By request, here are a set of glass door console plans. These are very similar to all of the sliding door console plans we already have on the site, but as the name implies, these have hinged glass doors instead of sliding barn doors.

Tools Required

• Saws: table, circular, miter
• Drill / Driver
• Doweling jig or Biscuit joiner or Kreg Jig
• Finish nailer
• Tape measure
• Square
• Sander & sandpaper
• Interior wood glue
• Screws and nails
• Wood filler

Materials Required

• 1 – 4′ x 8′ sheet of 3/4″ plywood
• 1 – 2′ x 4′ sheet of 1/2″ plywood (optional, this is for the interior walls, but you have plenty of 3/4″ plywood in the above sheet to make these two pieces. Note: if you use the 3/4″ instead, you shelf dimensions change)
• 1 – 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/4″ plywood
• 2 – 2x8s @ 6′ (top)
• 4 – 1x4s @ 6′ (face frame)
• 2 – 3/4″x2″ @ 8′ (doors)
• 1 – 1×2 @ 8′ (trim)
• 2 – 12 1/2″ x 25 1/4″ pieces of glass @ 1/4″ thick
• 2 – 2x3s @ 8′ (or you can rip cut one 2×6 in half)
• 2 – corner braces
• 24 – 1/4″ shelf pins
• 4 – 1/2″ overlay hinges (example of overlay hinges)
• Clear silicone

Step 1: Build the base

Start your glass door console by building the base. I like starting with a single 2×6 @ 8′ and ripping into two 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ pieces. Or, you rip down two 2x4s, or if you can find 2x3s in stock your local store, you can use those.

Cut two 54″ lengths, two 10″ lengths, and two 7″ lengths. Use 2 1/2″ screws and wood glue to join the pieces as shown below. Make certain you pre-drill your holes to prevent the wood from splitting.

Step 2: Cut and attach the sides

The outer sides are made from the 3/4″ plywood sheet, as are the floor and interior shelves. If you lay out the pattern first, you should be able to get all of these pieces cut from the single 4×8 sheet.

For the sides, cut your pieces to size, then lay out a pattern to drill for shelf pins. The pin holes should be inset at least 1″ from the edges, I prefer to place them 1 1/2″ in. You can also space the holes as you see fit, the more holes and tighter spacing allows for more flexibility in shelf spacing in the future. I would not go less than 1″ apart.

Recommendation: create a template out of a piece of scrap wood so you can lay out your pattern one time and ensure all holes, on all pieces, are positioned exactly the same. Drill the holes in the template, and then tape the template in place as a guide to drill all of your holes.

For the holes on the outer walls, you do not want to go all of the way through the plywood; you only need to go in about 1/4″. Use a piece of tape as a marker on your drill bit to ensure you do not go in much more than this 1/4″.

Alternative shelf support method: To create fixed shelves, you can attach 1×1 strips of wood to the sides using wood glue and 1″ finish nails. These strips will provide the support for your shelves – but they won’t allow you to adjust the shelf positioning in the future.

Once you have your sides ready, use wood glue and finish nails to attach them to the base you built in Step 1 of these glass door console plans. Make certain to attach them with the holes in!

Step 3: Build the face frame

The next steps in these glass door console plans is to attach the face frame. This face frame needs to be square and precise (it’s what you’ll look at every day), so take your time on this piece and ensure it’s built as best as you can.

From you 1×4 boards, cut the following pieces:

• 2 @ 51 1/2″
• 2 @ 34 1/2″
• 2 @ 27 1/2″

For each of the eight connections you’ll need to make as part of the face frame, I’d recommend using either biscuits or dowels to ensure your pieces are aligned, flush, and have a good connection strength. You can also use a Kreg jig with the pocket holes on the back sides of the pieces. Also ensure to use wood glue at each joint.

When attaching to the base and walls, again use wood glue and either biscuits, dowels, or pocket hole screws to keep everything aligned and tight. Here you’ll also want to use the corner braces in the top front corners. These braces will help keep the console square, but more importantly, they’ll also provide a means to attach the top later.

Step 4: Cut and assemble the floor and interior walls

The floor of your console is going to be made of a single sheet of 3/4″ playwood, cut to 57″ x 10″.

The interiors walls are going to be cut from 1/2″ plywood (you can use 3/4″ plywood if you wish, you should have enough available in the 4×8 sheet.
Note: if you use the 3/4″ instead, you shelf dimensions change). Once you have your interior walls cut, layout and drill the holes for the shelf pins, making certain these holes are aligned with ones on the outer walls (this is where the template helps). For these holes, you’ll want to drill the holes all of the way through the pieces, as you’ll be using shelf pins on both sides. Since you are going all of the way through the wood, I actually would recommend stacking the two pieces and drilling both at the same time.

Use the interior walls and floors are complete, attach the walls to the floor using wood glue and screws from the bottom of the floor piece. Pre-drill the holes through the floor to prevent splitting the wood, but also allow you to better align the pieces.

Step 5: Assemble exterior and interior

Now that your floor and interior walls are assemble, it’s time to put them in place. Use wood glue on the base and front edges of the interior walls. Then tack everything in place using finish nails. Start at the top of the face frame, and nail through it into the edge of the interior walls. Make certain everything is square and aligned before driving the nails! Add a few more nails through the face frame and into the interior walls. You’ll fill and sand these to hide the nails later.

Step 6: Add the back

The back is a simple piece of 1/4″ plywood cut to 57″ x 34 1/2″. This will help hold the entire unit square, so make certain your cuts are square. Use wood glue and finish nails to attach to the sides, interior walls, and base.

Step 7: Attach the top

For the top, use your two 2x8s, ripping them down to 6″ width each. Then cut to 60″ in length. Join the two board together using wood glue with dowels, biscuits or pocket hole screws. I’d also recommend staining the top prior to attaching it, because it’ll be easier to get all of the sides.

Once the top is ready, run a bead of wood glue along all of the top edges of your unit and sit the top in place. Use screws going up through the corner braces you added in Step 3 of these glass door console plans to hold the top in position while the glue dries.

Step 8: Cut and insert shelves

The shelves are simply pieces of 3/4″ plywood cut to size. To hide the layers of plywood, you can dress the front edges of these up with some edge banding that matches your final plans, or add a piece of decorative trim to the front of each. Note: if you plan on adding a trim piece, you’ll want to adjust the 10″ depth by the thickness of the trim you are using.

Step 9: Build and attach the glass doors

The doors are probably the most complex piece in these glass door console plans – but they are still just a simple shaker door design. The biggest hurdle is getting your glass cut to the right dimensions (12 1/2″ x 25 1/4″). but a true hardware store (not a big box store) typically has a glass cutting service. Call around your local area and you should be able to find one.

I’ve drawn the below design using a standard mortise and tenon technique. I’m not going to go into the specifics of how to make these cuts here, as there are hundreds of online tutorials to help with making cabinet doors in this manner. Just use the dimensions below and follow one of those tutorials (or I may post one at a later date and link it here).

Once your doors are complete, follow the directions on the hinges you selected and attach them to your console.

Now that you have your doors attached, all that is left is sanding and painting or staining.

We hope that you found these glass door console plans helpful, and if you wind up building your own based on these plans, we hope you’ll share a picture or two with us to let us know how it went!

* This post may have affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site.