Project Recap: Adding Cane to Cabinet Doors
I love this makeover becuase it is the perfect example of how a few small changes can make a huge impact! All it needed was a fresh coat of paint, new feet and hardware, and my favorite part – adding cane to the cabinet doors. This project was done for a client who was considering trashing this piece altogether and buying something totally new. I am so glad she entrusted me to make the old look new again! In this post, I’ll walk through exactly what I did to achieve this look.
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Prep Work
Like any furntiure project, preparing the piece for paint is key. I started by taking off the old hardware and the cabinet doors, and gently removing the glass from those doors. Then I cleaned and scuff sanded all of the wood parts to prepare them for paint. Finally, I primed them with a white stain-blocking primer. If you’d like to learn more about these steps, details can be found in these links: cleaning and sanding and priming.
Painting
Once everything was prepped, it was time to paint! My client chose the color Paperie White by Melange Paints, and I think it is the perfect complement to the natural look of the cane. There is information on how to hand-paint furniture can be found here.
Adding Cane to Cabinet Doors
Cane webbing is woven wicker material traditionally used for chair seats, but it can also be used as a design element in furniture. Adding cane to cabinet doors is a great way to add texture and interest to a piece. I’ve purchased from several places over the years, but my favorite is www.caneandbasket.com. Their cane is high quality and they have a great selection of varying styles and you can purchase the exact amount that you need.
Prepping and cutting the cane
When purchased, the cane webbing comes in a roll, which needs to be flattened. To do this, soak in water for several hours, then lay flat (with some weights) until dry. I use some extra bathroom tiles I have lying around as weights – anything that you don’t mind getting wet will work. Next, I will measure and using scissors, cut the cane to size.
Installing cane in the cabinet door
When installing the cane webbing in the doors, there are two options – with or without a backing. In this case, I did not want to use a backing. Installation in this case was easy. Simply add a thin line of wood glue to the inside of the frame, lay the caning inside, and then secure it with a staple gun. After the glue dried, I added the trim work back on top and secured it with small nails.
If you want to use a backing you can either glue it down on an existing cabinet door and then add some trim on top, or glue it down onto a separate panel and install it in the back as I did in this makeover (you don’t need to worry about stapling and gluing it into the edges, just lay it into the door and replace the trim on the back).
Adding New Feet and Hardware
To complete this makeover there were two more details that I changed from the dated original – feet and hardware. In this case, I was able to remove the existing feet and replace them with these (which I painted to match the table). And I found this hardware to complement the feet. And that’s it! A whole new look for the dated cabinet.
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