Repair a cracked window, glass tabletop, or even a mirror with this easy step-by-step guide.
Photo: istockphoto.com
A pebble from the lawnmower tossed against a window. A drink set down too heavily on your glass-topped coffee table. A favorite vase tipped over by your curious cat. These and near-endless other scenarios can lead to a crack in glass. Sadly, glass that has broken into pieces or has cracks larger than an inch, as well as double-paned glass with a hole through both panes, is pretty much beyond repair.
12 Hours of smashing glass: sure to subscribe for more sound effects!Glass breaking sound effect.Shattering gla. Glass can crack for any number of reasons. How it cracks and how serious that crack is depends on the type of glass it is. In commercial and residential glass manufacturing, there are two types of glass that are more common than others: Borosilicate and Soda-lime silicate. Glass - broken - white kitchen garbage bag filled - picking up and lifting - particles adjusting and smacking. + more info, 0:14. The glass was then reheated and either mold or hand blown into the shape the glass blower desired. The reheating of the glass sealed the cracks. If you run your hands over CRACKLE GLASS, you can feel the cracks, but the inside is smooth to touch. Glass makers from the 19th Century and even today are still using the same methods.
The good news is you can often fix a small crack in glass yourself with little more than a steady hand and a few basic supplies. You’ll need to fix a crack in glass right away, however, as small ones can grow into larger breaks if exposed to moisture, temperature swings, dirt, or rough treatment.
Before you begin, note:
• The following guide on how to repair a crack in glass will do the job for single-pane-glass household items. This includes tabletops, shower doors, vases, and single-pane windows—as well as double-pane windows with a crack in only one of the panes. It’s not intended for repairing a cracked car windshield, which requires a syringe to inject resin into the crack and a plunger to maintain the vacuum between the windshield’s layers of glass.
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• While you can fix a cracked mirror with this technique, the reflection is bound to show the repair a bit more than on regular glass. You’ll get best results with a minor crack on the sides of a mirror, out of the direct line of vision.
Photo: istockphoto.com
STEP 1: Clean the glass with dish soap.
Wash the glass around the crack with a drop or two of dishwashing soap on a damp cloth. You’ll want to remove any dust, oil, or fingerprints, and then wipe the spot with a clean damp cloth to remove the soap residue. Let the glass dry completely.
STEP 2: Mix up the two-part epoxy.
In a well-ventilated area, prepare a two-part epoxy on a piece of cardboard or a disposable plate. These adhesives (which can found in many craft stores, home improvement centers, or on Amazon.com) have a separate resin and hardener that are mixed together at the time of use.
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Photo: amazon.com via Gorilla Glue
While the mixture is often a 50/50 blend of the resin and the hardener, follow the directions on your specific product. Use a toothpick to mix the epoxy for at least 20 seconds. Once the epoxy is mixed, be ready to use it immediately, as it will quickly thicken and harden. Generally, you’ll have five to ten minutes of working time before the epoxy is too thick to easily seep into the crack.
STEP 3: Apply the epoxy to the crack in the glass using a putty knife.
Press the epoxy over and into the crack with a putty knife. Work the adhesive back and forth across the crack, gently pressing it into the damaged area. Let the epoxy cure for at least five minutes.
STEP 4: Remove excess epoxy with a razor blade and let the rest cure.
Scrape away excess epoxy with a razor blade, and then wipe the area with a clean rag moistened with acetone to further remove epoxy that’s raised above the crack. Let the repaired glass cure for 24 hours.
STEP 5: Spiff up the surface with a glass cleaner.
Polish the glass with a clean rag and glass cleaner, and enjoy your repaired item.
There are different types of glass cracks. When some are accidental, others are spontaneous. You will find four types of glass cracks that more most common. These are impact cracks, stress cracks, edge damage, and spontaneous cracks. The details of the four types are followings.
Types of Glass Cracks
Impact Cracks
The glass is prone to break. However, you do not like your glass to break. It will affect the appearance and safety of your overall home. The breakage pattern will vary depending on the mass and speed of the ball and the thickness and size of the glass. A well-hit hardball thrown on annealed glass can cause circular puncture breakage with deriving outward from the point of impact.
Broken glasses are dangerous. They can cause serious injuries. It is always suggested to take the help of experts to remove the broken glasses. They will tape the shards using duct tape. After doing this, they will carefully remove the entire glass. If you want to do it on your own, then first remove the upper shards and then you can try to remove the lower ones. While doing so, make sure is that your hand is protected with heavy rubber gloves. In addition, protect your eyes, head, and feet.
Stress Cracks
Heat strengthened glass and annealed glass get this type of cracks. It emanates from the edge. It happens to release stress from the glass. Some cases, it can be misleading. When the annealed becomes subjected to the thermal fluctuations and creates more glass than its capabilities, the glass starts to crack to relieve the stress. It happens due to the design failure. However, there can be a real breakage than stress cracks. One can notice the difference from the edge of the glass. If there is a breakage, you will find chips.
Edge Damage
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Edge damage is a type of tempered glass damage. The tempered glass breaks with the purpose of releasing internal compression and tension. Auto Glass America says during this process, it creates a glass breakage pattern. That is known as the cubes. When the glass breaks due to the internal pressure, it makes piles of the little cubes. You should never try to gather those cubes. You should take the professional help to get rid of those cubes.
Spontaneous Breakage
Spontaneous breakage happens in the tempered glass. However, it is rare in the nickel sulfide inclusions. The common type of spontaneous breakage in tempered glass happens in the shower doors. The reason is that these doors are exposed to banging against bumpers and gets heat from your shower. Sometimes, the glass explodes without any prior indication.
These are some key types of glass cracks. All the glasses are different and come with some unique elements. When some glasses cannot withstand harsh conditions, others need space to get relief from compression. All these factors cause glass cracks.