DIY glass repair

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

Nowadays, there are various proposals on the market to protect glass from damage. One of the most popular options is a protective film sticker on the glass, which protects an expensive part from damage, and many car owners prefer not to wait for the next stone in the glass with subsequent repair or replacement of this glass.

But what about the situation if the windshield of the car was nevertheless damaged, and small cracks and chips have already appeared on it? Go to a car service for an expensive repair or try to fix this problem yourself?

If you decide to repair cracks on the windshield with your own hands, we will tell you what materials and tools you need and how to do it according to all the rules.

To begin with, we will determine what minor damage can be easily and simply repaired on our own, without replacing the windshield.

Glass chips in any part of it. Chips should be repaired immediately before they develop into deep cracks, otherwise you cannot avoid glass replacement.
Simple cracks. They often appear as a result of a sharp and constant temperature drop due to improper heating of the car, non-observance of the temperature inside and outside the passenger compartment.
Branched cracks. Unlike simple cracks, branched cracks are difficult to remove. Untimely elimination of a simple crack can lead not only to the appearance of deep branched cracks, but also to the forced replacement of the windshield.
Chipped. The reason for their appearance is a gross mechanical effect.

Video (click to play).

So, in order to independently repair cracks on the glass, you need to prepare the following set:

Photopolymer glue. This adhesive is intended for the repair of automotive and other glass. The glue has a sufficiently high coefficient of transparency and reflection of sunlight, therefore, after application, it remains completely invisible on the glass. Photopolymer hardening occurs due to exposure to directional ultraviolet radiation. The hardening time is 15 minutes (when using a UV lamp) and 45 minutes (when naturally drying).
Glue injector. With the help of an injector, the polymer is applied to a crack or chip on the glass. Injectors can be either plastic (disposable) or metal (reusable). We recommend purchasing a reusable injector.
Electric drill. It allows you to remove excess stress from the glass by drilling the edges of the crack to prevent its possible enlargement. For cracking, thin diamond drills are used.
UV lamp for drying glue.
Scriber. Used to gently clean the edges of the crack, as well as the working area around it.
Applicators. Allows you to attach the injector to the windshield.
Liquid and wipes to remove excess dirt and moisture.
Pump for cleaning the edges of cracks from dirt and dust.

Having prepared the necessary set of materials and tools, we proceed to the repair.

Watch a video detailing the entire windshield repair process:

If you want to get a high result of windshield repair, we recommend that you take this process with the utmost seriousness and scrupulousness. Read also how to fix cracks in the bumper.

The windshield is the most vulnerable point of the car. From mechanical stress, vibration during movement, temperature changes, chips or cracks may appear on it.The glass will not break completely just because it consists of two glass sheets glued together with a special glue. But if the damage is not repaired, then after a while it can turn into a large crack, and the glass itself can crack into pieces. Therefore, as soon as possible, you need to repair the glass yourself or contact a special service for help.

Mechanical damage that appears on the glass of the car can be repaired only in the following cases:

the inner layer of the triplex is not damaged;
factory-made glass is used;
cracks are no more than 50 cm long and do not reach the edge of the auto glass;
notch, chipping or spall without cracks or with small outgoing cracks.

Recovery is impossible if the triplex is split into several parts, its central part is crumbled or covered with a network of cracks.

To understand the complexity of the repair to be performed, you should decide on the type of damage. They can take various forms and types:

cracks with rays from the point of impact;
cracks that form arcs or circles;
round chips;
cracks in the form of cobwebs;
defects from cracks and chips;
double-sided crack.

If only the outer layer of auto glass is damaged, then you can repair it yourself. If the inner and outer sides are damaged, the glass sheet will have to be dismantled. It is rather difficult to carry out such a procedure on your own.

To restore the triplex, you will need a special car set of tools, which can be purchased at the Inseif online store. The set should include:

blades for cleaning glass from polymer;
ultraviolet lamp;
injector;
injector rings and seals;
transparent plates;
scriber;
hand electric drill;
syringe;
polish;
various polymers for filling chips and cracks;
drills from carbide alloys.

