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Swap out your broken or cracked window for some brand-new glass

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You're sitting at home enjoying your day, when all of a sudden, you hear a loud crash. The neighbour's baseball cracked one of your window panes! You lot might be worried that you'll demand a whole new window or pay an expert to fix the pane, just don't panic yet. Replacing a window pane is a lot easier than y'all might think. You merely need the right tools and a few hours to take care of it by yourself for a fraction of the cost.

  1. ane

    Lay a drop cloth or canvas nether the window to avoid making a mess. Fixing a window pane tin can be a messy job, and you'll probably get dust, putty, and glass everywhere. Catch all of this debris past setting up a drop cloth earlier you start working to protect your floors.[1]

    • You might want to put a drib cloth on the other side of the window as well, just to exist condom.

  2. 2

    Put on thick gloves and center protection before starting. Whatsoever fourth dimension you're working with drinking glass, in that location's a risk for breaking a slice and hurting yourself. E'er put on a pair of thick gloves to protect your hands, and as well goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes.[ii]

    • If you're wearing goggles, make sure they wrap around your eyes to protect them from all sides.

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  3. three

    Pop off the glazing around the pane with a sharp putty knife. Window panes are held in by a putty chosen glazing, so you'll have to remove this to get the pane out. Use a putty knife—the sharper the better. Find the line separating the coat from the wood at any indicate, and insert the putty pocketknife there. Then push towards the pane to pause the glazing off. Continue working your way around the pane and pop off all the glazing property it in.[3]

    • If the glazing is tough to become off, endeavor heating it up with a hairdryer or rut gun. This can soften the glazing and make removing it easier.[4]
    • You lot could too use a razor or utility knife to go the glazing off.

  4. iv

    Scrape off any remaining glazing or glue along with border of the pane. When y'all intermission off all the large pieces of glazing, there might still be some remnants left over. Scrape your knife around the border of the pane to become rid of any leftovers holding the pane in.[v]

  5. five

    Tape an X on both sides of the pane with duct tape. To become the pane out completely, you lot'll take to break it. Prevent glass from flying everywhere by taping off the window beginning. Brand an Ten beyond each side of the pane with duct record so the glass stays together when you break it.[6]

    • If the pane was already broken, and so you lot might not have to crack it more. If you can get a grip on the pane, and then yous can only pull it out.
    • If you're removing a pane in a loose window sash, the wooden part that holds the panes, then you tin identify it on a workbench, embrace the pane with a rag, and hit information technology with a hammer instead of taping it.[vii]

  6. half-dozen

    Break the pane by tapping it with a hammer or like tool. Apply either a hammer or the handle of a screwdriver and tap the pane until information technology breaks. Tap in a few different spots so the pane breaks all over.[8]

    • You're only trying to crevice the pane. Yous don't have to smack it hard to try and smash it.

  7. seven

    Pop the old pane out of position and remove all the glass. Once the pane is cleaved, information technology should come out hands. Grab it in any spot you can get a grip, and pull it out.[9] Then check forth the sash for whatsoever leftover glass, and pull or scrape information technology out earlier moving on.[10]

    • If there isn't a spot to catch the pane, then attempt going to the other side of the window and pushing it out.
    • Even though y'all taped the drinking glass, some shards might withal break free as you lot remove the pane. Check the flooring and pick up whatsoever loose pieces.
    • Some windows use hooks or other small metal pieces to keep the panes in identify. If you see any of these, pull them out as well.

  8. 8

    Sand the border of the sash. Use coarse sandpaper and sand around the whole rabbet, or the groove where the window sits. Shine everything down to the bare wood.[11]

    • Go along your gloves on while yous're sanding. If you missed any glass pieces, you could go a serious cutting.

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  1. 1

    Get a replacement glass pane with the same dimensions as the old one. Y'all can get replacement glass panes at any hardware store. Measure the length and height of the infinite, and employ those dimensions to purchase a new pane that fits into the sash.[12]

    • Since forest expands, leave a bit of extra room to allow for that. In general, subtracting ane⁄8  in (0.32 cm) from your measurement leaves enough room. So if your sash space is 12 in (30 cm), get a pane that's 11 7/8 in (29.7 cm) for some extra room.
    • If you can't get a pane that fits into the sash, y'all could too get a larger slice of drinking glass and cutting it to fit into position.
    • Hardware stores will also cutting the pane for you if yous bring your measurements in.

