Be very careful handling broken glass.
Replacing a broken pane of glass in your window involves more than simply inserting a new pane into the frame. You'll need to seal the glass in place to keep it from falling out, using a process called glazing. Before replacing the pane you must remove all the shards of broken glass and scrape out the old glazing putty. Use caution and wear gloves and eye protection, as you are dealing with sharp pieces of glass. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Scrape out and remove all of the original glazing material from the window pane. Heat the glaze with a heat gun or hair dryer, then scrape it off with a stiff putty knife.
2. Tape over the broken glass pieces remaining in the window using duct tape in an "X" formation. This will keep the glass from breaking further.
3. Tap the glass with the end of the putty knife to break it free of the pane and then lift it out as one piece with the aid of the tape. Remove individual glass shards that remain in the window frame. Wear protective gloves while handling the glass.
4. Paint over any exposed wood on the window frame with an oil-based primer; this will help weatherproof the wood. Let the primer dry overnight.
5. Apply the glazing putty on the window frame and press it into the frame's lip, using a flexible putty knife.
6. Place the new pane of glass into the putty within the frame and press it along the edges to ensure you have a firm seal. You can have the hardware store cut the pane to the size you need.
7. Press the metal glazier points into the window frame along the edges of the glass, using the end of the putty knife to tap them in. These clips will hold the glass in place as the glaze dries.
8. Dip the putty knife in paint thinner and spread more of the putty across the edges of the glass and window frame, creating a weather seal. The thinner helps spread the putty evenly and makes it easier to scrape off the excess putty.
Tags: putty knife, window frame, broken glass, along edges, edges glass, frame press
