Glazing question

is this the one with the rotten wooden glazing bars? can you not hack away enough to measure to the edge of the glazing unit, then smear silicone over it waiting the new unit?

Presume you don't have the niceties of 'packers' when not in a uPVC frame? Think mine had about 5mm round each edge.

Providing the opening is still square ie has not sagged over time, 5mm clearance should be fine and allow space for packers. Make it clear to your glazier that you have included a clearance so that he does not also include it.

This is why I asked. Is it more normal to give the actual size of the frame and let the glazier calculate the clearance, or specify the actual size?

This is what I have always done with single glazing. Any other way is open to error/misdunderstanding as instructions are often verbal

Malcolm

Now there's an ambiguous statement.

IME if ordering a sealed unit, they make it exactly the size you order.

Interesting you can't get a uniform answer to a simple question on here. ;-)

ISTM that actually you have, however there are two variations of the question...

If you say you want a sealed unit made to a specific size, they is what they will make. (or at least that has been the case when I have ordered)

If you tell them you want it to fit a specific opening, then they will likely make it small enough to fit that opening with some wiggle room round the edges. (Or they may ask what you actually want...)

It obviously pays to make sure both parties are agreed on which measurements are being used!

Yep. Which is why one would approach the glazier and ask him. If it goes wrong from there it is not the customer's fault. Being stupid is to pretend that one knows it all and instructs the expert on what to do.

Yes, that's certainly my recent experience. I also think that 5mm is too much clearace, mine seemed to have (original units I was replacing) only one or two mm. What's the point of the clearance?

If in a uPVC frame, then to allow drainage, and if it's within an opener you need extra packers to "heel and toe" it so its weight transfers properly to the frame without distorting it.

But it was implied otherwise on here. ;-)

Dunno if you remember my saga of the toughened glass shelves etc I had made. Gave them CAD drawings with all dimensions. And they managed to get two pieces wrong. To be fair they didn't attempt to charge for what was their mistake, but I still had the inconvenience of extra trips to the supplier and the extra time needed to make the replacments.

What would suit me as being the easiest way would be to give them the size of the frame (and that it's wood) and have them calculate the clearance needed.

Part of the reason I asked. I'd pondered if the clearance needed varied between UPVC and wood frames.

Maybe it also varies depending on whether it's a 16/20/24mm etc glazed unit, where you need more clearance to 'swing' it into place?

Don't think so. The frame is just plain wood with planted on beading to hold the panel.

The fact just this one out of many has failed makes me wonder if it was too tight originally?

OK, mine were in wooden frames, seemed to work fine with minimal clearance.

In wooden glazing generally the glass is connected rigidly to the frame, giving the latter rigidity.

NT

This one is made out of 4x2" ;-)