astragal plastic bars

[mewsmuse]

My UPVC windows have fitted plastic astragal bars. These are popping away from the glass despite clips at the side and double sided sticky tape. Can I glue them to the glass and if so what glue would do it. Someone has suggested MitreFix. Would that work? HELP!

 

[crank39]

Mitrefix is just good ol super glue with an activator, i wouldn't bother as you'll only get it dripping down your windows before you position the bar or get it wrong and its stuck. I would suggest cleaning all the double sided taped residue off and use clear silicone, just a small bead about the size of a worm and sqidge it back, you'll have loads of time to adjust it too.

Incidentally, why are they coming off, are they cut too long and always under pressure?

 

[mewsmuse]

I think they may be cut too long so will shorten them with a mini hack saw and try the silicone.

 

[crank39]

Silicone will hold it no probs, just make sure the glass and plastic bar are dry as silicone won't stick to anything if wet. Trouble with tape is if it gets quite warm and you have gravity acting against you as well then the glue just goes soft and things just fall off, much better with silicone.

 

[mewsmuse]

I'll give it a try and hope it solves the problem. From what you say you seem to have come across this very problem yourself so the solution is tried and tested. Many thanks.

 

[crank39]

Yes, as a service engineer for some time now it is a problem you see pretty often, easy fix though

 

[mewsmuse]

I'm not used to failure. Went off to Omnico and bought a silicone specially made to stick plastic to glass. It didn't. The air was blue. Tried masking tape to hold it in place until it cured, but that didn't help either. Do I have to stand there pressing it against the glass for 7 hours!!! The silicone is by Siroflax called LMN clear, trade strength. I guess I'm not cut out to be a service engineer. PS no tension on bars now as they are trimmed to fit but no succes sticking bars back to glass.

 

[crank39]

Blimey, i've stuck plasterboard to a catnic lintel before with silicone, not sure why yours won't stick a plastic bar to glass, with masking tape to boot too

 

[woodgnome]

Im no expert on silicone,but it seems[from previous posts]that there are fast and slow curing types.....maybe the stuff you used was the slow type????.

 

[mewsmuse]

This silicone was recommended for sticking plastic to glass and says cure time is 5 mins. The plastic bars have a thin black rubber strip on each side which stands prouder than the plastic which may be the prob, but I don't want to remove it. Taken all bars down again and will now really clean the window before trying again. I'm not a quitter and determined to get this to happen.

 

[crank39]

Ah right you have co-extruded bars, use a thicker bead of silicone then but not so much that it sqidges out past the rubber, also the rubber will have a tendancy to push the bar away from the glass which is probably what your problem is hence the reason they used double sided tape, try a high tack tape like duct tape/tank tape, do not use the brown parcel tape as half the tape will stay on the bead when you go to remove it and believe me its a nightmare to get off

 

[mewsmuse]

Thanks to both of you who replied to this problem. Finally cracked it. Thicker silicone didn't work as even with duct tape it slipped and popped off. Finally ended up cutting a small piece of double sided extra strength sticky tape which I applied to the glass over the metal strip between the DG (so invisible), applied the glue bit of mitrefix adhesive to this and sprayed the plastic bar with the activator, and pushed together for 10 secs. DONE! Hopefully forever!!!

 

[Edam]

Thanks to both of you who replied to this problem. Finally cracked it. Thicker silicone didn't work as even with duct tape it slipped and popped off. Finally ended up cutting a small piece of double sided extra strength sticky tape which I applied to the glass over the metal strip between the DG (so invisible), applied the glue bit of mitrefix adhesive to this and sprayed the plastic bar with the activator, and pushed together for 10 secs. DONE! Hopefully forever!!!

Hi I've got the same problem on a Crittall Window. One internal astragal is off on one side.

I don't quite get your solution so I need words of one syllable and instructions a 3 year old could follow. So I have:
Clean window and residue glue
Apply double sided extra strength sticky tape to the window where the bar is to sit (how long? as long as the bar?)
Apply mitrefix adhesive to the length of tape?
What is the activator? does it come with the mitrefix?
You spray the back edge with this and stick it to the gluey tape?

Thanks in advance
Women!

 

[mewsmuse]

The solution I thought had solved the problem was not long lasting. Super strong double sided sticky failed to hold even with mitre fix applied. I am going to try super glue as have had success with that when all else has failed, even used it to re-fit a car bumper where the clips had broken and the Body Shop quoted £350 for new clips and fitting!!!

 

[Edam]

Thanks for the update, saved getting myself into a mess

There must be an easy solution somewhere. What do the window fitter use?