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How To Add Wire Mesh Grille Inserts To Cabinet Doors (The Easy And Inexpensive Way)

I finally finished the one and only DIY project in my kitchen that I had planned for this year, but with a twist. After I painted the kitchen cabinets teal last year, I didn’t put the glass back into the four middle cabinet doors.

Those four cabinets started out as regular recessed panel cabinet doors, and during the original kitchen remodel, I cut out the center panels and turned them into glass front cabinet doors. You can read more about how I did that here:

But I didn’t replace the glass after repainting my kitchen because I’ve been secretly wishing for wire mesh grille inserts for those four cabinet doors. That turned out to be cost prohibitive, though. Have y’all seen the price of those wire grilles? Those things are ridiculously expensive! I mean, hundreds of dollars. As in, $600-$800 for the ones I liked, which weren’t anything fancy. They were just a simple “X” design wire mesh. There’s no way I could bring myself to pay that much.

So yesterday, I decided to try a similar look that cost me just $64.

I’ve seen where people have used various types of wire mesh that you purchase on a roll at the big box home improvement stores, like hardware cloth or even chicken wire. But I find those rolled types of wire to be so frustrating to work with. When they come on a roll, they want to stay rolled up. Plus, they’d all have to be spray painted. I generally don’t mind spray paint, but the idea of trying to spray paint a piece of wire mesh while fighting against it trying to roll up just didn’t appeal to me.

So I was thrilled when I came across these large cut metal pieces at Lowe’s the other day. I had only ever looked at Home Depot, and they only have the small 12″ x 24″ pieces that are too small for my cabinet doors. But Lowe’s had the large 24″ x 36″ pieces in stock, and they even had one design that came in a gold/brass color! But the best part is that they come flat, so there’s no fighting against metal wire that want to roll up as you work with it. This was very easy to work with!

It came down to a choice between this quatrefoil design and this “X” design. I actually liked the “X” design better, but decided to go with the quatrefoil since it came in gold and wouldn’t have to be spray painted. It was also quite a bit thinner than the “X” design, so it’s very easy to cut with metal shears. I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to cut the “X” design sheet with metal shears.

My door are narrow, so I was able to get three pieces out of one sheet. I had to buy two to get all four cabinet doors done.

To insert the metal piece into the door, I just placed it inside the rabbet on back and then put a thick bead of hot glue along the edge. I did one side at a time, holding it in place by pressing with my hands as closely to the bead of hot glue as possible until the glue dried, and then moved on to the next side. That way I could ensure that it was lying perfectly flat inside the rabbet.

And here’s how it looked from the front…

This was a very simple and fast project, and it was relatively inexpensive. And since I just held them into place using hot glue, it will be very simple to swap them out for another design in the future, like the “X” pattern if I can find a way to cut it, or even glass if I decide to go back to that look.

My favorite view is the nighttime view with the cabinet lights on and the room lights turned off.

But I like the daytime view as well…

That was a quick and easy item checked off of my list for the year. But this weekend, I’ll be working on a not-quite-so-easy item on my list — the front porch steps. I’ve had my new sidewalk for about a week now, and I’ve been procrastinating on starting on the steps. I’m a bit intimidated by the project, but I can’t keep making my visitors step up 17 inches to my front porch to enter my house. 😀 So I need to stop procrastinating and just get it done. I’ve never built steps before, and certainly have never built a handrail, so this will be new for me! Let’s hope I actually have some progress to share with y’all on Monday!

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62 Comments

  1. You’re on a roll!! Love it so much! Great work, Kristi!! Good luck on the front porch steps…sending good vibes!

  2. The cabinets look fabulous with the grille inserts and the lights on! And I have every confidence in your ability to build some sturdy and beautiful steps! You geaux, girl!

  3. Looks great. Have a brilliant productive weekend looking forward to mondays post,I’m sure you’ll be grand! You are doing fantastic!Xx

  4. A lovely look and so quick! It is nice to mark off even 1 easy thing off your list, but you have 2! Cabinets and entryway! Go Kristy!

    Sheila F.

  5. SO pretty!
    Kristi, you and I will never qualify as “hand models”…just one of the marks of the DYIer. A manicurist would weep.

    1. Oh my, that made me laugh out loud! So true! I see other blogs with so-called “DIY bloggers” who have perfectly manicured nails and no signs of caulk, paint, primer, or anything else. I always think, “Who’s actually doing your projects for you?!” I can have just-out-of-the-shower, perfectly clean nails and hands, and ten minutes into a project, I’ve got dirt under my nails, hands covered in paint, caulk, primer, chipped and broken nails. 😀 No one could ever doubt I’m a DIYer just by the look of my hands!

      1. Makes me think of “that show from California” where the now-divorced couple would have you believe they actually participate in the demolition? She’s wearing open sandals and he’s wearing an expensive watch…oh yeah, totally believable – NOT.

  6. I love how you have your dishes are set up in the cabinets!!! I’m on the fence about the metal versus the glass, but if you happy that is all the matters.

  7. I like it! Works with your fixtures well. The x-design, however, is 18 gauge aluminum and will cut fine with your snipes. You might get the smaller piece and play with chemical reactions to get a better color. I like the color of the mesh you chose.

  8. Looks awesome! Maybe sometimes when you come to a roadblock like this, you could ask your readers😐. I could have told you about these flat sheets at Lowe’s a long time ago. Saw these years ago wanting to do a project with them myself. Good luck on the stairs, you know you got this!

