Tips for removing window beadings

[Kal Ico]

Hi all, I have some (fairly modern/recent) wooden windows that are in good condition, except the double-glazed units need replacing. Easy enough job on plastic, but with wood not so much.

They are not the old sliding sash type, but more modern casement windows. One option is to replace the entire frame with uPVC, but that's overkill and expensive.

Any tips for how to remove the beadings so I can just insert new glass? My first thoughts are that the beads will likely be nailed in, so using something like a multi-tool might be the best way to go, so as to cut through the nails. Also any thoughts on what to put them back with, so as to seal it all?

Looking forward to your wisdom.

[nothanks]

They're almost certainly only held with a few pins and silicone, or putty. I'd use a sharp chisel to split the beading, then you should be able to pry it up. You're probably going to catch a nail so don't use your best Lie-Nielsen chisels!

[Andrew]

If they are drybedded then the glazing units should be stuck to the frame with double sided butyl tape and the beading shiould be stuck to the glass with the same stuff and then fixed to the frame with some ?stainless steel pins. So you might be able to locate them by carfully scraping the paint off the beads, otherwise just carefully drive a flat end scraper or chisel into the joint between bead and frame at the midpoint.

The bottom bead should (may?) be a special moulding that also works as a drip rail. The order of removal may be important if you want to get them off (sort of) undamaged

Dry-bedded DG units in timber frames will also have spacers and supports made of some sort of tough fibre material to maintain a drip gap all around the unit inside the reveal.

[Kal Ico]

Thank you both for your replies - they are helpful.

I've acquired a multi-tool that I can use if necessary, but it sounds from what you say that I may not need it. I'll just go easy and hope that I can reassemble by reversing the process. Is this double-sided butyl tape the best for putting in the new glass or should I use something like silicon for water-tightness? TIA.

[Andrew]

The Jeld-wen (Boulton Paul) catalogue used to list kits of this stuff for dry-glazing timber windows that were double glazed but i haven't noticed it for quite a few years now.

Not sure where you might obtain it now. Local glazing firm is your first port of call (if you have one) else Google.