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I've got an old steel patio door with double-pane glass, and one side of the glass has many cracks in it. I'm afraid it's about to fall out at any moment.

We have long-term plans to replace the entire door unit, but we're not there yet, so I'm looking for the cheapest workable solution to having the existing door function as a door (I don't care if the solution leads to fogging between the panes).

I'm thinking about replacing the broken piece of glass with plexiglass. There's a rubber spline on either side of the glass that appears to be holding the glass in.

How likely is it that I can remove that spline, remove the broken pane of glass, insert a piece of plexiglass, and re-insert the spline, while the spacer and second pane stays in place? Or is there a better option?

Here is a photo of actual cracking (the original photo was meant to show the spline). There's a darkening film over the window, or pieces would have already fallen out.

Spline Edge enter image description here

isherwood
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Travis
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4 Answers4

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In any case, a dual-pane sealed unit (normal for glass doors and most modern windows) does not easily give up the remains of a broken pane - the edges are glued firmly to the spacer separating the two panes.

If you do actually have cracks, or are concerned with the glass falling out in shards, applying a clear stick-on membrane as used for hurricane and vandal resistance would be a better bet than trying to remove a pane from a sealed unit. That will hold all the bits of glass in place, even if it is actually broken.

Ecnerwal
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I would overlay acrylic sheet with permanent double-sided foam tape around the edges of the broken pane. This will encapsulate the broken glass for safety and provide some measure of insulation value.

isherwood
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I agree with the window film. If replacements not in the budget right now then that would be the best way to keep everything safe until you can get it replaced. They make an opaque window film that is thicker than regular window tint. It's easy to apply you just peel the backing back a few inches to adhere it to the top of the slider and then slowly peel it back as you go down gently pressing it on to the glass. If you peel The backing off all at once you're going to have problems of it sticking to itself or to the glass where you don't want it to. I've used this technique in the past few times on insulated windows as a temporary fix to keep it safe and prevent the glass from breaking more.

Shawn O'Neil
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You can replace the cracked glass with plexiglass as a temporary solution. Carefully remove the rubber spline holding the glass, then take out the broken pane and fit the plexiglass in its place. After that, reinsert the spline to hold everything together. Just keep in mind that this fix might not seal as well as the original glass, so watch for any fogging. When you are ready, consider replacing the entire door for a better long-term solution. But, its better to get professional help for this.

Able Glass
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