Making a Wooden Display Case with Glass: Genius DIY

Making a wooden display case with glass is a rewarding DIY project that allows you to showcase your prized possessions beautifully. This beginner-friendly guide breaks down the process into simple steps, ensuring you can build a custom, professional-looking case with confidence, even if you’re new to woodworking.

Ever wished you had a beautiful way to display those special collectibles, favorite books, or cherished photographs? A custom wooden display case with glass is the perfect solution! Many people think building one is too complicated, requiring expert skills and expensive tools. But I’m here to tell you it’s absolutely achievable for DIYers, even if you’re just starting out. With a little guidance and a few basic tools, you can create a stunning display piece that adds elegance to any room. We’ll walk through the entire process, from choosing your materials to the final polish, so you can build a case you’ll be proud of.

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Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Wooden Display Case with Glass

As Jack Shaffer from Nailerguy, I love helping folks tackle woodworking projects. Building a display case might seem daunting, but it’s all about breaking it down. We’ll cover everything you need to know, keeping it simple and straightforward. Let’s gather your supplies and get building!

Why Build Your Own Display Case?

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s touch on the “why.” Commercially made display cases can be pricey, and often, they don’t quite fit your specific needs or style. Building your own offers incredible benefits:

Customization: You control the size, style, wood type, and finish. It will be exactly how you envision it.
Cost-Effectiveness: While there’s an initial investment in materials and tools, it’s often significantly cheaper than buying a comparable pre-made unit.
Skill Building: It’s a fantastic way to learn new woodworking techniques and gain confidence in your DIY abilities.
Personal Touch: There’s a unique satisfaction in creating something beautiful and functional with your own hands.
Showcase Your Treasures: Finally, a dedicated, stylish space for the items you love.

Essential Tools and Materials

Don’t worry if you don’t have a woodworking shop full of tools. For this project, you can get by with some basics. Safety first, always wear safety glasses!

Tools You’ll Need:

Measuring Tape: For accurate measurements.
Pencil: For marking cuts.
Saw: A circular saw or a miter saw is ideal for precise cuts. A handsaw can work for smaller pieces if precision is carefully managed. For detailed work, a jigsaw might be useful.
Drill/Driver: For pre-drilling holes and driving screws.
Clamps: Essential for holding pieces together while glue dries. Bar clamps or pipe clamps are great for larger assemblies.
Sander: An orbital sander makes finishing much faster and smoother. Sandpaper in various grits (e.g., 120, 180, 220) is also needed.
Wood Glue: A good quality PVA wood glue.
Screws: Wood screws appropriate for the thickness of your wood.
Hammer or Nail Gun: For securing back panels or smaller decorative elements. If you’re a nailer enthusiast, a brad nailer or finish nailer is perfect here.
Putty Knife: For applying wood filler.
Paintbrushes/Rags: For applying stain or finish.

Materials You’ll Need:

Wood: Plywood, pine, oak, or poplar are good choices for beginners. The thickness will depend on the size of your case. A common choice for framing is 1×4 or 1×2 lumber, and for panels, 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch plywood.
Glass or Acrylic Panel: The size will depend on your design. For safety and ease of use, especially for beginners, consider acrylic (plexiglass) which is lighter and less prone to breaking than real glass. You can get this cut to size at most hardware or glass shops.
Wood Filler: To fill any gaps or screw holes.
Sandpaper: In various grits (e.g., 100, 150, 220).
Wood Finish: Stain, paint, polyurethane, or wax.
Optional: Hinges and Latch: If you plan to make a door.
Optional: Backing Material: Thin plywood or hardboard if you’re not using a solid back.

Planning Your Display Case Design

This is where you get to be creative! A simple design is best for your first display case. Consider these points:

Size: How big do your items need the case to be? Measure them!
Depth: How deep do you want it? A shallower case is easier to build and manage.
Shelves: Will it have shelves? How many? How far apart?
Open Front or Door: An open-front case is simpler. A door adds a touch of elegance and protection but requires hinges and potentially a latch.
Mounting: Will it sit on a table, hang on a wall, or stand on the floor?

For this guide, let’s plan a simple, free-standing display case, roughly 24 inches tall, 18 inches wide, and 6 inches deep, with one fixed shelf. The front will feature a glass panel.

