Replacing old brittle window glazing

Handy Person from Hawthorne

Apr 10, 2013 6:43 am

Hi....I got my friend Jill to buy the replacement snap-in vinyl glazing you recommended to me...it's here. Thanks. :-)

Now, the tough part: I cannot remove the windows I need to reglaze from their frames and, well, I can live with that--what's killing me is the old brittle glazing that I'm trying to replace: it's breaking and NOT coming out easily--took me 40 minutes to pull 23-1/2" (which is how I found out the glazing you recommended DOES fit. Yay)

Do you have any tips on how to get the old @!&%?+* crap out?
Thanks

Lori

6 Replies

Tom from SWISCO

Apr 10, 2013 11:29 am

Hey, Lori, thanks for posting! I'm glad our glazing worked for you. I think you might want to take a look at our tutorial video below. This details the best way to remove your old window glazing.

Quick Learner from Port Charlotte, fl

Jun 18, 2013 12:44 pm

My Alcan trim is also brittle on all of my windows. My question here is, do I have to replace the window glass, as well, when repairing/replacing the old alcan glaze, as demonstrated in the video? The glass is fine. It's the glaze that's brittle from sun and weather waring.

Dave Sr. from SWISCO

Jun 20, 2013 8:28 am

Hello there! No, you don't have to replace the glass, but bear in mind you could accidentally damage the glass when switching the glazing out. Be very careful when removing old snap glaze. I recommend using a hair dryer or heat gun to loosen it up, but make sure it's not too hot as it could also damage the glass.

Handy Person from Estero FL

Apr 7, 2023 6:13 am

What if the glazing strip is not available? Because I have yet to locate the profile I have.

Your video shows new glass being set but without any sealant under the glass. Is it to be assumed glazing tape is applied to bed the glass pane?

I am at my wits end looking for this profile, Have you heard of using a different profile than the original?

Thank You
Gary D.

1 user uploaded image

Dave Sr. from SWISCO

Apr 7, 2023 10:49 am

You could theoretically use a glazing bead that isn't identical to the original; I've done it myself in the past, but the new replacement has to at least work under the same principles and be roughly the same size. In the case of your profile, I don't know what could be used as an alternative. The shape is fairly unique.

There are cases where you need an exact match, unfortunately. Substitutions aren't always going to be possible. If I were you, I would try to get in touch with the original manufacturer of the window to see if this is a style they can still supply you.