The quality of the windshield repair largely depends on the preparatory work. First of all, the glass must be cleaned of dust and dirt, having previously sealed the damaged areas with tape so that moisture does not get into them.

Cleansing technology depends on the type of damage:

Round chips are cleaned with a carbide rod and wiped with a dry cloth.
Cracks in the form of rays are first processed with a drill. They need to be drilled out with a tapered drill. You should get a wide, but not deep cone. Drill carefully so as not to damage the inner layer.
A skyber is used to clean rounded cracks. If it was not possible to remove the dirt with this tool, then the damaged areas are reamed with a drill.
Cracks running in different directions are cleaned with a carbide rod or reamed with a drill. So that the length of the damage does not increase, you need to drill a conical chip, retreating 1-2 mm from its end. After that, the cracks are artificially brought to a chip by gently pressing on the glass with your hands.

Damage to the laminated glass is filled with a special polymer glue, the properties of which are close to those of auto glass. Before pouring the polymer, dust and small particles should be removed from the surface with a vacuum cleaner. Then everything is thoroughly wiped with a dry napkin. Filling is done with an injector.

Procedure for the procedure:

The injector is installed over the chip and is attached to the surface using suction cups. The equipment should be installed so that it completely covers the chip.
The injector cylinder is carefully screwed into the axle. The sealing rubber located on the tip must be in contact with the triplex surface. To prevent the glue from flowing through the O-ring, the cylinder is screwed strictly parallel to the surface.
6-8 drops of the selected polymer are instilled into the injector cylinder. The density of the polymer composition directly depends on the thickness of the cracks.For small cracks, a polymer with a low density is selected.
The injector piston is twisted into the cylinder until a slight pressure appears in it. Within a few minutes, the polymer will fill the damage, so no action is required during this time.
When the chips and cracks are filled, the piston is unscrewed and set to the top position. For about a minute, air will be pumped out of microcracks and a vacuum will be created. This procedure is performed several times. There should be no air bubbles in the damage.
When all defects are filled with a polymer composition, the bridge and injector can be removed. The equipment used can be cleaned with alcohol or acetone.

Defects are filled with polymer, but you can not use the car until the glue dries well... You can quickly dry it using an ultraviolet lamp, after dropping PL-106 polymer onto the treated area and covering it with a special film from the kit. The film is smoothed out, and a lamp is installed over the windshield for 5-6 minutes.

When the surface dries, the lamp and the film are removed, and the treated areas are cleaned of excess glue. A blade is used for this, which must be held perpendicular to the triplex. The cleaned surface is wiped with a napkin and rubbed with a special polish.

After the repair, damage should not be noticeable. You can only see them if you look closely.

If the damage is small and there is no time to glue them thoroughly, you can use the tools at hand.

A new crack that has appeared on the triplex must be immediately closed from dust and dirt, so that it can be easily cleaned during repairs. You can use ordinary stationery tape, gluing the place of damage inside and outside with it.

A thin crack can be varnished with a colorless varnish to prevent damage from growing. The varnish is applied on both sides in a thin layer. It should dry well. Even the rains cannot wash off the varnish... It can hold out on glass for several years.

Using these tools, you can prepare a composition that is suitable for repairing damage to the windshield. Recipe:

In a glass container, mix turpentine and acetone in a 1: 3 ratio.
Cut the styrofoam into small pieces and add them to the solution.
When the foam dissolves, it should be viscous and transparent.
The solution is mixed and chips or cracks are filled with a thin brush or syringe.

The adhesive hardens quickly, so it must be used immediately, applying to damage in small portions.

