Removing a fan light.

Isn't the obvious way to remove the putty or whatever is holding the glass in then remove the glass in one piece?

If you must smash it out, stick parcel tape all over it first and put a dust sheet down to catch it.

I was wondering about using tape. But I'd still rather it couldn't fall some 3 metres or so.

It's the obvious way, but my guess is the glass will break when hacking it out. And since I'll be up a step ladder, would rather not have large chunks of it flying around.

Have you ever tried removing years old putty with a hacking knife? - #it is very hard.

Try scoring the glass with a glass cutter and then as sugessted in another post cover with tape (gasffer tape? before trying to break i9t out. The scoring should give you some control pver the lies of breakage

Malcolm

This can be a great alternative for a house number:

DerbyBorn wrote in news:XnsA781AE1899C1ETrainJPlantntlworldc@81.171.92.222:

Specifically:

Assuming it was originally properly fitted with putty even if you spent all week trying to remove it

the glass would still not come out without breaking.

I think Dave asked the "etched glass" question a couple of months ago

As I said I'm anything but a glazing expert, but this is what I'm expecting.

Any other glass I've replaced before was easily accessible and already broken.

And I've already bought the new glass with number 'etched' in. Think it was sandblasted. It looks very nice.

I'm sure something you just stick on works for some. Here, it would fall off the next day. Or I'd break the glass when fitting it. ;-)

on 26/05/2017, Dave Plowman (News) supposed :

I did the hall side window and stair top window with some patterned frosted film, because they were over looked. I did them 12 months ago, with some film from China and they are fine.

Idea was to avoid having to draw curtains all the time.

Stick it together with plenty of sticky tape when you break it. Brian

In message , Brian Gaff writes

Yes, if I couldn't get it out in one piece, I would cover the outside with parcel tape then 'it it wiv me 'ammer from the inside, with a large dust sheet or (better) plastic tarpaulin outside, to catch the bits.

That does seem the logical way. But was hoping someone had done something similar where they wanted to make sure shards of glass couldn't damage the surrounding area, and would have chapter and verse on how to.

Perhaps I'd have got a better answer on a group called 'UK Politics' or whatever. ;-)

The houses around here are mostly not as grand as yours so the fanlights above the doors are mostly rectangular and unassuming. Over the years I've seen the glass removed in a few ways[1]. FWIW the one that impressed me most was an old bloke who (a) put tape on both sides of the glass, (b) put down drop sheets and then loads of old newspaper on them inside and out, (c) then put a large cardboard box on that, outside the door, (d) donned visor and hard hat and (e) applied punch from inside (with the door shut). But then I subscribe to the "but am I paranoid enough?" school.

Sharp bits of broken glass will evade all cleanup attempts whatever you do, so a second cleanup a day or 2 later is required.

FWIW I'm not seeing much upside in tape.

NT

Fablon is your friend

I like that idea. Better yet, both sides of the glass, then whack it.