or at least their detailed specs before talking to the glass cutter about it. There are too many options to make any cuts/holes without first choosing the hardware.

As far as HD goes, just ask if they sell glass by the sheet cut to your specs.

 

[ChunkyZergling]

You might be able to use screw-on (slip on) hinges like this (hinge and doors are recessed):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PAIR-CH...337?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257510fc19

The above hinges only need mounting point above and below the door - it can work with cabinets that have glass sides.

If you can't mount the hinge through a hole on a surface under the glass then you'll need the side-mount version like this (mounting points are recessed, door doesn't need be):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Recess-Mou...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5d3965392f

This type of hinge requires solid sides that you can affix screws into (wood, MDF/HDF, particle board, etc.)

None of these require drilling the glass. If you're interested in a through-hole hinge then you'll need to obtain them or at least their detailed specs before talking to the glass cutter about it. There are too many options to make any cuts/holes without first choosing the hardware.

As far as HD goes, just ask if they sell glass by the sheet cut to your specs.

Thanks again. I was looking at the second option for hinges because I might want to make the glass stick out a tiny bit so Spider-man comiquette can fit. But, for the second pair of hinges, how do you get them on without holes in the glass?

 

[Pixelpiper]

The second set go on to the glass exactly the same as the first set - slip-on and held in place by plastic-tipped screws. The only difference is they include a bracket which holds the hinge pivot and that part gets screwed into the side of the cabinet instead of the hinge simply sitting in a hole on the bottom (and top) of the cabinet.

Hope my explanation was clear enough. If you search eBay you'll see more auctions that might have some better images. I actually have a few pairs of these in black that I just purchased recently and now find I won't be using (made a cabinet with sliding doors instead). PM me if you want to buy them at my cost (likely lower than most on eBay right now plus you don't need to get them shipped from China or Hong Kong. )

 

[ChunkyZergling]

The second set go on to the glass exactly the same as the first set - slip-on and held in place by plastic-tipped screws. The only difference is they include a bracket which holds the hinge pivot and that part gets screwed into the side of the cabinet instead of the hinge simply sitting in a hole on the bottom (and top) of the cabinet.

Hope my explanation was clear enough. If you search eBay you'll see more auctions that might have some better images. I actually have a few pairs of these in black that I just purchased recently and now find I won't be using (made a cabinet with sliding doors instead). PM me if you want to buy them at my cost (likely lower than most on eBay right now plus you don't need to get them shipped from China or Hong Kong. )

The can see that second pair of hinges allows you to adjust distance between the glass and cabinet. Does the first as well?

 

[Pixelpiper]

With the first set, the hinge position is determined by the location of a hole in the top and bottom of the cabinet. The doors can never be in front of the tip/bottom - and if the top/bottom are flush with the sides, then that means the door can also not be in front of either side.

Loads of Ikea cabinets past and present use these hinges, plus countless stereo cabinets, etc.

Detail of how the first set fits a door/frame: https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51k-cNapaFL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Google image search glass cabinet pivot hinge for lots and lots of examples.

If you did want to drill the glass, then you could even use modul hinges (European cabinet hinges) like this: https://www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/med...d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/l/glass-door-hinge-set.jpg

 

[ChunkyZergling]

With the first set, the hinge position is determined by the location of a hole in the top and bottom of the cabinet. The doors can never be in front of the tip/bottom - and if the top/bottom are flush with the sides, then that means the door can also not be in front of either side.

Loads of Ikea cabinets past and present use these hinges, plus countless stereo cabinets, etc.

Detail of how the first set fits a door/frame: https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51k-cNapaFL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

If you did want to drill the glass, then you could even use modul hinges (European cabinet hinges) like this: https://www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/med...d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/l/glass-door-hinge-set.jpg

Thanks again. Damn. This is going to be a big project for me. What with the drilling through the back for my lights, going to Home Depot, and installing the doors. Shouldn't be too hard but eh...not yet, not yet

 

[ChunkyZergling]

With the first set, the hinge position is determined by the location of a hole in the top and bottom of the cabinet. The doors can never be in front of the tip/bottom - and if the top/bottom are flush with the sides, then that means the door can also not be in front of either side.

Loads of Ikea cabinets past and present use these hinges, plus countless stereo cabinets, etc.

Detail of how the first set fits a door/frame: https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51k-cNapaFL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Google image search glass cabinet pivot hinge for lots and lots of examples.

If you did want to drill the glass, then you could even use modul hinges (European cabinet hinges) like this: https://www.eurofitdirect.co.uk/med...d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/l/glass-door-hinge-set.jpg

Home Depot doesn't have glass. Anyone know where I can get it cheap? I looked at an online glass store and still came out to $500. Mother ****er. Wtf? It's a god damn sheet of glass, how is that so expensive? Just glass!! I throw away more quality glass in a week for very little money than I need for these sheets.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Here are a ton of places in Newark (for example - ignore the AUTO shops). Put out a few more calls. I find it very hard to believe that glass is so much more expensive only in the NY area.

I mentioned that the place I buy from at the moment is considerably cheaper than most other places around me, but most other places also have wildly varying prices too.

What thickness have you been asking for? You don't need nor want anything thicker than 1/4"

 

[ChunkyZergling]

Here are a ton of places in Newark (for example - ignore the AUTO shops). Put out a few more calls. I find it very hard to believe that glass is so much more expensive only in the NY area.

I mentioned that the place I buy from at the moment is considerably cheaper than most other places around me, but most other places also have wildly varying prices too.

What thickness have you been asking for? You don't need nor want anything thicker than 1/4"

I don't know who to call. Thank you for all your amazing help btw Called 2 glass stores $500 both stores. Online $500. All 1/4 inch thick. Da heck? Where may I obtain this friggin glass...maybe I'll buy ~30 cokes and smelt them down in a forge and then have some dwarves......

 

[Pixelpiper]

Yesterday I picked up the two glass panels for the sliding doors on my custom cabinet nook (formerly a closet) in my office. Here are some photos of the shop/warehouse of the glass supplier for your amusement. FOr reference, my glass was purchased at an architectural glass supplier in Vaughan Ontario (Canada). It's 6mm and was priced at $3.50 sqft + 10 cents per foot for polishing the edges.

The table in the background is a conveyer system for moving glass panels around under the long cutting arm you can see above it. The table is about 20 feet wide and over 30 feet long. No, that does not include the table in the foreground. wow.

A bunch of glass:

Roller table making it easy to work on glass sheets. I don't know what they do at this station specifically.

I think this machine does polishing and bevels.

 

[ChunkyZergling]

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[Pixelpiper]

I've got pictures of the glass panels I picked up in the build thread I started for my shelving. Link in my signature.

The unfortunate thing about picking up my panels on that day was the shop's roof had a number of leaks that needed to be fixed. One of the leaks was dumping water onto their cleaning machine, so they weren't able to turn it on for fear of a short or electrocution. Long story short, my glass wasn't washed before I picked it up, which means it's going to be a lot of windex and wiping for me on both sides of two big panels.