Do-it-yourself car glass chip repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of chips on car glass from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

When driving behind another car on the highway, it is easy to get hit by a small stone in the windshield, body or optics. First of all, these are chips and cracks on the windshield. In this article, we will analyze the main types of damage, find out which defects we can fix on our own, and which ones are better to contact a specialized service station.

The windshield can be safely called the most vulnerable point of the car. Various defects appear on its surface during operation. They can be divided into the following:

  1. Scratch. This defect occurs upon contact with a sharp object, the hardness of which exceeds the strength of glass. The depth of the scratch does not allow a crack to form. Shallow scratches are caused by sand particles that fall on the car.
  2. Round chip "bull's eye". This is the most common defect, the chip has the shape of a circle without cracking.
  3. Crack. Such a defect is the most dangerous. In addition to worsening visibility, the crack tends to grow while driving.
  4. Combined defects. They are complex in structure.

Next, we will consider in more detail how to remove some defects from the windshield with our own hands. Find out what consumables and special tools are needed.

Remember that imperfections in the windshield not only make your vehicle look worse, but can also cause an accident. Don't put off windshield repair!

The main reason for the appearance of small scratches on the glass is ordinary sand. It settles on glass, wiper rubber bands, seals and on a rag that you wipe your car with. Sand particles constantly scratch the surface. Therefore, visibility decreases over time. Polishing will help restore transparency to the windshield. Sanding is not recommended. Most likely, it will not be possible to carry out such processing independently.

Video (click to play).

For polishing the windshield, you can use folk remedies and professional materials. Before you start repairing scratches, wash your windshield thoroughly. Wipe it with a dry, clean cloth or a special glass cloth. Don't use newspaper.

To eliminate small scratches with improvised means, use toothpaste or GOI paste. The best effect is achieved when using GOI paste. A small portion of the paste is applied to a clean cotton swab or a piece of felt. Then rub in a circular motion on the problem area.

Image - Do-it-yourself repair of chips on car glass

Windshield polishing helps eliminate small, superficial scratches

Reapply the paste and rub in circles in the opposite direction. To speed up the process, you can use a grinder with a felt nozzle.

Various types of polishes are available for polishing windshields in automotive supply stores. Before using pastes, we recommend doing a trial polishing on a small area of ​​glass. The composition of polishes includes various kinds of reagents and it is not known how they will act on the glass surface.

Wash the glass thoroughly after polishing.

Removing deeper scratches is difficult. In this case, there are two options: you must come to terms with this state of affairs, or act drastically and replace the windshield.

After a slight blow to the windshield, a small chip remains on it. Such a defect most often occurs when driving on a freeway, where a higher speed is allowed. And even a small pebble from under the wheels of a car in front can cause damage.As soon as you find this kind of defect, try to quickly take measures to protect the chipped area from contamination. This will help the usual transparent adhesive tape. Stick it on the outside of the defect. Such protection will further facilitate the repair of the windshield and make it less noticeable.

Do not delay with the repair. A chip, or as experts call it a "bull's eye", with a probability of 80% can cause a crack to form over the entire surface.

To carry out high-quality windshield repair, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:

  • injector for uniform supply of photopolymer to the cleavage site; Image - Do-it-yourself repair of chips on car glass A special bridge is placed above the center of the cleavage, on which an injector is attached to supply the adhesive-photopolymer
  • applicator or bridge for precise positioning of the injector over the chip;
  • small mirror;
  • photopolymer for glass surface repair; Image - Do-it-yourself repair of chips on car glass The adhesive photopolymer is sensitive to ultraviolet light. It is better to work with him in the shade
  • protective film;
  • ultraviolet lamp to speed up the repair. If there is no lamp, then the photopolymer will harden in the sun, but it will take 24 hours for complete polymerization.

For self-repair of chips and cracks, special kits are produced:

  • pump for creating a vacuum;
  • injector or syringe for photopolymer;
  • blade;
  • glue.

If you want to get rid of chips and cracks with your own hands, then pay attention to the windshield repair kits from DoneDeal, HANDY-MAN.

  1. Carry out repairs in the shade. The adhesive is UV sensitive.
  2. Before starting the repair, clean the defect area with plenty of water and dry it with a stream of air.
  3. Position the applicator or injector bridge exactly over the center of the defect. Check the accuracy of the installation from inside the car or using a small mirror.
  4. Apply photopolymer adhesive to the chip using an injector.
  5. Apply protective film. It will not allow the photopolymer to spread on the glass. Image - Do-it-yourself repair of chips on car glass We apply a protective film. It will not allow the glue to spread on the surface.
  6. Illuminate the repair area with a UV lamp. The ultraviolet helps speed up the curing of the photopolymer. Usually 2 to 4 minutes is enough.
  7. Carefully remove the protective film and adhesive residue with a sharp, thin blade.
  8. Polish the repair area with felt.