How to Replace a Broken Window Pane in a Wood Framed Window!
Carefully remove all pieces of the broken window glass; a good quality leather glove is your best bet here. Pull out the remaining glazing points and carefully remove any glazing left on the window frame.
Once all traces of the old window glass is removed, take a wire brush to the frame and clean it thoroughly. It really is not a good idea to get the raw wood wet, try and refrain from washing until you’re finished replacing the window pane.
Buy replacement glass 1/8th of an inch smaller than the hole, wood expands and contracts and it is possible for the window to break if no expansion room is allowed. Glass is still fairly cheap but the time to constantly replace the glass is not.
Once your replacement window pane is in hand, make sure it fits but is not binding in the frame. Glazing points are used to hold the glass in place and glazing putty is used to seal the outdoors from the indoors! Be sure the pane will move both up and down and side to side without falling through.
For setting the glazing points, use a small hammer and a small putty knife. With the glass in place, press a glazing point up against the glass, point down, and the protruding edge of the top side out. Slide the point down till it contacts the wood, using the putty knife push the glazing point in if you can, it will become necessary to tap it with the hammer to finish setting it in all but the softest wood. Be sure the glazing point is driven far enough in to not be seen from inside when finished, the putty should hide them all.
Be very careful here! Hitting the glass with a hammer is a bad idea. That’s why the putty knife is here, it has a wide handle, just tap it!
If you have little control with a hammer this last step should be left to another person or professional.
Set the points on all sides about three to four inches apart for smaller windows and up to six inches on larger panes. Very large window panes should be left to the window replacement specialists; they do break and are expensive.
Once the window pane is held in place by the glazing points; you may begin applying glazing putty with a small one and a half inch putty knife. Press it into the glass and frame for a tight seal. Once the glazing putty is applied to the entire frame, slide the knife sideways along the putty line using slight pressure to even out the putty and smooth the surface of markings.
It will take a little creative work on the corners to keep them looking square but it’s not that difficult. Be sure the putty is only as deep as the frame that holds the glass in place or it will show from the inside when finished.
Once the putty has dried a few days you may paint it or clean the window glass, just remember good glazing putty will be fairly soft for some time.
That is all there is to it! Enjoy the cool fall air when you’re outdoors, but keep it outdoors with decent glass window panes. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the view!