Step 1: Cutting Your Wood Pieces

Accurate cuts are the foundation of a good build. Double-check your measurements before making each cut. It’s often better to have a piece slightly longer and trim it down than to cut it too short.

For our example case (24″ H x 18″ W x 6″ D), with 3/4-inch thick lumber for the frame:

Side Panels (2): Cut two pieces to 24 inches long.
Top and Bottom Panels (2): These will fit between the side panels. So, if your total width is 18 inches, and you have two 3/4-inch thick side panels, the width of these pieces will be 18″ – (2 3/4″) = 16.5 inches. Cut two pieces to 16.5 inches long.

Shelf (1): Similar to the top and bottom, this will also be 16.5 inches long.

Back Panel: This will cover the entire back. So, measure the actual outer dimensions of your assembled frame and cut a piece of 1/4-inch plywood or hardboard to fit. For our example, this would be around 24″ high by 18″ wide.

Front Frame Pieces: These create the opening for the glass. You’ll need two vertical uprights and two horizontal pieces. The width for the horizontals will be determined by how you join them with the sides. If you butt them against the sides, they’ll be 18 inches. If they fit inside the sides, they’d be 16.5 inches. For simplicity, let’s assume they butt against the sides, so cut two at 18 inches. The verticals will be shorter, to fit between the (hypothetical) top and bottom front frame pieces. Let’s say you want a 2-inch frame border. If so, the verticals would be 24″ – (2 2″) = 20 inches.

Tip: If you’re unsure about cuts, many hardware stores offer cutting services when you purchase your lumber. This can be a lifesaver for beginners!

Step 2: Assembling the Main Box

This is where the structure starts to take shape. We’ll assemble the sides, top, and bottom first.

Prepare for Assembly: Lay one of the side panels flat. Mark placement lines for the top and bottom panels.
Apply Glue: Apply a generous bead of wood glue to the edge of the top panel where it will meet the side panel.
Attach Top Panel: Position the top panel onto the side panel, ensuring the edges are flush. Use clamps to hold it securely.
Pre-drill and Screw: Pre-drill pilot holes through the side panel into the edge of the top panel. Then, drive screws to secure the joint. Use 2-3 screws for a strong connection.
Repeat for Bottom Panel: Apply glue to the bottom panel edge, position it flush with the other end of the side panel, clamp, pre-drill, and screw.
Attach Second Side Panel: Now, apply glue to the exposed edges of the top and bottom panels. Carefully position the second side panel, clamp, pre-drill, and screw everything together. You should now have a rectangular box frame.

Nailer Tip: Instead of screws, you could use a brad nailer for primary assembly for a cleaner look, provided the wood is thick enough. Then reinforce with glue. For very strong joinery, consider pocket hole joinery – it’s a bit more advanced but creates strong, hidden joints.

Step 3: Installing the Shelf

If you’re adding a fixed shelf, now is a good time to install it. Do this after the main box is assembled so you can measure for its exact placement accurately.

Measure and Mark: Decide where you want your shelf. Measure and mark the desired height on the inside of both side panels. Ensure your marks are level.
Cut Shelf (if not already done): Make sure your shelf piece fits snugly between the side panels.
Apply Glue: Apply wood glue to the edges of the shelf.
Position and Secure: Slide the shelf into place, resting on your marks. You can pre-drill and screw through the side panels into the shelf edges to secure it. Alternatively, for a cleaner look, you could use shelf pins if you want an adjustable shelf later, but for a fixed shelf, screws are easiest.

Step 4: Attaching the Back Panel

The back panel adds rigidity and stability to your case. It also provides a surface to attach to the wall if you plan to hang it.

Position the Back Panel: Lay your assembled frame face down. Place the cut back panel onto the back, ensuring it’s square and covers the entire opening.
Secure with Glue and Nails/Screws: Apply a thin bead of wood glue along the back edges of the frame. Lay the back panel on top. Use a brad nailer or hammer and small nails (or screws) to secure the back panel to the frame. Space nails or screws about every 6-8 inches.

Step 5: Building the Front Frame for the Glass

This frame will hold your glass or acrylic panel in place and give the case a finished look.

Here’s a common method: rabbet joints. A rabbet is an L-shaped groove cut along the edge of a piece of wood. This allows one piece to overlap another.

