Repairing Glazing Old Windows

Sand primed surfaces if needed.

Repairing glazing old windows.

If the old glass is in good shape leave it in place. This exposes the metal glazier s points. A primer is not needed. Remove the glass and label it so you know which opening to put it back into.

If you are glazing your windows in a garage or shop use sarco type m putty. Scrape the putty away with a putty knife. Repair a wood window in 12 steps. Put on heavy gloves and eye protection place a cloth over the broken pane and tap it with a hammer.

The glass should be cleaned so that all of the putty oils are removed. Strip the old glazing and paint as required to remove the old glazing points small pieces of metal placed every six inches or so in the frame to hold the glass firmly to the sash. Sand wood surfaces if needed. Once the old glazing is removed as well as the glass scrape the mullions with the triangular scraper to remove any glazing or old paint.

The points are covered by glazing compound. Sand and scrape to reach the original wood. If the glazing is still in place and looks good for part of the window it can stay but it s best to completely remove any glazing that looks chipped or loose because it can prevent the new glazing from adhering as it should. Soften old hardened putty glazing compound with a heat gun set to medium and fitted with a nozzle shield.

If the bottom edge of the lower sash s. Sarco glazing putty this is the only brand of glazing putty i recommend. This step may not be needed if all wood surfaces are perfectly sound. Pry them out of the wood.

Paint the exposed wood with either a primer or use an epoxy consolidant. If you used the epoxy consolidant to coat your window sand it to remove the gloss and then paint with a good acrylic. The epoxy will soak into the wood and make it harder than original as well as waterproof. The sharp tip of a paint scraper can be used to carefully remove the points without damaging the glass.

It is important that in painting the glazing the paint flows onto a small part of the glass to make a weather tight seal. If your windows will be glazed outside and exposed to the elements prior to painting use sarco dual glaze. Pull out the old glazing points with pliers. With the glass thoroughly broken up pull the shards out of the frame by hand.