Glass table/cabinet tops

3/17/19, 7:30 PM #1

Gary Smyth
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Glass table/cabinet tops

Gary Smyth

For years some of the tables and cabinets I've collected have come with glass/marble/granite tops. Never thought about it much. I've recently found a decent Chinese influenced cabinet, 36w x 14d x 30h, to replace a nice mahogany table that had its uncovered top ruined by (big) spilled wine and candle wax. Until I can figure if restoration of the table is worthwhile, the new cabinet is in similar danger. 1/4" polished edge glass for the new cabinet is nearly $90. I'm not a particular fan of anything covering wood, but I can't deny it does, in heavy use, prevent unwanted watermarks, stains, wax, hot stuff white bloom, alcohol rings, etc. It's easier for dust removal over time too.

Asking for an opinion on glass table coverings. Any pros or cons from WoodCentral? The cabinet is worth it but jeez....it's (expensive) glass.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/17/19, 11:46 PM #2

Keith Newton
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Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

Keith Newton

You gave dimensions for a cabinet, but not for the $90 table glass. Knowing the details might help.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 3:03 AM #3

Gary Smyth
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OK. The rest of the story.

Gary Smyth

Glass to cover the entire top -- 36" x 14" x 1/4". Polishing the raw cut glass edges smooth almost doubles the cost.

The cabinet is prominent and will get use.

Mostly I'm asking opinion concerning my self imposed mental dilemma of covering perfectly good older finished wood vs. protecting the surface from guests who seem less concerned than me about being diligent/careful with my stuff.

Frankly, without getting into too much of a rant, I'm getting too old these days of saying "it's OK, don't worry about it" when I truly don't mean it.

A little (occasionally, a lot of) courtesy which has not been exhibited thus far would go a long way!

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 5:00 AM #4

Yonak
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Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

Yonak

I've got a 3/16" piece of glass on our large dining table. It's never gotten broken in over ten years of use. The corner did get chipped somewhere along the way but that could happen with 1/4" glass. Thinner glass could save you some bucks.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 10:55 AM #5

David Yoho
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My Take

David Yoho

Frankly, without getting into too much of a rant, I'm getting too old these days of saying "it's OK, don't worry about it" when I truly don't mean it.

A little (occasionally, a lot of) courtesy which has not been exhibited thus far would go a long way!

Can't be sure what your situation is that's caused this, so my point of view may not be valid for you but... I've gotten to old myself to not say what I mean more and more. Perhaps you need to set these people straight or not invite them into your home if they don't appreciate your things. I mean, what's next - armor coating your walls???

That said, there are times when putting protective glass on top of a piece of furniture makes sense. I just don't think it's necessary to do it because you have idiots around that don't respect your belongings. Fix the root problem (idiots) and make life simpler on you and your furnishings!

- - -

I live in Mechanicsville, VA (not far from Richmond) and I've been building furniture and cabinetry for well over 20 years now. It all started with my frustration of not being able to cut a straight line with a hand saw. About this same time, a guy named Norm appeared on my local PBS station. The more I watched, the more I learned. I also started thinking, "Hey, I can do that"! And so, I began with small projects and soon found myself moving up to increasingly advanced work. Word of mouth started the ball rolling and before I knew it, I was building all kinds of things for people. While this is not what I do to pay the bills, it has provided me with a means of equipping my shop over the years. The main downside to all of this is when my wife looks at a finished project and says, "I want one of those" and I know I don't have the time to make that happen right then. I take advantage of any slack time between commissions to work on things we want and this seems to keep her "on my side". She even surprised me one day with a new Tormek sharpening system. Sometimes it pays to leave that tool catalog lying around open! For me, woodworking is a type of therapy. I can go out to the shop and totally forget about the world outside. There have been days when I get out there early and before I know it, it's dark outside and I have no idea where the time went! I also enjoy challenging my skills and learning new things. Most of the time, since the majority of my work tends to be custom pieces, I'm working on projects I�ve never built before. While this takes me longer than if I were doing production work, I find it more appealing because there's always something new to learn. I haven't had any formal training in woodworking. My teachers have been experience, the many books and magazines I've read, WoodCentral, and of course, a guy named Norm.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 11:29 AM #6

John McGaw
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Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

John McGaw

You really don't say what the glass might cost. Have you shopped around at all? I checked quickly online and found a seller offering the size you specify, polished edges, tempered in standard glass for $110 and in low-iron (more clear) for $130. This was just one quickie search. What kind of price were you fretting about?