In any hardware store you can buy a silicone-based adhesive and apply it directly from a tube to damage. If the crack is thin, you can use a syringe. The cavities are filled with silicone slowly to avoid air entrapment. The glue can dry from 12 hours to a day.... After that, it can be covered with clear varnish.If you have a little experience and a special kit, you can repair the glass yourself with your own hands. However, if the damage is serious or you are in doubt about your ability, contact a car service that solders the windshield. There, with the help of special equipment, they will quickly be able to solder almost any chips and cracks. After such a renovation, the triplex will look like new.Before we deal with the types of equipment for auto glass repair, we need to decide on technologies and terms. Modern cars are named.The windshield of a car (in everyday life it is also often called "windshield" or "windshield") is one of the most vulnerable elements of a car. Kog.Almost any scratches can be repaired with quality glass polishing wheels. Thanks to high-quality abrasives, they grind damaged.If the glass is cracked or chipped, it must be repaired as soon as possible. Self-repair of auto glass is a rather complicated procedure that requires special tools and materials. For beginners in this difficult task, it is recommended to start by eliminating minor damage. Large and complex cracks are often not repaired even by specialists. The glasses are simply replaced with new ones. Image - DIY glass repair

As soon as damage is detected on the glass of the car, appropriate measures must be taken immediately so that later this damage can be easier to repair.

Place a crack or chip with several layers of paper and tape it so that the tape covers the entire surface of the paper. This is necessary in order to prevent the penetration of dust and moisture into the damage cavity and to facilitate the repair of the car glass with your own hands.

Instead of trying to properly repair the crack, do not try to rub the crack with glue, or wash and rub the damaged area. Because of this, a web of small cracks can form, and because of the glue that has filled the entire cleavage space, it will be impossible to perform high-quality repairs.

If you need to drive a car with damaged glass, you need to do it smoothly, avoiding all irregularities. Excessive shaking will increase the crack.

Strong temperature changes contribute to the growth of damage.

Therefore, do not turn on the stove or air conditioner at full power. Try to use less windshield wipers and washers.

Do not postpone car glass repair indefinitely. Minor damages are repaired easier, faster and better.

Optical glue is needed from materials. It is a special liquid polymer, colorless and completely transparent after solidification. There are one-component and two-component adhesives. In the latter version, the polymer consists of 2 parts, which must be mixed according to the instructions before use.

When choosing an optical adhesive, pay attention to its density. For small chips and cracks, it needs high penetrating power and low density. Repair of auto glass with large open damage requires a polymer with high strength and high density.

An important indicator of optical glue is the transparency coefficient. You must also pay attention to it, it must correspond to the transparency of the auto glass being repaired. The transparency coefficient of auto glass is specified in the operating instructions or in the repair manual. In extreme cases, you can find it on the official website of the automaker.

Check in advance the polymerization time of the composition.

For convenience, this time should not exceed 24 hours. Ask the manufacturer of the composition. For example, the repair of automotive glass with materials made in the United States often does not withstand domestic climatic conditions. Be sure to check the expiration date of your optical glue.

Try not to skimp on the polymer composition. Never try to repair car glass with liquid glass or sealant. It is impossible to achieve even satisfactory results with such materials, and after their use, the glass can simply be thrown away. It will not give in to alteration.

Of the auxiliary materials, cleaning agents for auto glass are required: napkins, rags, cleaning fluids, degreasing solvents. You also need special blades to remove excess glue.

Of the tools, the first thing you need is a bridge with an injector. It is necessary to fill the cleavage space with optical glue. Both plastic and metal bridges are commercially available. Plastic ones are much cheaper, metal ones give a higher quality of car glass repair. Steel models can be reused, while plastic ones are intended for single use only.

For glasses with a strong bend, you need to purchase bridges with three supports, for flat and slightly curved ones - with two legs. Suction cups on supports can be pump, lever-vacuum or conventional. Each of them is good in its own way: the pump pump is more comfortable on vertical surfaces, the lever-vacuum one gives equally good results anywhere in the glass, ordinary suction cups allow you to fill long cracks by sliding the bridge along the damage.

A drill with a diamond drill should drill in modes from 5 to 10 thousand revolutions per minute and smoothly adjust the rotational speed within these limits.

For the convenience of work, you need not an ordinary drill, but a micro drill with the ability to connect to the vehicle's 12 V on-board network.

