Prior to the 1940s, automotive glass was manufactured similarly to the glass you would find around your house. This glass was dangerous because it would break in large shards if a car got into an accident. These shards, combined with the absence of seat belts, led to many fatal accidents. Following the creation of safety glass -- a laminated glass and plastic composite -- broken windshields ceased to be as dangerous. Automotive glass needs to be replaced whether your safety glass has cracked or been broken entirely.
Instructions
- 1
Put your gloves on.
2Lay down a drop cloth inside your car to capture any remaining glass.
3Remove the remnants of the old window. If your window broke, you will need to remove what is left of the shattered pane. If you have safety glass, it likely broke into hundreds of pieces. These pieces will still be stuck to the glue that was used to hold in the pane.
4Cut off the glass that is stuck to the glue. The glue used on car windows is extremely powerful, but also very flexible. You will need to use a knife to cut into the old glue, below the shattered glass. When you finish you should see a generally flat surface.
5Cut away excess glue from the old window. Make the old window mounts as smooth as possible.
6Sand away any glue that was too thin to scrape with your knife. A firm back and fourth action will remove it.
7Glue around the perimeter of the mounts where the old window was before. A 1/4-inch wide trail of glue will suffice. Glue evenly so that there are no weak-spots or unsealed parts. These can cause your glass to crack again or leak water.
8Place the window gently on top of the glue and firmly push around the perimeter of the glass so that the edges of the glass all are glued.
9Hold the glass in place for 10-15 minutes. This should give the glue enough time to begin to set.
10Test the glass you installed. Go around the perimeter of the glass, pushing firmly to ensure that glue has dried. Spray your window with a garden hose to check for leaks.
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