Home > DIY Home Improvement > A guide on how to Replace Window Glass in an Aluminum Frame
aluminum window replacement

Since you’ve read the title, you’re also probably wondering about the question “how to replace window glass in an aluminum frame?” Well, as you may know, window glass gets replaced very often. One of the few facts of owning a house is that windows sometimes get broken and need to be replaced. In this article, you’re going to read a guide on how you can replace window glass in an aluminum frame by yourself!  Not only is this a guide, but also helpful tips will be given throughout the article so keep reading! 

Step 1

The first and most important step is to prepare! Preparation always comes first. Whether you’re building something, cooking a meal, or travelling. Preparation always comes first! Replacing window glass is not an easy task to do, that’s why you should prepare the things you need. First things first, since you’re going to be the one who’s going to replace the window glass, it is always best to protect yourself before starting the task. 

Protecting yourself means that you have to wear work gloves, the heavy slash-proof ones. You should know that broken glass shards are very sharp and can cut you easily. Always wear work gloves to protect yourself.  Wear safety goggles or glasses to protect your eyes. Together with work gloves and safety goggles you should be fine. This is optional but also wearing a long sleeve shirt can also help with your protection, it reduces the chance of you getting cut. Always exercise extreme caution since you’re doing it yourself. Window glass replacement is not an easy task to do, but if you follow these steps, you should be able to do it safely and successfully! You can read more about it here for replacement windows.

Step 2

You should know that you’re lucky for having an aluminum window frame instead of the traditional wood window frame. Why you ask, because they are not only cheap but also long lasting! They are much quicker and easy to work on when a window pane breaks. Doing it yourself can also save you a few bucks instead of hiring someone to replace the entire window. Just remember that when attempting to do it by yourself, it’s always best to follow the right instructions and manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure the window is properly replaced. 

Now the work begins. The first thing to do is to remove any piece of broken glass off the window frame. If the window glass broke, the glass should be easily taken out with little to no resistance. If the window glass is not broken and you just want to replace it with a new glass, you will have to remove the aluminum window frame from the window. To do this, you need to determine where the frame is held in place and locate all the screws that are holding it in place. Once all screws are located, loosen each one at a time until you can lift out the frame with the old glass still in it.

Once you’ve removed the aluminum frame from the window, it’s time to put it on a table or flat surface.  Make sure you’re wearing work gloves since you’re handling glass. After laying it on a table, you’ll see that there are screws on each corner of the frame. Loosen all the screws from the top right hand corner and the bottom left hand corner on both sides (in a diagonal manner). If you have loosen the screws, it’s now time to use a rubber mallet. Gently tap the rest of the frame with the rubber mallet to remove it from the glass. Tap it lightly to move it away from the glass so it won’t break the glass. Once the frame has been loosened on all sides pull it away gently.

Step 3

After you’ve removed the aluminum frame from the glass, it’s now time to measure the old glass. Bring out a tape measure and measure the old glass’ thickness, length, and height. It is very important that you get an accurate measurement so you’ll order the correct size glass and it will properly fit into the frame. Once you’ve measured the old glass, you now have to purchase a new one and have it cut into the correct size. 

For the glass that was broken, you can still measure it using the broken pieces. It’s also very important to remove all pieces of broken glass from the frame. To be sure that you’ve removed all pieces (even the little ones), try using a damp cloth and wipe it around the seats the glass was installed to remove any small glass pieces, dust, or dirt. All the pieces of the new glass should be removed. Otherwise they can break the new glass when you attempt to replace it.

Step 4

You will either see a rubber gasket, plastic, rubber, or aluminum around the edges of the old glass. You need to remove them from the glass since you will be reusing them on the new glass. It is best to also clean out the rubber first in order to remove any small pieces of glass and to avoid any problems once the new glass is installed.

Step 5

Now it’s time to install! First thing you need to do is put the new glass on a table or flat surface. Make sure that the surface is smaller than the glass so you will have two sides hanging over the edge. Place the rubber on those two edges. Once that’s done you now have to insert the new glass onto the aluminum frame. After placing the rubber on edges of the glass you need to put one half of the frame on the glass pane. Tap it gently using the rubber mallet until the glass is tight or seated in the frame. Repeat this step for the other half of the frame. 

Step 6

Reassemble the frame by tightening the screws of the frame you loosened in Step 2. After this, the only thing left to do is to replace the aluminum window frame in the window. Put back the same screws into the same holes to ensure that each fit is perfect. Here you go! The steps you need to follow are right here. You can find the tips throughout the guide so make sure to read every single step. Now that you’ve read the article you are ready to try it yourself. Try and replace your window glass. You can also save a few bucks and learn a new skill by following this step by step guide. 

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