Glass replacement

[Boaty McBoaty]

Hi. Have various broken fixed porthole, opening porthole and hopper window glass pane. Do I have to replace whole porthole window units to fix or can the windows units be reglazed?? If so any suggestions where to get the glass from?? Thanks. 

[Tony Brooks]

Yes, you can re-glaze windows but the frame normally has to be taken apart. I expect you have to remove a screw or snap ring on proper portholes but if they are round  aluminum section  windows then the frame will have t be taken apart.

 

Take your triple checked dimensions to your local glazing company and they might cut laminated glass or  cut and get the glass toughened.

[BEngo]

There are two fraught parts to getting you window reglazed.

  The first is getting the frame out without distorting it.  Distortion means real difficulty getting a seal when refitting.  Much depends on how the builder fitted the windows.  If they used foam or butyl àqtape it will be much easier than if it was fitted with a bonding sealant.  Dig the fragile window frame out gently, very gently.  This is even worse if the windows are pop riveted in, because you have to drill out the rivets and they spin.

 

The second is dismantling the frame.  The screws are small, fit into very thin sections and are really only expected to be fitted once. Go really really carefully or you will bugger up the frame completely.

 

Other tips:

Take the window frames with you to the glass merchant, so they understand what is needed.

Get some new rubber sealing string for the glass to frame seal from Seals Direct or similar.

If there is a plastic cover trim over the screws renew that too.  It will shrink, so leave it long at the corners by at least 3 inches and trim to fit after 6 weeks.

 

Be prepared to repair the paint behind and around the window frames. Scratched paint plus water equals rust.

 

Refit the window with foam tape or butyl sealant tape between the window and the boat.  Silicone sealants do not last.

 

N

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Boaty McBoaty said:

Hi. Have various broken fixed porthole, opening porthole and hopper window glass pane.

 

Have you been vandalised ?

Breaking one window could just be 'clumsy' but breaking several is just silly.

[Boaty McBoaty]

Definitely vandalised unfortunately, all the windows/portholes down the shoreside. 
 

But thanks for all the guidance.  Does sound like quite a job to remove glass and replace but makes sense as if they were easy to get out/reinstall I guess breaking in would be much easier if someone wanted to be quiet/discrete etc and maybe cover their tracks for any reason …… 

Will most likely have to go via insurance I think and get someone in as don’t have the time to do it myself even if I had the tools/knowledge! 

 

[Mad Harold]

28 minutes ago, Boaty McBoaty said:

Definitely vandalised unfortunately, all the windows/portholes down the shoreside. 
 

But thanks for all the guidance.  Does sound like quite a job to remove glass and replace but makes sense as if they were easy to get out/reinstall I guess breaking in would be much easier if someone wanted to be quiet/discrete etc and maybe cover their tracks for any reason …… 

Will most likely have to go via insurance I think and get someone in as don’t have the time to do it myself even if I had the tools/knowledge! 

 

If you can get it done on your insurance fine.

As has been pointed out, it can be a very difficult job getting the frames out without bending them, but dismantling the frames to replace the glass and seal is an absolute swine of a job!

Done this with four windows, never again!

[BEngo]

If it is an insewerants job they will probably find it cheaper to buy and  replacement windows than to have the existing ones dismantled and  repaired.

The real experts in window removal etc. are the boat painters.

 

N

[Boaty McBoaty]

Ok, interesting. Haven’t contacted them yet so got to read policy first I think…….

[Machpoint005]

We had two windows (coach type windows, glass only) replaced on site by a tractor cab glazing company, some years ago. It did the job for the time being, but there was a small leak in one frame presumably because of distortion.

 

It wasn't an insurance job, but as far as I remember it wasn't ridiculously expensive.

 

[Boaty McBoaty]

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