DIY Network

Fixtures, Faucets and Beyond Why hire professionals when you can do many simple repairs around the house yourself? From "Today Show Tips" episode DTST-118

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When you spread the putty over the glazier's points and glass, use one long, smooth stroke.

Replacing a Broken Window Pane

If you've got an old house with double-hung sash like this, sooner or later, you'll have to replace the glass. If you want to do the job yourself, here's how.

Put on some heavy gloves that will protect you from the sharp edges of the broken glass. Also wear safety glasses; shards can pop up any time you're working on glass.

Carefully remove the glass from the window. You'll be able to pull out some very easily, but others will take some persuading. Use a heat gun to soften up the old glazing compound, and you'll be able to get those last pieces out with no trouble.

Once you've removed the broken glass, you're ready to start preparing to re-glaze it. Use a small wire brush to clean off all the residue that there might still be on the window frame. If the window is old, apply a bead of linseed oil with a brush. That will condition the wood to bond with the glazing compound.

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You'll probably have to warm up the glazing compound by kneading it until you can make a pencil-thin bead out of it. It takes a little practice to get the consistency just right, so don't worry if it's not perfect the first try.

Measure the area to be glazed, write down those measurements and take them to the hardware store. When you order the glass, you need to be as precise as possible with the dimensions.

And while you're at the hardware store, pick up a package of push points — little triangles that will hold the pane in the frame. You'll just push those points right into the sides of the muntin bars. For a small pane of glass, use two points on each side of the glass around all four edges of the pane.

Now it's time for that bead of putty. Hold the putty knife at an angle and smooth the putty out in one motion to get an even line. Once it's dry, you can paint it.

To keep that glass crystal clear, don't clean it when the sun is shining on the window. The sun will cause the cleaner to dry too quickly, leaving streaks.

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