REPLACING BROKEN WINDOW PANES IN OLDER WINDOWS AND INSTALLING GLAZING
Your window pane is cracked or broken and you need to replace it.
You will need of course to get the old window pane out
Before you start there are a couple of things you will want to do, for safety put on gloves Put some strips of 1” tape over the pane – this will allow the glass to come out in one piece
Get a heat gun and set it on low or your use your wife’s hairdryer and start heating the glazing, keep the heat gun moving in a slow smooth movement and as the glazing starts to soften, you will be able to remove it with a putty knife. After all the glazing is removed take out the window pane.
After the removal of the window pane, take a brush, steel or paint brush and get rid of any loose particles
Next purchase the right size window pane. You want the window pane to be 1/8 smaller than the actual size of the opening where the pane sets in, height and width.
You can have this cut either at your local hardware or Lowe’s – Lowe’s still cuts glass. Take a piece of the glass you took out with you so you can match it up on thickness.
Some other items, that need to be purchased, to install the glass, 1 Tube of clear silicone caulk, window points – (they hold the glass in), glazing and small container or mineral spirits depending on the glazing you purchase
You are now ready to install the window.
Cut a very small tip on the caulk at an angle and caulk using clear paint able silicone 2, run a very small bead on the step where the glass will set into. This is a process you don’t have to do but it will be a better job. This also seals and holds the glass in till the next step
Next install the window points using you putty knife just push them in with the flat side to the window and the point installed in the wood.
You are ready to glaze in the windows
There are two types of glazing, one is a latex base in the tube and the other comes in a can.
Each have their advantages.
The latex in the tube is a little easier to work with. You just caulk one side of the pane at a time and using a 1” putty knife, set the putty knife at a 45 degree angle and then use the outside edge of the pane as a guide move from top to bottom or side to side.
The down side, to this type of window glazing, is it will show more of the imperfections as you were guiding your putty knife using the wood as a guide and you will also have a longer wait time before you can paint.
The second Glazing comes in a can and might be a little harder for the novice to work with. You will need to purchase some mineral spirits or paint thinner.
Remove a small amount and roll it in you hands, so when you are done, the glazing looks like a tootsie roll.
Put your mineral spirits in a small cup, using your putty knife push the glaze in while dragging down always keeping the knife at a 45 Degree angle or whatever angle that matches the existing glazing. While you are doing this make sure you are dipping the putty knife in the mineral spirits, this will keep the putty knife from sticking to the Glazing.
Clean up is a little tricky. If you have a steady hand you can probable remove the excess from the window right away if not you might want to wait a day or two depending on which glazing you purchased
Don’t forget to prime and paint the new glazing when you are done.
