How to Glaze a Window (Single Pane)

Tighten upwardly drafty erstwhile windows with new glazing putty

Every editorial product is independently selected, though nosotros may exist compensated or receive an affiliate commission if yous purchase something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock equally of fourth dimension of publication.

Fourth dimension

A full day

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $xx

Introduction

Single pane windows can last for a hundred years or more if properly maintained. Learn how to preserve your windows and proceed them draft-free by replacing erstwhile glazing putty.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Acrylic caulk
  • Glazing points
  • Glazing putty (oil or latex)
  • Window glass (if necessary)

On older single-pane windows, the glass is unremarkably surrounded by putty called "glazing compound," which holds the glass in place and seals out the conditions. This putty oftentimes lasts decades, merely over the years it becomes rock-hard, cracks and fifty-fifty falls off the window. Loose or missing chemical compound lets current of air and pelting leak in effectually the glass.

Replacing the putty effectually one pane of glass will take 15 minutes to an hr, depending on the size of the pane and the stubbornness of the quondam putty. Supervene upon broken glass while yous're at it. This adds simply a few minutes and a few dollars to the job—much cheaper than calling a drinking glass repair service.

Information technology's possible to supercede drinking glass and putty with the window in identify, merely you'll relieve time and get improve results if you tin remove the window and clamp it down on a flat surface.

If yous accept broken glass, become it out of the manner before you remove the former putty. Put on heavy gloves and heart protection, identify a textile over the broken pane and tap it with a hammer. With the glass thoroughly cleaved up, pull the shards out of the frame by hand. Pull out the old glazing points with pliers. If the quondam glass is in skilful shape, go out it in place. Plus, learn how to wash your windows the fastest way with crystal articulate, streak-gratuitous results.

Project step-by-step (7)

Pace 1

Remove the old window glaze putty

remove window glaze putty

The side by side step is to get rid of the erstwhile putty. If the putty is badly cracked, you tin pry away large chunks chop-chop with a putty pocketknife.

Putty in good condition takes longer to remove. With a heat gun in 1 paw and a potent putty pocketknife in the other, oestrus the putty to soften it and gouge it out. Vesture leather gloves to protect your hands from burns. Keep the heat gun moving to avoid concentrating heat in one spot. Otherwise, the heat will scissure the glass.

If your heat gun doesn't have a heat shield attachment, protect the glass with a flake of canvas metal. When the putty is removed, prime any bare forest inside the window frame. A shellac-based primer such as BIN is a good selection considering information technology dries in minutes.

Step 2

Onetime window panes: Supersede the glass and putty the window

If you need new glass, mensurate the opening, subtract 1/8 in. from your measurements and have the new glass cut to size at a full-service hardware store. Accept a shard of the old glass with you to friction match the thickness.

Too, buy a bundle of glazing points to hold the glass in place while the new chemical compound hardens. Glazing compound is available in oil-based and latex/acrylic versions.

The latex products, which usually come in a tube, have a longer life expectancy and you lot don't have to expect days earlier painting them as you practise with oil-based putty. Only they often begin to dry before you lot tin tool them shine. If swell, smoothen results are important, choose an oil-based putty.

Step iii

Old window panes: Set the glass in identify

Replace the glass and putty the window

For installation of new glass, the directions on glazing chemical compound may tell you to lay a calorie-free bead of the chemical compound inside the frame and and then set the glass over it. That works well with soft latex compound. But if you're using stiffer oil-based compound, lay in a light bead of acrylic latex caulk instead. Set the glass onto the caulk, then wiggle and press downwardly to firmly embed the glass.

Press glazing points into the wood every 8 in. Let the excess caulk that oozes out under the glass harden and piece it off with a utility knife afterward.

Step 4

Old window panes: Spread the compound

spread the compound

Cover the perimeter of the glass with a heavy layer of compound. Be sure to completely fill in the recess; don't leave any gaps or hollow spots.

Step 5

One-time window panes: Polish the compound

smooth the compound

To consummate the chore, smooth out the new glazing chemical compound. Dip a putty knife in mineral spirits to lubricate information technology and smoothen out the chemical compound. Wet the knife once more and run over the chemical compound as many times as information technology takes to create a smooth surface.

Oil-based putty is easier to work with when it'southward warm. To heat it, ready the can in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Remember that oil-based putty remains soft for days, so be careful not to bear upon it after smoothing. You'll accept to wait several days earlier y'all tin can prime and paint oil-based putty; check the characterization.

Footstep half dozen

Quondam window panes: Make clean the backlog

Clean the excess putty

Drag the ridge of excess compound abroad from the finished joint and scrape it up. Be conscientious not to bear upon the smoothed surface.

Step 7

An alternative to putty: Mitered moldings

Mitered Window Moldings

Applying a shine, perfect bead of window glazing compound is fussy, time-consuming work. So when good looks matter, consider wood moldings rather than putty to hold the drinking glass in place (i/4-in. quarter round works for nigh windows).

Set the glass in place over a light dewdrop of latex caulk. There's no need for glazing points. To nail the moldings in place, you can carefully drive in tiny brads with a hammer or advisedly shoot in brads with a pneumatic brad nailer.

But the safest method is to utilise a brad pusher. A brad pusher is simply a metal tube with a sliding piston inside. Drop a brad in the tube, push hard on the handle, and the piston pushes the brad neatly into the forest—with trivial danger of breaking the glass. Near hardware stores and home centers don't carry brad pushers, simply you can find them at woodworker supply stores or online.

Get a brad pusher on Amazon.

Originally Published: August 27, 2019