Tools for Rabbets: If you have a router with a rabbeting bit, this is the easiest way. If not, you can painstakingly achieve a similar result with a table saw or even a sharp chisel and mallet, though this requires more skill and patience for clean results.

Cut Rabbets: On the back edges of your front frame pieces (two vertical 20″ pieces, two horizontal 18″ pieces), cut a rabbet that is about 1/4 inch deep and 1/4 inch wide. This rabbet should be on the inside edge of the frame pieces, facing inwards.
Assemble the Front Frame: Apply wood glue to the joining ends of the front frame pieces. You can butt them together and secure with screws or nails, or use pocket holes for cleaner joinery if you have the jig. Ensure the rabbets are all on the inside and facing the same direction.
Test Fit Glass: Once the frame glue is dry, test fit your glass or acrylic panel in the rabbet. It should sit snugly within the groove.
Glue/Secure Glass: Apply a small bead of silicone sealant or glass-safe adhesive in the rabbet, then carefully set the glass panel in place. If using screws to further secure the frame to the main box, you might want to carefully pre-drill through the frame into the box edges, avoiding the glass. You could also use small brads to hold the glass in place within the rabbet before attaching the frame.
Attach Front Frame: Apply wood glue to the front edges of your main box frame. Position the assembled front frame over the glued edges, ensuring it’s flush and square. Clamp in place (use cauls to protect the frame). Once dry, you can add a few small brads or screws from the front frame into the main box for extra security, ensuring you don’t damage the glass.

Alternative for simple front: Instead of a rabbeted frame, you can create a simple butt joint frame. Cut two pieces long enough to span the full width (18″) of the case, and two pieces to fit between them, making up the height. Attach these four pieces to the front edge of the main box with glue and screws/nails.

Step 6: Sanding and Finishing

This step transforms your project from rough lumber to a polished piece of furniture.

Fill Imperfections: Use wood filler to fill any nail holes, screw holes, or small gaps. Let it dry completely according to the product instructions.
Rough Sanding: Start with a coarser grit sandpaper (e.g., 100 or 120 grit) to smooth out any rough edges and remove excess glue. Sand all surfaces of the case, including the inside.
Medium Sanding: Move to a medium grit (e.g., 180 grit) to further smooth the wood.
Fine Sanding: Finish with a fine grit (e.g., 220 grit) for a silky-smooth surface. Always sand in the direction of the wood grain.
Clean: Wipe down the entire case with a tack cloth or a slightly damp cloth to remove all dust.
Apply Finish: Now it’s time for your chosen finish.

Stain: Apply wood stain with a brush or rag, wiping off excess. Let it dry completely.
Paint: Use a good quality primer, then apply your chosen paint color.
Clear Coat: For protection and a uniform look, apply 2-3 coats of polyurethane, lacquer, or varnish. Lightly sand with very fine grit sandpaper (e.g., 320 grit) between coats for a super smooth finish.

Allow to Cure: Let the finish cure fully according to the product’s instructions before placing items in the case or moving it too much.

Step 7: Adding Optional Doors (If Applicable)

If you decided on a door, here’s a simplified approach:

Build the Door Frame: Construct a smaller frame that fits within your main case’s front opening. The dimensions will depend on how you want it to fit—either inset or overlapping the front edge.
Install Glass/Acrylic: Similar to the main case, create a way to hold the glass in the door frame using rabbets or a trim.
Attach Hinges: You’ll need hinges (small cabinet hinges work well) to attach the door to the main case. Decide if you want the door to swing open from the side or top and install hinges accordingly. Proper alignment is key here.
Add a Latch or Knob: Install a small magnetic catch, a simple hook-and-eye latch, or a decorative knob for easy opening.

Choosing the Right Glass or Acrylic

When building a display case with glass, the “glass” itself is a crucial component. Here’s a quick rundown:

Material	Pros	Cons	Best For
Acrylic (Plexiglass)	Lightweight, shatter-resistant, safer for DIYers, easy to cut and drill. Available in many tints and finishes.	Scratches more easily than glass, can yellow or become cloudy over time with UV exposure, can warp under heat.	Beginners, high-traffic areas, cases for children or pets, lightweight applications.
Tempered Glass	Stronger than standard glass, breaks into small, relatively harmless pieces if shattered. Clear and scratch-resistant.