 | Bob Crager of Lewis Street Glass is a 26 year veteran in the glass business. Lewis Street Glass is a leading Wichita Glass company, serving the entire Wichita/Sedgwick County area since 1919. They do anything and everything having to do with glass, both residential and commercial. They also do Auto glass. They are located at 743 South Market, facing Kellogg on the South, and you can reach them by phone at (316) 263-8259. You can email Bob Crager at bcrager@lewisstreetglass.com |
Glass
2005-02-01 09:22:00
How do I repair a broken window?
ANSWER: Put on your leather gloves and protective goggles before you begin the project. From the inside, tape newspaper or cardboard to the window frame to prevent glass from falling inside the home. Now move to the outside. If you're fixing a window on the second floor, you'll need a ladder. Start by removing the larger pieces of broken glass with gloved hands. If Glazier's points were used, yank them out with pliers. Remove all remaining glass with pliers or use a chisel to chip them out (you ARE wearing your goggles, right?). Discard the shards and fragments immediately…blood on the project, especially your own, makes it less fun. Once all the glass is gone, remove the newspaper. Clean and sand the wood sash and coat it with high-quality wood sealant. Back inside, examine the floor for glass that may have fallen past the newspaper and vacuum the area thoroughly, using a nozzle to lift any glass fragments away from baseboards, carpet, etc. If possible, place your trash can next to you to receive glass pieces as you remove them. If you need to transport glass, wrap it in several layers of newspaper and, if necessary, keep it wrapped and break it with a hammer into pieces small enough to fit into your trash receptacle. Make sure you inform family members NOT to shove trash down on top of your discarded glass. Their blood on the project will make you look less like a hero. Have your local glass dealer cut a piece of glass to fit the size of the opening. If you're doing it yourself, here's how: measure the opening and mark your replacement glass to be 1/8 of an inch shorter and narrower than your measurements (for example, if your window opening measures 25" x 25", you should draw out a square measuring 24 7/8" by 24 7/8"). If the replacement piece has good edges, measure from the top and one side to save cutting. A grease pencil or laundry marker will make the most obvious marks. Place the glass on top of a carpet remnant on your workstation or clean garage floor. Dip your glasscutter wheel in kerosene and cut along your lines, using a straightedge as a guide. Make your cuts as deep as possible.Next, slide a small dowel (a round wood broom handle is fine), between your glass and the carpet so it is situated beneath one of your lines. Press both sides down gently until the glass snaps along the edge. Do the same with the other scored edge. From the outside of the window use your putty knife and your fingers to make a ¼ inch thick tube of glazing putty and install it all the way around the opening to make a seat for the new pane.Back inside, position the new pane in place, pushing it gently into the putty. If excess putty oozes around the edges, remove it. Install two Glazier's points for every 4 inches of glass all the way around the frame, pushing them in with a putty knife, screwdriver or trowel.Make another ¼ inch thick tube of putty and apply it all the way around the inside edges, smoothing it as you go. Use the flat edge of your putty knife to create a nice smooth seal line. If the putty sticks, lubricate your knife with linseed oil and go over the area again. Once the putty is dry (about a week), it can be primed and painted with water-resistant paint to match the window frame. More next month…