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 11:46 AM #7

AZ
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Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

AZ in Colorado Springs

Plexiglas would be cheaper, but less attractive.

I'm with David -- what about those inconsiderate guests?

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 1:21 PM #8

Kneale Brownson
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A more durable finish possible?

- - -

I’m a fairly spry 82-year-old who had been a reader/participant at WoodCentral since the demise of Badger Pond. I started visiting BP to learn something about finish for a project I’d completed and became hooked on internet forums as a way of increasing my knowledge about all sorts of topics. I have been a moderator for a couple other forums on subjects I enjoy. My interest in woodworking began in the early 1970’s when my wife and I had contractors add to our house near Traverse City, MI, and I ended up doing the trim work to reduce mounting costs. I had no tools. I bought a P-C skilsaw, hammer, screwdrivers and one of those wooden miter boxes with a backsaw. I made trim for windows and doors from one-by lumber and started my woodworking career. At the same time, I started a 50-year career as a ski instructor. I got onto the night shift at a mental hospital so I could ski days, and spent my 30s and 40s with that schedule. I eventually replaced the PC-upside-down-in-a-board with a real table saw and began the purchase of enough equipment to fill a jam-packed 40-foot shipping container we used after we sold our property in Michigan. The ski instructing had taken us to Colorado and we were spending too much on maintaining utilities for two homes. A couple years ago, the dozen years spent at 10,000 feet of elevation was making my body produce too many red blood cells, so we had to leave my “forever” home in the mountains and we moved back to Michigan. Now I have to find myself a shop space for all those tools in the container.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 3:49 PM #9

Gary Smyth
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Price provided was $82 + tax

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/18/19, 3:52 PM #10

John K Jordan
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Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

John K Jordan

Maybe 30 years ago I made a built-in makeup table from red oak. I covered it with glass and my Lovely Bride loved it. It was easy to clean and looked great. When we moved from that house 15 years ago the table, of course, was still in perfect shape.

Plexiglas will scratch easily.

JKJ

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/19/19, 2:33 PM #11

John McGaw
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Re: Price provided was $82 + tax

John McGaw

If that was for tempered glass with polished chamfered edges then I'd say the price was more than fair. Tempered glass tends, in my limited experience anyway, to be twice as expensive as regular plate because of the handling and time involved.

Re: Glass table/cabinet tops

3/19/19, 2:45 PM #12

David Yoho
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tempered glass

David Yoho

Probably most know this but in case not - be sure your measurements are correct when ordering. It can not be cut again after it's tempered. And the edges are the weak spot. A good knock on them will shatter the glass.

- - -

I live in Mechanicsville, VA (not far from Richmond) and I've been building furniture and cabinetry for well over 20 years now. It all started with my frustration of not being able to cut a straight line with a hand saw. About this same time, a guy named Norm appeared on my local PBS station. The more I watched, the more I learned. I also started thinking, "Hey, I can do that"! And so, I began with small projects and soon found myself moving up to increasingly advanced work. Word of mouth started the ball rolling and before I knew it, I was building all kinds of things for people. While this is not what I do to pay the bills, it has provided me with a means of equipping my shop over the years. The main downside to all of this is when my wife looks at a finished project and says, "I want one of those" and I know I don't have the time to make that happen right then. I take advantage of any slack time between commissions to work on things we want and this seems to keep her "on my side". She even surprised me one day with a new Tormek sharpening system. Sometimes it pays to leave that tool catalog lying around open! For me, woodworking is a type of therapy. I can go out to the shop and totally forget about the world outside. There have been days when I get out there early and before I know it, it's dark outside and I have no idea where the time went! I also enjoy challenging my skills and learning new things. Most of the time, since the majority of my work tends to be custom pieces, I'm working on projects I�ve never built before. While this takes me longer than if I were doing production work, I find it more appealing because there's always something new to learn. I haven't had any formal training in woodworking. My teachers have been experience, the many books and magazines I've read, WoodCentral, and of course, a guy named Norm.

Glass table/cabinet tops

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