Broken window?

Instead of paying to have it replaced professionally, this is a job that can be completed with a bit of time, attention to detail and a little effort.

 

Removal and preparation

 

 

Take care when removing glass; always wear gloves and dispose of the old glass carefully and safely.

 

1. Remove the old glass, if the glass is shattered, you should be able to carefully pull the broken pieces out, remember to wear gloves. If the glass is cracked, you can either (carefully) shatter it or proceed as above; alternatively you may remove the old putty from around the frame and ease the broken glass out.

 

2. Once the glass is removed, use a small chisel, Stanley knife or putty knife to clean away any remaining putty from the frame. Remove small pieces of putty at a time, attempting to remove it in large chunks can cause the wood to splinter. For very hard or stubborn putty, you can use a heat gun to soften it.

 

3. Remove all glazier’s points. These are small metal pieces (usually triangular) used to hold the glass in place.

 

4. Take the time to remove all of the old putty as this will make replacing the glass much easier.

 

5. Once the putty and glazier’s points have been removed, sand down any rough parts. Take a small paintbrush and paint the wood with linseed oil; this will prevent the new putty from drying out quickly and thus it will last longer.

 

Fitting the new glass

 

1. Make a very thin layer of putty around the window frame. This provides a bolster for the glass and stops it sitting against the frame.

 

2. Carefully, place the glass into the window frame. The replacement glass must be cut to an exact fit. The glass should be just very slightly smaller than the window area.

 

3. Press it down firmly

 

4. Holding the glass in place, insert a glaziers point on each side (to secure) before inserting further points every 4-5 inches, all the way around the window. With the glazier’s point against the glass, carefully drive it into the frame using a glazing tool (or similar). Repeat for each point.

 

5. Knead your putty to ensure there are no lumps. Once the putty is smooth and pliable, roll into pencil thick strips. Take each strip and staring at one corner of the window, lay the strips all the way around.

 

6. Using a putty knife, glazing tool or scrapper, press the putty strips against the frame and smooth them down, effectively make a triangular shape. The putty should cover the tops of the glazier’s points. Dipping your knife or scrapper in linseed oil makes this slightly easier and produces a smoother finish.

 

7. Continue to smooth the putty until you are satisfied with the finish. Once dry, any rough points can be sanded with fine grade sand paper.

 

Once the glass has been fitted and the putty has dried, you are then ready to paint or varnish the frame.