The pump for removing air from the damage cavity is a scriber. In addition to its main function, it is used to cleanse the repair site from the smallest particles of glass and dirt, to create additional chips in order to relieve stress in the area of the main damage or in the places of drilling.

Professionals prefer to use steel automatic parting pumps with a special spring device to create additional chips. Their main advantage is the precisely calculated impact force when creating a chip, which is guaranteed to create this chip, but at the same time will not lead to the formation of a crack on the entire surface of the auto glass.The UV lamp accelerates the curing (polymerization) process of the optical adhesive.This is a useful but optional tool. The peculiarity of the lamp is that its efficiency does not depend on the power of the lamp, but on the type of bulb used and the characteristics of the polymer itself.All automotive glass is divided into 2 categories: triplex and stalinite. Triplex glass is relatively easy to repair. As a rule, they are installed as a windshield, sometimes as a rear, rarely as side ones.Glasses of the Stalinite type are very hard, but at the same time they are quite fragile. It is difficult even for professionals to repair them, since with any careless handling they crumble to pieces. Most often, stalinite can be found on the side windows of a car, sometimes on the rear window. The windshield of the Stalinite type has not been used since the 50s - 60s of the twentieth century. Image - DIY glass repair

It is possible to independently remove glass chips with rays up to 3 cm and linear cracks up to 15–20 cm long. More extensive damage is within the power of specialists in their field. Specialized centers do not always undertake such work, or provide a limited warranty for their work. Especially in cases where a car windshield repair is required at its lower edge.

The basic rule when self-repairing damage is to try to eliminate them at an early stage, without waiting for a small chip or scratch to turn into large cracks.

It is better to entrust large damage to professionals or replace the glass completely with a new one.

Do-it-yourself auto glass repair begins with the preparatory stage. On it, the glass being repaired must be thoroughly cleaned, degreased and dried. In this case, it is better to use cleaning agents to a minimum and press on the glass. This can exacerbate the damage.

Usually, at the preparatory stage, they try not to wash the glass, since moisture can get into the space between the laminated glass layers, and it will become impossible to dry it. But if the chip or crack is heavily soiled, there is no alternative to washing.

When repairing a chip, it is recommended to carefully clean it with a diamond drill, and then blow the resulting cavity with a strong stream of air. A compressor, pump, or household vacuum cleaner can be used to create airflow.

Residues of dust and glass are removed directly from the damage cavity with a special pump - a scriber.

After the completion of the preparatory work, the injector is installed on the repaired place so that it is located exactly opposite the center of the cleavage. Use a tape measure, ruler, or laser distance meter to get the accuracy you want. With the help of adjusting screws, the injector is set strictly parallel to the surface of the auto glass.

The polymer is mixed (if using a two-part adhesive) according to the instructions and injected into the injector using a syringe. The latter, in most cases, is sold complete with an injector. Then, using the injection piston, the material is injected under pressure into the damaged cavity. The piston is deepened until all air bubbles come out of the cleavage cavity. It is more convenient to control the presence of these bubbles with a powerful lamp or flashlight.

In cases where the chip is deep, the procedure for filling it with glue has to be repeated several times. It is recommended to calculate in advance the required amount of polymer and, just in case, introduce a little more of the composition.After that, the injector is carefully removed, cleaned and washed. Excess polymer composition is carefully removed with a dry napkin.As soon as the optical adhesive comes into contact with air, the polymer begins to solidify. Its curing time is indicated in the instructions for use. You can speed up the process with an ultraviolet lamp. During the polymerization of the glue, it is better to seal the repaired area with a finishing film so that dust or moisture does not get on the glue.At the final stage, using a blade, the excess polymer is once again removed, and the glass itself is carefully polished.The procedure for repairing a crack is more complicated in comparison with the process of sealing a chip. First of all, the glass is also cleaned, degreased, dried and blown with air.The area around the crack is scrubbed.At the second stage of the repair, stress is relieved along the crack. For this, holes are drilled with a diamond drill at a distance of 1–2, but not more than 5 mm from the edge of the cracks. The distance between the holes should be 30-50 mm. The depth of the holes should not exceed half the thickness of the auto glass itself, since the film is located in this place of the triplex. You need to drill the holes carefully, trying to expand the crack to the holes themselves, but so as not to accidentally drill through the glass. Image - DIY glass repair

With the help of an injector, the cavity of the crack (and the holes made) along the entire length is filled with optical glue. The injector is installed on the edge of the crack, and then sequentially rearranged along it. Injectors with conventional suction cups can be sliding to a new location, which significantly saves time and effort.

