Cabinet Door Caning Kit, 24 x 36 in Cane Sheet, Open or Square Weave

Cane-front doors add texture and a little airflow to kitchen cabinets, sideboards and bathroom vanities. This kit holds the cane and the finishing materials to reface one or two doors. You supply the doors and a few common tools.

Here is how it works. The center panel of each door is cut or routed out, leaving the outer frame. The cane is soaked, laid across the back of the frame, glued and stapled, then trimmed. A thin pine strip glued over the edge hides the staples and the cut ends. As the cane dries it pulls taut across the opening.

You will also need:

• A staple gun with 1/4 in staples
• A saw or router to open the center of the door
• A utility knife
• A bathtub or large tray of warm water, and towels
• Clamps or painter's tape to hold the trim while the glue sets

One 24 x 36 in sheet covers two doors with openings up to about 11 x 17 in, or one door with an opening up to 22 x 34 in. Mark out your pieces on the sheet before cutting so the weave runs straight on each door.

Soak the cane about 30 minutes, then place it shiny side toward the front of the door. Spread glue on the back of the frame, staple the middle of each side first and work out toward the corners, keeping the weave lines square to the frame. Trim the cane just inside the outer edge of the frame and glue the pine strip over the staples. Our guide on how to cane a cabinet door goes through removing the panel, stapling and trimming.

Weave: open weave has the familiar small octagonal holes and suits most styles, from traditional to mid-century. Square weave has small square holes on a straight grid and looks more graphic and modern, which is why it is popular on sideboards and wall panels. Both install the same way.

Size: measure the opening in each door frame, not the whole door, and add at least 1 in on every side for glue and staples. One sheet gives two pieces for openings up to about 11 x 17 in, or one piece for an opening up to 22 x 34 in.

Trim: the 6 ft strip covers 72 in of edge. Add up the distance around each opening. For two doors you will probably need some extra plain pine trim, which any hardware store carries.