Gluing Glass

[maradcliff]

I have an exterior door with a rather large window in it. The glass is 1/4" thick. I just priced new glass and was rather shocked at the price. I was told by the glass shop that I'd be best using plexiglass, but that is even more costly, unless I go to the thin stuff, and that would require modifying the trim around the window. I decided to just replace the door, since it is rather weathered anyhow, and I had to patch the bottom of the frame a few years ago, because it was rotting. Besides, I'd rather have a solid door without a window.

Anyhow, at the moment I cant afford a new door, and just want to patch what I have until next spring or so. The glass is not shattered, it just has a crack across one corner, and that section has settled into the frame, so the crack is open about 1/16".

My options are to either glue the glass, and add some putty or caulk around it, or replace it with 1/4" plywood. I thought I'd first try to glue the glass, which seems to be the easiest and cheapest for now. The main object is to keep out wind and water.

My question is what to use to glue it. It should be clear, so that leaves out JB Weld, which I am sure would work, since it seems to glue anything. The other options I can see are superglue, which is something I have never seen to work on much of anything, or clear silicone caulk, which seems the most likely thing to work.

Before doing anything, I thought I'd see if anyone has any other ideas or suggestions.

Like I said, this is thick glass, and the crack is clean. I just need to remove the wooden strip and lift the piece a little to glue it, then stuff putty around it before replacing the strip.

Thanks for all advice

Mark

[I-zheet M'drurz]

No-brainer: clear silicone adhesive/caulking.

[Les Nessman]

I'd try 5 min or regular (24hr) epoxy...depending how long you can go without the glass on the door. I'm currently using regular epoxy for a mirror/mosaic project and it has no problem sticking glass to glass.

[Rileyesi]

Go to an automotive supply store and get windshield adhesive. That is the stuff they use to hold in car windshields. That might do for a short time fix until you can replace the door.

On a side note, is replacing the door REALLY less expensive than replacing the glass??

Good luck.

[JerryMouse]

Use two or more layers of the thin glass?

[PaPaPeng]

What about increasing the size of the wood trim so that it will cover the crack? 1/4 inch trim should cover the 1/16 crack. Paint to match the rest of the door. Caulk first before adding the trim.

[Ulysses]

I agree with Rileyesi. Use glass glue to glue glass.

I'm not understanding how big your crack is from what you wrote. Someone else suggested adding some additional trim to cover the crack. If that is an option then just some kind of sealant would be all you need.

Aside from that I supposed a good grade of exterior plywood and matching paint would cost more than replacing the glass...

[JohnR]

If replacing the glass is not out of the question, shop around. I was quoted $75 - $175 for a beveled table top replacement. I tried the $75 one. The beveling and edge finish was first rate. Better is not always more costly.

John

[George E. Cawthon]

Actually you should get the stuff that hardens and is used to fill in the windshield cracks and bulls eyes, not the rubbery stuff to stop water leaks.

[ameijers]

Pretty much nothing will glue glass. The shock loads when door is swung closed are suprisingly high. If this is just to get through the winter, use clear plastic tape on both side of the crack. The clear stuff used with the shrink-wrap window kits should work well.

aem sends...

[do_not_spam_me]

Do not use clear silicone sealer or regular epoxy. Epoxy will stick but will give a highly visible repair unless it's a special type made just for glass. However there are one-part glass adhesives, available from glazers and pet shops (used for fixing aquariums, and one was called Aqua-glass.

[Charles Spitzer]

there are plenty of things that will glue glass to glass such that you'd break the glass before the bond let go, like uv cured resins and glues for instance.

[Jim Yanik]

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

An optically clear epoxy.Edmunds Scientific

them,although not low cost. Some are UV cured.

[ameijers]

Oh, I suppose you're correct, but I honestly wasn't thinking about exotics like that, just stuff Joe Public can easily and cheaply buy. By the time you buy the fancy glue and the UV light to zap the joint, may as well have window company replace the pane. OP was looking for a cheap work-around till budget allowed a proper repair. I stand by the tape suggestion- it will be as weatherproof as, and probably as invisible as, any cheap glue solution.

aem sends...

[George E. Cawthon]

The ones used professionally to fill bulls eyes and windshield cracks are UV cured. Makes it really simple to use.

[Norminn]

clipped

If you are replacing the door in the spring, it's not worth a lot of trouble to "repair". I would lay on some clear silicone to fill the crack and let it go at that. Use one of those plastic tools to smoothe the surface, so's you don't slice a finger on the broken edge. If any silicone remains on the glass surface after it dries, it can be shaved off with a razor blade scraper.

We just installed a patterned glass as a backsplash behind our cooktop. It has a seam, which is nearly invisible because of the pattern of the glass. The edges were ground with a very slight bevel and the clear silicone seals it almost invisibly. On your door it would show, but why do a lot of work for such a short time?

There may be a lot of broken glass around here soon - doing the hurricane thing, again. If Hurricane Frances hits Palm Beach, I hope it blows all the touch screen voting machines to Tallahassee :o)

[Jim Yanik]

"ameijers" wrote in news:0TvZc.290776$ [e-mail]:

How often do 'temporary' repairs becomes permanent? ;-)

[Charles Spitzer]

you can get uv glue at home depot, and i use the sun for curing. since that entails removing the glass from the door, i'd say that was a good first step to replacement though.

i'd probably use clear packing tape or silicone instead myself too.