At the final stage of repairing a chip or crack, it is advisable to polish the repaired surface.

This will allow you to achieve up to 95% transparency when restoring the windshield with your own hands.

It should be remembered that polymer glue is a rather toxic material, therefore it is not recommended to inhale its vapors. In addition, it is necessary to protect the skin, eyes and car body from this adhesive.

What to do if a chip appears on the windshield? Try to repair the glass as quickly as possible, because due to vibrations and temperature changes, even a small chip can turn into a large crack. You can remove a crack or chip on the windshield at a service station or using a special kit.

You can buy a special set at a price of 300 rubles. It should include: a syringe with a repair compound, an applicator for filling in chips and rings with a sticky surface for installing the applicator on the glass. Additionally required: blade and food film. Using the kit, you can repair a crack in the windshield up to 20 cm in length.

The windshield must be clean, dry and cool (not exposed to sunlight).

Procedure:

Remove shards of glass from the chip (with a vacuum cleaner or a pin).
Remove the protective film from the ring from the set and stick the ring on the chip (the protrusion should be directed upwards).
Remove the protective film from the other side of the ring and install the applicator on the ring (align the projections).
Insert the syringe into the hole of the applicator.
Pull the syringe plunger to the mark and turn it to fix it with a stopper (wait 30 seconds for air to come out of the chip).
Release the piston from the stopper (the piston will go down).
Press the piston gently until resistance appears.
The procedure for removing air (points 5-7) is repeated 3-4 times.

Release the syringe plunger and leave it in the down position for 15 minutes.
Check the filling of the chip with the repair compound (from the inside of the glass). If there are voids, repeat the air removal procedure (points 5-7).
Remove the applicator and the remnants of the ring with a blade.
Cover the chip with cling film.
Put the car in the sun for 20 minutes to polymerize the compound (on a cloudy day for 1 hour).

The windshield must be clean, dry and cool (not exposed to sunlight).Procedure:

Place the syringe firmly on the edge of the crack.

Squeeze out the repair compound by moving the syringe (from the end of the crack to the beginning) slowly and smoothly along the crack. In order for the repair compound to completely fill the crack, lightly press on the glass under the crack.

Cover the crack with cling film.

Put the car in the sun for 20 minutes to polymerize the composition (on a cloudy day for 1 hour).

To stop the crack in the windshield, you will need to drill the glass, for this, seek the help of specialists. If the number of cracks on the glass is large and they cannot be repaired, then the windshield should be replaced (instructions).

If the crack is in the driver's line of sight, then such vehicle operation will not be safe. By the way, do you know which washer nozzles do their job better?

Not a single driver is insured against cracks on the glass, regardless of his experience, because a stone flying out from under the wheel, a branch unexpectedly hitting, etc., can cause a split. But, fortunately, if you take action right away, you can restore the glass yourself. How to do this, we will describe in detail below.

So, you have noticed that for some reason a crack has formed on your car windshield. First of all, the damage must be carefully examined in order to find out:

whether the crack has reached the edge of the glass - if so, then, unfortunately, you can do nothing further, since the windshield will still have to be changed, gluing will probably not help. If the damage does not reach the edge of at least 5 centimeters, you can undertake repairs;
what is the depth of the crack - in order to determine if it is a through crack, or if it only touched 1–2 layers of glass, you need to draw a needle over it from the back side. If the needle slides over the surface, then the layer is intact, but if the needle clings to the surface, then the crack is through. This will complicate the task somewhat, but the situation is still fixable.

