You’re minding your own business when you hear a thunk against your living room window, followed by glass shattering. Apparently, a neighborhood kid threw something through the window.
You don’t have the money to replace that right now. What are you supposed to do? Do you bite the bullet and fork over the cash or just deal with the shattered window?
The latter option is dangerous for you and your family. With a few tools, you can learn how to fix broken glass yourself and save your wallet.
We can walk you through the process. Keep reading to find out more.
Get Rid of the Broken Glass
The first step you’ve got to do is get that cracked glass out of the window frame. You can do this using a putty knife. Use it to pick away at the glazing compound and loosen the glass.
A screwdriver will help with the fasteners that hold the glass into the frame. When you’re done, sand down the wood and go over it with a sealer.
Buy a New Sheet of Glass
After the sealer dries, grab a tape measurer, and get the measurements of your window frame. Use the numbers to order a new sheet of glass.
We recommend going slightly under the measurement. That will leave plenty of room to account for the material expanding and contracting as the seasons change.
A hardware store will be able to cut a sheet of glass that will meet your specifications. If you don’t want to spend the money and you have some spare glass laying around, you can cut it yourself.
Mount the Glass Into the Frame
The glazing compound comes in long strips that you’ll need to place around the perimeter of the window frame. You can grab your putty knife again to press the compound into the bedding of the wood.
At the bottom of the frame, you’ll put two glazing points. You may need to apply some force with your putty knife to get them to stay in place. You’ll put a few more glazing points on the sides, giving you eight in total.
When you put the glass in, some of the glazing compound might seep out. You can scrape it away using your putty knife.
Glaze Your New Window
The last step is glazing your new window. You’ll take a few more strips of the glazing compound and put it where the glass meets the frame.
Press it down with your fingers and smooth it out with the putty knife. If the job comes out a little rough or you don’t have the confidence to pull off window glass repair on your own, you can look for a glass shop near me.
How to Fix Broken Glass in a Window
Learning how to fix broken glass in a window can save you a lot of money on repairs. As you’ll most likely find out, doing the job is a little easier said than done.
The first time you attempt a repair, it might come out a little rough, but you’ll get the hang of it. For more tips that will help you make little fixes around your home, visit the Lifestyle section of our blog.
