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A need to change a window glass appears not really often. This specific skill might be requested if you experience a glass move in the frame or its damage. You must be very careful and follow all safety precautions while performing window replacement work, since any carelessness may lead to dangerous cuts. Moreover, glass is a very fragile material, so you are to be very attentive not to crack it.
For safety reasons, please, wear thick gloves, and cover your window sill and floor with, for example, a cardboard layer. They will protect the surfaces from possible scratches.
For wooden frames before the start, be ready to have with you:
- new glass sheet
- glass cutter
- small hammer and nails
- sealant
- putty knife
- scotch and tape measure
- rags for cleaning
The following steps complete the change project.
Old glass removal
If the glass is broken, you must first remove all the pieces, and fix the remaining ones with tape in the frame. Then remove glazing beads and nails. You might want to use the glazing beads the second time, so do all the work carefully in order not to damage them. Please, take away the remains of the old sealant and clean all the dust and debris.
How to perform correct dimensions taking and cutting process
Here you may consider the best two options: either prepare a regular cardboard template of the piece of glass you need or use a measurement tape to apply the needed dimensions directly on a canvas. A template must be on few millimeters less from each side than the frame size. Then you will need to transfer these dimensions to a new sheet. Naturally, a horizontal surface is needed to cut the glass sheet. You may cover it with any soft material for your convenience.
There are a few types of glass cutters you can use:
- Roller: the easiest, inexpensive, and therefore popular. The roller is manufactured from hard alloy to leave a mark on the glazing part, once moved on.
- Diamond is mainly used by professionals. This material is positioned on the top of the device to leave a scratch on the glass. This is the handiest type.
Finally, make sure that you are feeling good, your hands do not tremble, and are able to draw a line with the cutter through the whole glass sheet with slight pressure on it. The most important in here is to do the whole procedure at one line, neither tear it nor do the second above. Otherwise, you can ruin everything.
The pieces won’t separate themselves, you need to break them apart. For this, take the whole sheet to the edge of the table, and with a gentle but strong move push on the piece, you want to separate. The better you do this, the fewer problems you will have with fixing the defects.
New glass installation
Avoid any empties and holes between the glazing unit and its frame. Apply the sealant on the frame before installing new glass in it. This will also allow the glass to expand once heated and to keep construction tight. The sheet is fixed by glazing beads with the frame.
As we see, it is not a big deal to glaze single-pane windows. The main steps to remember are:
- follow safety precautions
- treat fragile material correctly
- take right dimensions
- be careful and precise in the cutting process
It is absolutely a different procedure to reglaze double-glazed windows. It is obvious that you will need to replace the glazing unit in full since it consists of two pieces of glass and a chamber in between, usually filled in with special gas for sound isolation and heat insulation reasons.
You need to dismantle an old unit first. For this use a putty knife, and gently place it under the glazing bead and try to move it slightly. You will hear a specific click once done. Remove the side beads first, then the lower one and the last – the upper one. Take dimensions and order double glazing service at an experienced company – Apex Window Werks. Once the unit is ready, our technicians will deliver it to your residence and do installation work for you. For safety reasons, it is recommended to perform installation works at least with one assistant.
To summarize, it is really nice to be a handyman, be able to help yourself and be aware of all the processes. However, it is much better sometimes to trust the work with fragile materials to professionals. Call Apex Window Werks now and order the service you need. Be sure to receive the best service in the least time and at an affordable cost.