  2. 2

    Run caulk around the edge of the sash. Employ your caulk gun and angle it onto the notch section of the sash. Clasp a bead of caulking on all four sides of the sash. This is important to cushion the glass and conditions-seal the window.[xiii]

    • Piece of work quickly after this and so the caulk doesn't dry before you put the glass in.
    • In general, silicone or polymer caulk is recommended for windows. These are flexible enough to expand with the window and brand a atmospheric condition-tight seal. You lot could also apply butyl safe.[14]

  3. 3

    Press the new pane into the caulk. Hold the new pane firmly and line information technology up with the sash. Slide it into the sash from the bottom first, then work your way up until the pane is completely in. Press down gently so the glass adheres to the caulk.[15]

    • Make certain the pane is completely in the sash before letting go of it. If it'southward still loose, information technology could fall out and break.
    • Practice your all-time to line up the pane perfectly the get-go time. Removing it to reset it will make a mess and could break the glass.

  4. four

    Insert a glazer'due south point in the centre of each side to secure the pane. A glazer'due south point is a little metal tab that helps go along the pane in identify. Each 1 has a pointed end and a toothed end. Accommodate each one and so the pointed side points toward the wood. Then employ your putty knife to press information technology into the woods at the centre of the pane. Put one of these on each side of the glass.[16]

    • You tin can get glazer'due south points at hardware stores.
    • If the pane is 12 in (30 cm) or longer on any side, then put points every 4–six in (10–15 cm) instead.

  5. 5

    Knead 4 pieces of putty into 3⁄4  in (1.nine cm) thick strips. Window putty is difficult at offset, so you need to warm it up. Knead it between your easily to warm and soften it upward. Then mold 4 strips that are well-nigh three⁄four  in (i.9 cm) thick.[17]

    • Putty ordinarily comes in pre-made ropes. You can get it from the hardware store.
    • Window putty or glazing too comes in a caulking tube. You lot might notice this easier to piece of work with. If yous use it, utilize information technology the same way you would apply caulk.[18]

  6. 6

    Lay a strip of putty on each side of the pane. Press the putty firmly along the side of the pane and press it into the forest to make a tight seal. Practice this on all 4 sides so the window stays locked in identify.[19]

    • Don't worry most keeping the putty neat. Y'all tin can clean up the edges afterward.

  7. 7

    Smooth out the putty with your knife. Beginning at i of the corners of the window pane. Concur your putty knife at a 45-degree angle with the drinking glass and tilt it to touch the woods on the window sash. So press the blade down with your finger and pull the knife forth that strip of putty to flatten it out. Peel off whatever backlog putty that comes off. Repeat this on all iv sides of the window.[xx]

    • If whatsoever putty gets on the drinking glass, scrape it off with your blade earlier it dries.
    • If you tin run into putty sticking out from either side of the window, then in that location'southward a bit also much. Scrape this off as well and then the window looks dainty and neat.

  8. 8

    Clean up and let the putty dry for 7-10 days. One time all the putty is in place, all that'due south left to do is wait. It takes 7-x days for the putty to cure. In the meantime, clean up the mess and put your tools away while you wait for everything to set up properly.[21]

    • When you're picking upwardly your drop cloth, fold it up carefully and conduct it to a garbage tin can to dump out. Bank check advisedly for any shards of glass that might have fallen out while you were working.

  9. 9

    Paint the window sash if you want to. If you desire some extra decoration or to cover up any nicks you made while fixing the window pane, a few coats of paint will do the chore. Start by covering the putty with an oil-based primer. When that dries, you can utilize a coat or two of paint to give y'all window a fresh new wait.[22]

    • Don't try to paint until the putty is completely dry out.
    • Scrub the window when you're done to become rid of any excess pigment.

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Things Yous'll Need

  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • Putty knife
  • Hammer
  • Duct tape
  • Sheet or driblet cloth
  • Caulk and caulk gun
  • Putty
  • Primer and paint (optional)

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