  9. OH, I love this touch! So classy! I wanted to do this as well, but the one that I loved was not available in Lowe’s or HD. I found it online and it was SOOO expensive that I’ve just put the whole project on hold for now.

    1. Heads up most will see the safety needs for this. Use these products like furniture stripper with gloves, and ventilation because that stuff can use strong acids. Do ask questions to their CS if you aren’t sure.

  10. When I had my new cabinets built 10 years ago, I had the panels made to be removable so I could insert fabric or wire or whatever. I think fabric inserts have kind of fallen out of favor. Seeing this might be the push I need to actually getting around to metal inserts. My guy uses these metal panels in the one of a kind lamps he makes, so I’m familiar with them already. 🙂

  11. Lovely, just lovely…. even elegant. Your kitchen is so pretty.

    Question….. behind the base cabinet pillars is there storage that is accessible from the center doors? Or is that just a filler?

    Also… for future cabinetry, say your studio you might want a couple of these: https://hideawaysolutions.com
    Think I’ll be putting a couple in my kitchen since I’ll be having cabinets to the ceiling. Don’t know what you’re doing for studio cabinets but I need the high cabinet storage. As I recall you have had said you’re a gal that needs a stool or ladder too. This option looks so safe, stable and convenient. Even love the demo showing kids at vanities, handy for those needing those features.

    DIY hands…. yes, lol. Here’s a supportive solution I have discovered. Locally Menard’s sells a glove that is so thin it is essentially like putting tights on your hands. The palm side has tiny, tiny very thin grip dots, NOT like those dipped gloves. I wear them all the time when I do chores, paint, DIY. I don’t even know they are on. I started using them because I grew weary of cuts, slivers, and hang nails…. the soreness. They protect my hands but also give me a touch more grip. A byproduct is now having nice nails. I am happy to give you a photo if you like.

    No doubt your steps will turn out beautifully.

    1. A friend sent me a link to those pull-out ladders, which I think are the most amazing things, especially for my tiny condo kitchen. Unfortunately, at $600 each I’m not sure I can justify (or afford) the expense, so for now I’ll just have to dream about how cool they are.

  12. This worked out great! They add a nice note of texture to that large wall of cabinets and they look really wonderful lit up. Bravo!

  13. Don’t you love that radiator mesh???? It’s great stuff! I even used it to make a pretty intake cover in our foyer for the HVAC, instead of the ugly one that was on it before. We have used the scraps for many various craft projects, too! Love it- your cabinet project looks wonderful!

  14. Yessssss! I kept seeing these at the stores and wondered what could be done with them. I thought about maybe an accent panel on a room screen. But I like what you’ve done. There ya go. 😀

  15. I’ve seen this product too, it is so awesome! I have a secretary (wrapped in shrink wrap now for two years!)and am considering using this or something like it for the glass doors. I LOVE how it looks in your kitchen with the brass you already have. You’re two for two this week! YAY! And classy for little $$.

  16. I’m so jealous! I want to do something like this on the cabinet that houses our veggie rack but I can’t find this stuff anywhere, and I definitely don’t want chicken wire!

  17. Gorgeous, stunning and very classy!!!! Just the perfect finishing touch to your beautiful kitchen……and another item checked off your to do list. Kristi, you’re on a roll, with finishing your entryway and now your kitchen cabinets. Looking forward to next weeks posts with your new front steps. Don’t be intimidated by them, look what you’ve already achieved……you’re Wonder Woman!!!!!! Go Kristi.

    1. Tell me, how is it holding up in your fence? In what part of the country do you live? I have been thinking of doing a fence with some sort of rigid metal grid held between fence posts so I don’t totally obstruct the view or breeze across two neighbors’ yards, thus closing off mine and making it feel smaller. I don’t really need the privacy (the rear property line has a 6′ privacy fence) but I do need to keep my dog contained. I want something prettier than chain link or the roll of farm fencing that is there now.

      I love it when people use materials to suit their own needs.

  18. I like the look.
    But the usage is odd, as this is done for ventilation, like cooling pies. Not likely to keep the dust off your china.

  19. Love the way this turned out! The design of the metal is just great – looks so unique and professional. And how great you didn’t even have to spray paint – like it was meant to be! So Great!!

  20. Kristi, I’m dying! Those exact ones are sold at Menards as fireplace mesh screens and I almost got THAT same design for a retro styled TV cabinet I built. I ended up going with a slightly different and smaller one, but I used mine as the “speaker mesh”. 😉 Now I want to do this in a kitchen for that hip ’60s/’70s look… Excellent idea! Love how this looks so much. That picture of the kitchen at night is so ideal.

  21. So crazy. Just tried to get my cabinet guy to use this mesh in mudroom lockers. He says it will get too banged up. Any thoughts or other vendors you came across? I so love the look!!

  22. How’s the maintenance aspect? Will they get really dusty? I’m thinking about using this for an accent cabinets, but worried about cleaning them.

  23. I love this idea!! I too am in love with the wire mesh look but hubby will not agree to have the cabinet place so it Bc of the cost. I will try to look at lowes. You didn’t put the glass back in or you did?

  24. This is so helpful! Can you tell me exactly what product you bought at Lowe’s? I’m searching and I’m probably using the wrong term.

  25. What was it called the wire you put on your cabinet fronts at Lowes
    Doing a project like this and want to buy some from lowes