Glazing a door may seem like a difficult job but it is more straightforward than you might think. These tips will help you to install glass into an external or internal door.
External doors
Fitting glass into an external door follows a similar process to fitting glass for an internal door, except that external doors use glazing tape in addition to beading, and the glass tends to be toughened for security and safety purposes. It is a good idea to choose double glazing for large panels.
Tips
Information is accurate at time of publishing, however, may be subject to change.
Tools Needed:
Punch Slotted screwdriver Pin hammer and pins Wood filler Silicone Sandpaper
Fitting Glass for Internal Doors These instructions assume that you have purchased an unglazed door with the apertures pre-cut.- Lay the door down flat and then apply silicone around the edges of the aperture where the glass needs to be fitted.
- Carefully place the pane of glass into the aperture and push down gently so that the glass sits evenly in the aperture. Apply more silicone to the edges of the glass on the upper side.
- Place beading into the edges and push down firmly to secure the pane. Wipe off any excess silicone.
- Install the panel pins, hammering them into the beading at a slight angle so that the pins go through the beading and into the frame, taking care not to contact the glass.
- Punch the pin heads into the beading.
- Carefully fill the pin holes with wood filler.
- Lightly sand the beading, then wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
- The door is now ready to paint or varnish.
- If the glass is to be fit at a low level then you may need to use toughened or laminated safety glass. Choose the kind of glass carefully. Opaque and patterned glass designs such as Costwold, Sycamore and Flemish glass are ideal for areas where privacy is important. Standard safety glass will suit areas where you want to let as much light into the room as possible.
- Measure the apertures carefully to make sure that you get the right size of glass for your door. Do not try to cut glass yourself, because this can be incredibly dangerous. When purchasing glass, confirm that it is suitable for use in the kind of door that it will be fitted to.