Broken windows are an unfortunate fact of life for homeowners everywhere. Fortunately, this is a repair that the do it yourself homeowner can easily do. You don't have to cut the glass yourself; bring the measurements to your local hardware or home improvement store and they will cut the glass to fit for you. Then follow the steps below and in no time at all you'll replace the glass in your windows. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove the broken window glass. Wear safety glasses and work gloves.
2. Remove old putty and glazer's points. Break the putty into small pieces to avoid splitting the wood frame. If the putty is difficult to remove, use a heat gun to soften it. Soften a small part of the putty at a time, and use a wood chisel or putty knife to remove it. Make sure to remove all traces of the old putty.
3. Measure the opening, measuring from inside edge to inside edge. At the hardware store, have the glass cut to about 1/8 inch less than the dimensions of the opening.
4. Apply a thin layer of linseed oil to the raw wood inside the frame in the area where you removed the old putty. This will prevent the new putty from drying out too fast.
5. Put putty into the slot, kneading it until it is pliable. With the putty knife, apply a 1/16 inch layer of putty completely around the window frame, covering the area where you removed the old putty. Make sure the new putty is not too thick. This provides a cushion for installing the new glass.
6. Insert the new sheet of glass into the prepared frame. Press down firmly.
7. Place glazer's points about every 5 to 6 inches around frame. Glazer's points hold the pane of glass securely in the frame. Lay the glazer's point flat against the glass and get it started into the wood by pressing on it with the putty knife. Then gently tap the glazer's points with the glazing tool to drive them into the wood frame. It doesn't take much pressure to drive the points into the frame; too much pressure can crack or break the glass. Take care to keep the flat side of the glazer's point firmly against the glass.
8. Insert more putty, kneading it until it is pliable. Roll some putty between your hands to make lengths the diameter of a pencil. Begin at one corner and lay the length of putty into the groove on top of the glazer's points. Apply all the way around the window.
9. Smooth out putty, using the glazing tool to smooth out the putty. Use long, even strokes and hold the glazing tool at a 45 degree angle. Don't spread it out too far from the frame; it shouldn't be visible from the other side of the window. To make the job easier, dip the glazing tool into linseed oil before you start.
10. Paint over the putty to seal it. Check the manufacturer's instructions to determine if you can paint it immediately or if the putty needs to cure for a few days before painting. Paint over the putty and over a fraction of an inch of the glass to seal.
Tags: glazer points, glazing tool, putty into, putty knife, against glass, area where, area where removed
