Replacing a pane of glass in a wooden window frame may seem like a daunting task but in actual fact doing so is neither time-consuming nor difficult. Before attempting this task however it is important to purchase the right safety gear and make sure to use it. This includes some heavy duty workman’s gloves to avoid cuts from the glass and some safety goggles.
Removing the Broken Glass
First, it is necessary to remove all trace of the broken glass from the window frame. Do this carefully to avoid injury and deposit the glass in a safe container. After the larger pieces of glass have been removed there will still be residual dried glazing compound around the edge of the window frame. This will also have to be removed.
Dried glazing compound can be tricky to remove. First, attempt to do so with a small putty knife. If this is not up to the job then a small chisel may be needed. Sometimes heating this compound can work to soften and loosen it enough to remove it easily. Either try heating it with a hairdryer or with a heat gun. Alternatively it is possible to soften the glazing agent with linseed oil, allowing it to soak for about an hour.
After all of the compound has been chipped away then the metal points will need to be removed. These serve the purpose of keeping the glass within the window frame. Pry these out and then remove any excess putty or paint and brush the wooden frame down. Paint any bare wood with a primer at this point.
Buying and Setting a New Glass Pane
It is very important at this stage to get the measurements of the glass pane correct. Measure both the width and the height of the opening very carefully and accurately and then subtract one eighth of an inch from each measurement. Decide how thick the glass needs to be too.
After the primer has dried on the wood, press a small amount of glazing compound around the edge of the window frame. This needs to be around a quarter of an inch thick. After doing this it is time to press the replacement glass into the frame, focussing carefully on the edges and making the glass straight.
The glass can now be secured using glazing points. These are small, triangular pieces of metal that serve to hold the glass in place without damaging it. These can be pressed into the wood with a putty knife. They should be spaced about every six inches.
The, apply another layer of putty around the edges of the glass, over the glazing points. Smooth the putty out using the knife held at an angle. The glazing compound will need at least a week to dry properly before it can be painted to match the rest of the windows and the frame.
This is all there is to replacing a pane of glass when one has been broken. This job is easy and does not require an expert.
This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Stormclad who supply and fit UPVC windows. Click here to find out more.