Glass blowing is a wonderful hobby that results in some beautiful artwork for your home. My name is Natalie, and I started in glass blowing as a hobbyist, but now I teach classes in this skill. Some people think glass blowing is difficult or dangerous. That's not the case at all. As you build your skill level, you will find that you learn very quickly. In this blog, I will examine the misconceptions about glass blowing and teach you some of the techniques. I will also give you helpful tips about where to find a glass so you can practice this new skill yourself.
If you just broke the glass in your sliding shower door, take heart. You do not have to redo your entire shower and tub or completely replace the sliding doors in order to maintain your privacy in the shower. Instead, you can just repair the glass and continue to use the same sliding shower doors you have always had. Here are some tips on how you can do the job yourself.
Break the Pane out Entirely
Slide the affected shower door along its tracks until it closes completely. Do not allow any part of this door to touch another door or a stationary glass panel, except for the metal framework that meets both doors (or the door and the panel) right in the middle. Next, take a small mallet or hammer and gently tap out all of the broken glass from the affected door. Break the glass out so that it falls into your tub or shower, and not outside of it on the floor. This will make it very easy to see the smaller bits and shards and easier to scoop/clean up with a dustpan. Place all the broken bits and shards in the garbage.
Measure and Cut Glass to Fit
Next, you need to measure the area where the broken glass used to be. Take both the "interior" measurements of your shower door's metal frame and the "exterior" measurements where the glass could slightly overlap the interior edges of the frame. (The "interior" is the area where the glass may have previously been inserted and held in place by the frame itself, sort of like a picture frame and its glass.) You can choose to cut the glass to fit the "interior" or "exterior", as either choice will require a few extra steps to secure the glass. Do not cut the piece of glass you need more than an eighth to a quarter inch in either dimension (length or width). The door will still have to slide in the track and have enough room to slide past the other shower door or the stationary panel.
Securing the New Glass
If you can remove the top bar of the sliding door, you can carefully slide the sheet of replacement glass into the frame via the holding tracks that previously held the original glass. Reattach the top bar of the shower door's frame. Use a waterproof plumbing adhesive or caulk to seal the glass in place and keep it from leaking water.
If you are installing the glass to the "exterior" of the frame, you will need both the waterproof/plumber's caulk and a handful of pivot fasteners. Pivot fasteners are secured by a screw in one end to the shower door's frame. The central portion of the fastener pivots around and holds the glass in place. (Again, if you have ever removed the glass from a picture frame, you have seen a smaller version of the pivot fasteners you will need.) Install these fasteners every few inches all around the frame of the shower door, or where they will best hold their place. Then, apply adhesive and/or caulk all around the edge of your new piece of glass where the glass will come in contact with the shower door's frame. Have someone hold the glass in place while you pivot the fasteners so that the glass is supported until the adhesive and/or caulk dries. For added support, use rubber-headed c-clamps to keep the glass in place until the glass is secure.
For broken glass repair, contact a company such as Griggs & Son Glass & Mirror.
Share10 December 2015
