One thing that I loved about my house when we bought it three years ago was the greenhouse in the yard. I knew that it needed a lot of work, but knew that I would eventually get around to making the repairs and would have a wonderful greenhouse to spend my free time in. I had to do some research to find out about replacing the glass panels that had been broken over the years. I wanted to be sure that the glass I was installing wasn't going to stop the sun's nutrients from reaching the plants and that the glass would be durable and last for many years. If you are building or repairing a greenhouse, visit through my blog to learn all about the glass that should be used.
glass needed for constructing or repairing a greenhouse
How To Replace A Broken Glass Pane In Your Patio Door
Vicente Morales
If you have a patio door that has recently become cracked, you will want to replace the pane rather quickly to avoid having the glass shatter. Many people will have a professional glass replacement service come to their home to make this repair. If you are handy with tools, however, you may be able to swap out the old pane for a new one on your own. Here are some instructions for you to use as a guideline.
Materials You Will Need
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Safety goggles
- Clean blanket
- Putty knife
- Hammer
- Pry bar
- Measuring tape
- New glass pane
- Clear silicone caulk
Removing The Cracked Pane
Take the patio door off of the hinges and bring it to an area where you have space to move around without restriction, such as in your backyard or in your driveway. Place a clean blanket on the ground and set the door upon it horizontally. Put on safety goggles and a pair of heavy-duty gloves when removing the glass pane.
With the help of a putty knife and a hammer, wedge the putty knife under the trim around the glass by tapping the handle with a hammer. Use a pry bar to pull off the trim from around the glass. Remove the trim and any nails from the trim. Set the pieces aside for when you put them back over your new glass pane. Remove the glass from the opening and use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove any shards embedded into the sides of the frame.
Putting In The New Glass
Measure the height and width of the opening in your patio door and subtract a quarter-inch from each dimension. This will be the size needed for your new pane of glass. Go to a glass cutting service to have the glass sized for you for placement.
Apply clear silicone glass caulk around the edge of the perimeter of the opening where you removed the broken pane. Set your new glass pane in the opening so the edges of the glass will press up against the silicone glass caulk. Add another layer of caulk on the edges of the glass after it is in place. Place the caulk as close to the edges as possible. This will be covered by the trim you had removed earlier.
Push the trim pieces back into place and nail them to the door using the same holes that were previously used. Allow the silicone to dry according to the package directions before replacing the door on the hinges. If you would rather have a professional do this task for you, contact a business that specializes in patio door repair.
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