DIY Network

1919 Row-House: Antique Glass for Library Bookshelves From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-110

	Our project house: a 1919 brick row house in Washington, DC.
	Sam Droege secures antique glass in library bookcase frames.

In this episode DIY's Restoration Realities, helps Russell Clark and friend Sam Droege on a couple of restorative projects on Russell's 1919 row-house in Washington, DC.

In this second segment, our restoration specialist helps Sam cut and install antique glass in some bookcase cabinet doors.

Materials:

Table saw
Hand-held router
Glass cutter
Micro-pin nailer
Miter box
Back saw or fine-cut dovetail saw
Air compressor for pneumatic tools
1x6x6' of the same wood variety as the cabinets
Antique or art glass cut to fit

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when working with power tools or pneumatic tools.

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Installing Antique Glass in Cabinet Doors

The living-room bookcase shelves have already been taken down, had the glass removed and been refinished. The old beading was damaged in the process of taking the glass out, so new glass-bead will need to be cut and installed to secure the new glass. Russell was able to find some salvaged antique "wavy" glass that will look good in the shelves and suit the period of the home. The old glass will need to be cut to size and secured in the frames.

• Work begins with cutting the bead on the lumber that Russell had salvaged. A hand-held router with 1/4" beading bit (figure A) is used to cut the decorative edge in the wood.

• Mill one edge of the wood stock using the hand-held router (figure B).

  Figure A

  Figure B

  
  

  
  

• Using the table saw, set the blade and fence to the desired width of the bead and rip the edge of the profiled piece (figure C).

  Safety Alert: Wear eye protection when cutting wood on a table saw. Also, use push-sticks when cutting wood -- especially small and narrow pieces -- to keep hands well away from the cutting blade (figure D).

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

  	Figure E
  	Figure F

  
  

• With the wood cut to length, work can begin on cutting the antique glass to size. Sam gets some instruction on the proper technique for cutting glass.

• When using a glass cutter, push it away from you, rather than pulling it towards you, for a cleaner cut (figure E).

• After scoring the line on the glass, set the glass atop a piece of wood and used that as an aid in breaking the glass along the newly scored line. Press down quickly and firmly to snap the glass along the line. It's an acquired technique, so some practice cuts are advised before attempting to cut antique or expensive pieces of glass.

  Tip: It may be helpful to oil the blade of your glass cutter so that the blade glides smoothly and makes a clean cut.

• With all of the glass cut to size, Sam positions the pieces in the refinished wood frames (figure F).
  

  
  

• The wooden beading is then marked to prepare it for miter-cutting so that it will fit properly within the existing rabbet of the frames (figure G).

• The pieces are cut to proper length using a miter-box and fine-cut saw.

• Once cut to length, the beading is positioned in place to hold the glass secure (figure H).

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

  
  

• The wood beading is secured using a pneumatic pin-nail gun and very fine finish nails. The nails are put in at an angle to hold the glass securely in the frame without damaging the edges of the glass (figures I and J).

  Figure I

  Figure J

  
  

  Figure K

  
  

• Once all of the cabinet doors are done, re-hang the doors in the cabinets (figure K). Russell used the original cabinet hinges and hardware which he had cleaned before reinstalling the doors. The dark color of the refinished hardwood made for a nice contrast against the light-toned walls.
  

  	The completed cabinet doors with antique glass installed.
  	The bead to hold the glass in place was fashioned from salvaged wood.

  
  

Note: This is a summary of steps included in the procedures shown in this episode of Restoration Realities. There may be variations in procedures for your particular restoration project based on the types of materials you select and the nature or extent of your particular project. Always follow proper safety precautions, and read and follow manufacturer's guidelines, diagrams and safety notices that come with materials or products that you select.

RESOURCES :

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes
Author: George Nash
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561585351
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Renovating and Restyling Older Homes: The Professional's Guide to Maximum Value Remodeling
Author: Lawrence Dworin
Publisher: Craftsman Book Company
ISBN: 1572180293
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Selecting and Renovating an Old House: A Complete Guide
Author: United States Department of Agriculture
July 2000
Publisher: Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486409562
Order this title from Amazon.com.