Immediately stick a strip of tape on the crack so that dust and dirt do not get into it - this will somewhat simplify your work in the future. If the glass is cracked on both sides, the tape is also glued on both sides.

It is advisable to deal with the elimination of damage immediately after its occurrence. Otherwise, under the influence of vibration, it will begin to grow, which will complicate your task or even make repairs impossible. Moreover, after the occurrence of a crack, try to drive the car very carefully, since any bump can lead to the fact that the split will pass through the entire glass.To prevent the damage from growing, it is necessary to drill a small hole around the edges. The hole will interrupt the split along the crystal lattice. Please note that glass is highly fragile, so any wrong movement can aggravate the situation.If you are not confident in your abilities, do not do this operation yourself, but entrust it to a specialist.If you are determined to drill the glass yourself, you need to choose a drill that is suitable for this purpose. Conventional HSS drills are not suitable. It is only necessary to use a special tool for ceramics and glass. Typically, these drills are diamond-coated. The drill diameter should be such that the hole is slightly wider than the crack, i.e. minimal.To avoid aggravating the situation, deal with the damage immediately after it occurs. Drilling should be done at low speeds. The surface of the split must be pre-treated with acetone or ordinary soapy water. If the split is not through, then the hole should only be drilled to the depth of the split. If the defect is through, respectively, the hole must also be made through. Be sure to wet the hole with soapy water or acetone while drilling. Also, avoid any sudden movements and bumps.Keep in mind that you do not need to drill the crack itself, but an area located a few millimeters away from the edge of the split. If you drill a crack, the hole may not interrupt it, and accordingly, it will continue to diverge. After the hole is made, you need to gently press on the split so that it goes into the hole, this is the so-called "bull's eye".In order not to drill the glass deeper than necessary, put a rubber stop on the drill, which will rest against the glass when the required depth is reached. Sometimes a crack can have multiple rays. In this case, it is necessary to make holes in front of each beam.Drilling holes does not always help to stop the crack, so you need to seal it up right away. To do this, you need a special polymer glue, such as Glass Master GR-150 or Antiskol... It is even better to purchase a special set, which includes not only transparent polymer glue, but also other devices and materials necessary for glass repair. The most common kits on the market are Windshield repair kit or Universal... Their cost is in the range of 600-1000 rubles.In order to properly repair glass at home, it is necessary to work on a sunny day, since the composition hardens under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. If this condition cannot be met, use an ultraviolet lamp. True, some compositions are made on the basis of epoxy resin, therefore they require heating with a lamp or hairdryer. To prevent the polymer from getting on the skin of the hands, it is necessary to work with gloves.Drilling holes does not always help to stop the crack, so you need to seal it right away. You should start by protecting the wipers and other surfaces of the car from the ingress of polymer. Then the chips need to be washed, dried and degreased. For degreasing, use a special degreaser or regular alcohol. To better wash out the split, you can slightly press on the inside to make it open. In this position, the glass tension should be fixed for some time. Then we glue the adhesive tape on the crack, which is included in the repair kit. If the crack is through, glue the tape on both sides.Opposite the chip in the scotch tape, you need to make a small hole through which the polymer will be pumped into the glass. On the opposite side of the crack in the scotch tape, we make another hole through which air will escape. Then, opposite the hole, glue the Velcro from the set to which we connect the syringe. With the help of the latter, the liquid polymer is pumped into the hole and distributed in the split, while squeezing out the air. After that, the tension should be removed from the inside. As a result, the composition should fill the entire split, after which it becomes barely noticeable.

In order to carry out high-quality and efficient repair of auto glass, you will need a "repair minimum:

Optical adhesive (polymer). Initially liquid. Should have a transparency coefficient the same as that of glass. It is better to choose polymers with a short curing time. The technology of auto glass repair is thus improving.

Bridge and injector for introducing polymer into injury. It is better to purchase the bridge and injector from metal, because plastic are limited in terms of use. Although you are not going to repair auto glass every day.