Can I replace d/g panels?

[Roger465]

My house has 30-year-old mahogany-framed double glazing. I've had quite a bit of it replaced with modern UPVC stuff, but the bathroom is a problem.

Whereas a lot of the other frames were starting to rot in places, so had to go, the bathroom is on the sheltered side of the house, and the frame is absolutely sound. However, one panel (top right) is blown, and another (bottom right) is on the way.

So... I'd like to replace the glass panels, but local d/g contractors either aren't interested in doing it, or want to charge more than it would cost to replace the whole window.

I don't want to replace the whole thing, because of the tiling around the inside, which would be destroyed, and of course you can't get them any more

Is it an easy job to replace the glass panels? I'm thinking you just have to carefully prised the wooden battens off, get the panels out, clean up the silicone, and stick some new ones in??

And is it easy to obtain the panels?

Thanks as ever

 

[denso13]

Is it an easy job to replace the glass panels? I'm thinking you just have to carefully prised the wooden battens off, get the panels out, clean up the silicone, and stick some new ones in??

Fairly simple, yes remove beads, then glass, clean out the opening and fit new unit.

You'll need width, height and overall thickness of the existing one to order one from a local glass merchant/glazier. Also, you'll need the same pattern, a decent supplier can keep you right on that.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I daresay you will find someone locally who specialises in window repairs and replacing DG units rather than any of the supplier/fitters.

 

[Diver Fred]

I believe there is a national company called 'Cloudy to Clear' who repair these types of windows.

 

[crank39]

Cloudy 2 clear replace units in timber, not many will now because of the lack of water drainage meaning units in timber tend not to last. Autumn leaf is your pattern

 

[mrrusty]

yes you can, but it's a fiddle and the window is likely to have been glazed with something that is rock solid.

Use a multitool with a metal blade between bead and frame to get the beads out by cutting the pins. Break the glass out and remove all remnants of glass and spacer. Get a bearing cutter for a router so the bearing runs on where the beads were and the cutter cleans out the rock hard putty or whatever. You need a cutter about equal to the thickness of the DGU. You can clean the rebate out by hand, but in my experience the glazing compound is often so hard it's almost impossible to do cleanly.

Messy with a router, but you get a nice clean rebate for the new DGU. It will blunt the cutter. On that window you may struggle to get a router in - I have an old small one that I have used for this.

or just buy a new uPVC window.......

 

[crank39]

And all that faff is why most repair companies shy away from replacement glazing into timber, rough cost for each unit is about £120 but that assuming they're going into pvc, there would be extra labour costs involved in removing dgu's without damage and cleaning out rock hard linseed putty would bump the price up so much that it makes it cost prohibitive but if you can do it DIY at your own leisure then its doable

 

[Notch7]

Is it an easy job to replace the glass panels? I'm thinking you just have to carefully prised the wooden battens off, get the panels out, clean up the silicone, and stick some new ones in??

Yes that’s pretty much it

The problem is getting the first bead out without snapping it.

If the glass was fitted with silicone, it’s not too painful getting it out and cleaning up, if was fitted with butyl strip then that’s a horrible job.

Before refitting, it’s worth putting some of the window stain / varnish in the rebate if there’s any bare wood, also on the backs of the beads and mitres.


When you deglaze, you need to make sure the glass has a decent gap under it, at least 5mm….which you should have on all sides

When doing the silicon, you don’t fill the 5mm gap, you just put silicon “on the surface of the gap”, ie you leave an air gap behind.

On the bottom bead make sure you get plenty of silicone between where the back of the glazing bead touches the glass - that’s where all the water will get in.

If the window sash has drainage holes in the bottom, make they are free and maybe drill them out a tad bigger

 

[Roger465]

Well... decided it might be better to let the professionals have a go at it, so I called Cloudy to Clear - but, as with everything else, the bottom line is "Excludes NI".

Will see if there's a local man...

 

[denso13]

Will see if there's a local man...

Easily a diy job if you are stuck and up for it.

 

[Roger465]

Easily a diy job if you are stuck and up for it.

Thanks... but the more people posted, the more complicated it seemed! Things about routers etc, and:

When you deglaze, you need to make sure the glass has a decent gap under it, at least 5mm….which you should have on all sides

When doing the silicon, you don’t fill the 5mm gap, you just put silicon “on the surface of the gap”, ie you leave an air gap behind.

On the bottom bead make sure you get plenty of silicone between where the back of the glazing bead touches the glass - that’s where all the water will get in.

If the window sash has drainage holes in the bottom, make they are free and maybe drill them out a tad bigger

I don't even understand what some of that means

I kind of think somebody with experience will understand exactly what to do, but to me it's all ελληνικά (Greek)...

 

[Roger465]

And then the other thing will be sourcing the panels - I expect that "excludes NI" too...

 

[denso13]

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[mrrusty]

Things about routers etc

The router isn't essential, but when I've done windows like yours they have been glazed with butyl putty that sets like stone and sticks to the frame like s***. Trying to chisel it out is a PITA and a router with a bearing cutter helps the job along. You might be lucky - they might have been glazed using silicon and your old DGU might just slip out the frame, in which case the job is easy.

Take out the beads by cutting the pins if you can with a multitool (if you haven't got one they are an incredibly handy DIY tool so worth the investment), and measure the old unit. Clean out the rebate, order a replacement, pop it in, refix the beads. It *might* be a very easy job, but if the putty has set like stone......

 

[ronniecabers]

This is simpler than you think providing that putty is not rock solid and the beads are in good condition. We do this all the time in wooden frames.. you shouldn't need to cut the pins , should be able to ' pry ' the beads out with a stiff scraper , same as pvc. You'll need to wedge the glass out from inside, chances are it'll break so make sure you have the new unit before doing it. I've seen jobs where the ' back putty ' has not been disturbed and left in and the new glazing fitted over it , using either butyl flexistrip ( affectionately called puttybon a roll ) or just silicone. .make sure the silicone fills the entire gap in the rebate ( between glass and edge of frame ) , and also make sure you use a Low Modulus Neutral ( LMN ) silicone , as others melt the sealed unit sealant. Pin beads back in ... nice and tight... and ' cap' off glass tonbead with an appropriate coloured silicone ( a lot use clear )