Federal Way, WA offers its community members a wide variety of local adventures, from the Knutzen Family Theater to the Hanwoori Korean festival. If you’re not catching a thrill at Wild Waves Theme Park or soaking up the sun at Steel Lake Park, then you’re hopefully enjoying a nice, sunny day at home.

Imagine you’re lounging on your couch. You’ve just cracked the spine of your most anticipated new book release, and as you finally start to relax with a glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade, you hear a big thud against your door. Whether it was a pebble tossed from a lawnmower, a falling tree branch or a thrown baseball, you now have a cracked glass door — so much for a relaxing day!

Luckily, you’re in Federal Way. The pleasant weather and limited snow make your glass door repair easier than your snow-booted, parka-wearing, cross-country peers. If you find yourself with a broken glass door in Federal Way, fear not! We’ve put together a handy guide on everything you need to consider before and after repairing it to help the entire process go off without a hitch. 

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What To Know Before Starting A Glass Door Repair

First things first — you need to make sure you have the correct tools. Safety is one of the most important aspects of handling broken glass, so you’ll want to wear protective gloves and goggles. Other tools you’ll want in your toolkit are painter’s tape, a utility knife, a chisel or small pry bar, ¾-inch finishing nails, a razor, glazing compound (or caulk or sealant, depending on your desire) and paint with a paintbrush if needed. 

Tape off the remaining glass in the window pane with painter’s tape in order to safely remove the sheet of glass. To remove the window panel's frame, use a razor blade to cut through the paint and any old putty, and use your pry bar to remove the wooden stops. Be careful not to chip off the paint or else you’ll have to repaint after the replacement, which is common. 

Carefully remove the broken glass and dispose of it correctly so you don’t harm your waste management pickup crew. The old glazing in your door pane opening needs to be completely scraped out before any new glass can be installed. This can prove to be a tedious task. The older the putty, the harder it is going to be to scrape out. Get comfortable with the chisel and break down the putty to create a clean space for the replacement glass.

Before you get your replacement glass, you also need to ensure you take proper measurements. This step is incredibly important. Accurate and precise measurements of your door pane and replacement glass that needs to be fitted must be spot on, or you will risk starting the project over and having to purchase a new replacement glass. 

All window frames are going to expand or contract in response to the weather outside. With this in mind, you’ll want to take your measurements when the weather is warmer and dryer for the most accurate measuring.

Measure the full width and height of the pane frame opening to the nearest 1/16 of an inch. Subtract 1/8 inch from the smallest dimension on both the width and height to allow for expansion and contraction of the frame. When the frame swells in warm weather and contracts in the cold, correct measurements will ensure that your glass is properly fitted and sealed.

Once the proper measurements have been taken, you’ll want to order and pick up your replacement glass.

Steps to Repairing Glass Doors

Since you’ve prepared by removing the old glass and glazing, you can now add a thick bead of new glazing compound around the pane opening, either through a single pane or the entire frame. 

Press the new glass into the compound and secure it with glazing points. Do it very carefully and without pressing too hard on the glass. Otherwise, you potentially risk breaking the replacement glass. Use the edge of your putty knife to press the glazing points firmly into the wooden pane.

Reattach the wooden stops of the pane frame with wire brad nails. For a secure fit, you’ll want a nail set and hammer to tap the brads below the wood’s surface to avoid the wood coming loose. Once all the components are in place, scrape away any excess glazing compound.

Let KC Window & Glass Handle Your Glass Door Repair in Federal Way

Repairing and replacing a glass door can be a complicated process. There is a long list of steps that should be taken, specific components to purchase and accurate measurements required to complete a glass repair properly. If you are looking for a partner to help ensure that your glass door window repair goes smoothly and lasts a long time, leave it to the professionals at KC Window & Glass.

If you find yourself confused around low-E, soft coat, hard coat, glazing compound, U-factor, SHGC and other window-related buzzwords, rest assured that our experts have all the answers and advice you need to make the right choice for your glass door repair. We repair, replace and service interior and exterior glass doors, including both sliding and French doors. Whether your door is sticking when opened, your glass is fogging up or a ball has gone straight through the middle, we can make your door look as good as new.

The best part? We can also help you save money on your utility bills with some of our energy-efficient options. When you’re dealing with broken glass, time is not on your side. So let’s get you back to relaxing in Federal Way with that book and a sparkling glass of lemonade. With just a little information and a few rough measurements, we can get you a quote within two business days. 

What are you waiting for? With a wide range of solutions available in Federal Way, let KC Window & Glass take care of you.