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In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva helps a homeowner replace a cracked piece of glass, restoring her window’s looks and energy effici...
- 13 min
- 175.4K
- This Old House
- Overview
- Removing the Old Pane
- Installing New Glass
You’re sitting at home enjoying your day, when all of a sudden, you hear a loud crash. The neighbor’s baseball cracked one of your window panes! You might be worried that you’ll need a whole new window or pay an expert to fix the pane, but don’t panic yet. Replacing a window pane is a lot easier than you might think. You just need the right tools a...
Lay a drop cloth or sheet under the window to avoid making a mess.
Fixing a window pane can be a messy job, and you'll probably get dust, putty, and glass everywhere. Catch all of this debris by setting up a drop cloth before you start working to protect your floors.
You might want to put a drop cloth on the other side of the window too, just to be safe.
Put on thick gloves and eye protection before starting.
Any time you’re working with glass, there’s a risk for breaking a piece and hurting yourself. Always put on a pair of thick gloves to protect your hands, and also goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes.
If you’re wearing goggles, make sure they wrap around your eyes to protect them from all sides.
Get a replacement glass pane with the same dimensions as the old one.
You can get replacement glass panes at any hardware store. Measure the length and height of the space, and use those dimensions to buy a new pane that fits into the sash.
Since wood expands, leave a bit of extra room to allow for that. In general, subtracting
in (0.32 cm) from your measurement leaves enough room. So if your sash space is 12 in (30 cm), get a pane that's 11 7/8 in (29.7 cm) for some extra room.
If you can’t get a pane that fits into the sash, you could also get a larger piece of glass and
Hardware stores will also cut the pane for you if you bring your measurements in.
- 80.8K
- Order the replacement pane. Most buildings require safety glass in entry doors because it helps to prevent injuries if the pane is broken. Measure the broken pane of glass beyond the molding stops that help to hold the glass in place.
- Carefully remove broken glass pieces. You can put painters’ tape on the backside of the broken pane to hold broken pieces together. Always wear safety gloves and glasses to protect yourself from broken glass.
- Use a razor knife to cut free the molding surrounding the pane. Carefully pry the molding free with a putty knife without breaking the molding.
- Insert the new pane of glass. After you insert the pane, replace the molding.
Sep 4, 2024 · Use a stiff-blade putty knife to pry the wooden stops from around the broken pane. Carefully remove the broken pane from the door, supporting it to prevent falling. Dispose of the old glass safely in a sturdy trash bag. Work gently to remove the wood stops without breaking them so you can reuse them with the new glass.
- Remove the Glass. Don gloves and safety glasses and cover the broken pane with a rag. Tap the center of the rag-covered pane with a hammer to loosen the shards.
- Remove the Old Putty. Pry out any loose putty with a painter’s tool. Gradually soften the putty that’s still intact by holding a heat gun about an inch away and moving it back and forth.
- Prep the Rabbets. Pry the old metal glazing points out of the rabbets, the grooves in the sash where the glass sits. Scrape and sand the rabbets down to bare wood.
- Bed the Glass. Wiggle the pane into the putty while applying even pressure with the tips of your fingers. Continue pushing down until the glass is centered in the opening and about 1/8 inch of putty remains between the face of the glass and the rabbet.
Jul 31, 2024 · Glaze the window around the new pane with whichever glazing compound you choose. Mead and roll the putty with your hands, then place it around the perimeter of the glass with a heavy layer of compound. Press the putty down and be sure not to leave any gaps or hollow spots. Use the putty knife to create beveled profile and smooth out the glazing ...
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Use a caulking gun and squeeze a thin layer of window glazing compound in the primed grooves. With the help of a friend, set the new window glass in place. Press the new window glass lightly to bed it. Press in new glazing points every 10 inches with the tip of a putty knife.
