Replace A Broken Window Pane In Your Home's French Door
A broken glass pane in your home's french door can diminish the appearance of your home's exterior and cause its interior to be drafty. Learn how to remove the shards of glass that remain in the window's frame and install a new window pane with the following steps.
Materials
- work gloves
- plastic sheeting
- small hammer
- trash bag
- putty knife
- cup
- soapy water
- sponge
- lint-free cloth
- ruler
- glass pane
- glazing putty
Remove The Pieces Of Glass
Lay a piece of plastic sheeting outside, on the ground, directly in front of the door. Go indoors and close and secure the door. Put on a pair of work gloves so that your hands aren't accidentally injured by the glass pieces as you are removing them. Pull loose pieces of glass out of the frame.
Use a small hammer to remove any pieces that can not be pulled out by hand. Tap the hammer firmly against each section. The glass shards will fall onto the plastic sheeting. Place the pieces of glass that you removed by hand on the sheeting, as well. Fold the edges of the sheeting around the glass pieces so that they are contained before placing them in a trash bag.
Remove The Points And Putty And Clean The Frame
Use the end of a putty knife to loosen and remove the glazing points that surround the window frame. Glazing points provide support that assist with holding the glass in place. They are small metal pieces and should be spaced out evenly around the frame. Place the points in a cup so that they are not lost as you are preparing the frame for the new piece of glass.
Use a putty knife to scrape away old glazing putty that remains in the frame. Clean the frame's interior with soapy water and a sponge when you are finished. Rinse the sponge out and wipe the frame's interior with plain water. Dry the frame with a lint-free cloth.
Install The New Pane
Use a ruler to measure the length and width of the frame. Purchase a piece of replacement glass that is the same size. Ask a friend or family member to assist you while you install the new glass. Line the new pane up so that its edges rest inside of the frame's interior. Have the other person hold the glass steady. Place a small amount of glazing putty in your hands and mold it into a long strip. Press the putty against one edge of the glass and push it into the frame's interior with a putty knife.
Mold additional pieces of putty in the same manner so that you have one for each side of the glass. Insert the glazing points in the spots where they were previously located. Wedge them into the frame by pushing against them with the edge of a putty knife. Wait for the putty to dry before opening the door. This may take a few hours. After this occurs, your door will be restored to its original condition.
If you don't want to replace your window yourself, contact a window replacement service, like Distinctive Siding & Window.