Replacing a Broken Window Pane
Do-It-Yourself Techniques for a Simple Home Exterior Repair
Jan 19, 2009
Learn how to replace a broken window pane with a few basic tools and materials.
If you have a broken pane of glass anywhere in your house, you can repair it yourself. You have to follow a few important steps, but the process is fairly straightforward. After making the repair, allow the glazing compound to dry before painting or making additional repairs.
TECHNIQUE
Replacing a Broken Window Pane
Materials:
- Chisel
- Piece of cardboard or dustpan
- Bricklayer's spatula
- Newspaper
- Brush
- Piece of glass, cut to the size of the pane
- Glazier's points
- Glazing compound
- Putty knife
Directions:
- Use a sharp chisel to remove the old putty from around the edges of the broken pane of glass. Hold a stiff piece of cardboard or a rigid dustpan underneath the pane while scraping off the putty. The cardboard or dustpan will collect all the broken putty, making it easier to discard into the garbage.
- Remove the old glazier's points holding the pane of glass in place. Use a bricklayer's spatula to pull out the glazier's points.
- Tape a piece of newspaper to the back of the window to keep the broken pane of glass from falling backward when removing it from the window. Carefully remove the broken pane of glass from the window and discard it.
- Using the chisel, clean up the edges of the frame to remove any excess putty. With a brush, clean the entire opening of the frame to remove any debris.
- Insert the new pane of glass into the window. To ensure that the piece of glass stays in place in the window, it's important to use glazier's points. To push the glazier's points into a wooden window frame, use the pointed end of the chisel to insert the glazier's points into the frame of the window. Place one glazier's point at the bottom of the pane of glass, pushing it down only as far as the frame of the window itself. It doesn't need to go down too far, since the glazing compound will be applied on top, covering the point. Place another glazier's point at the top of the glass. Depending on the size of the pane, insert several points along the sides of the glass.
- Use a putty knife to remove a small amount of glazing compound from its container. Roll the compound into a long, thin cylinder in between the palms of your hands. Apply the compound to the sides of the pane of glass, pressing it with your fingertips into the edges of the window frame. Draw the putty knife at a 45-degree angle down the length of the compound, discarding the excess compound. Allow the compound to dry completely.
The copyright of the article Replacing a Broken Window Pane in Home Exteriors is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Replacing a Broken Window Pane in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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