Author Topic: glazing old window sash  (Read 29868 times)

Offline rex

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glazing old window sash
« on: April 21, 2008, 06:36:06 PM »
I have been having a problem for  a few years now since I am using mostly acrylic exterior paints. I paint alot of old homes that still have the old single pane divided lite windows. They usually require some new glazing compound to repair what has eroded or fallen out. Sometimes the windows need extensive glazing. In the old days we would simply paint over the fresh putty with linseed oil paint(or in the very beginning of my painting career, lead based paint) :o  Now with the predominant use of acrylic paints I have been experiencing alot of problems painting over fresh putty. The paint always dries all alligatored and full of splits. I am afraid of a lack of adhesion over top of the oily putty also.  I have tried all sorts of primers to no avail. I am aware that the best approach is to allow the putty to dry thoroughly for a week or even longer, but this approach is very impractical. Does anyone here have any good solutions?  What do you use for glazing putty?  Is there anything available that is acrylic in a putty form?  I have tried the acrylic glazing in the caulking tubes and dont like it at all. Its messy and doesnt yield nice results.. With the summer painting season looming I need something that will work for me.... :-\

Offline Lynjowoman

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2008, 07:07:23 PM »
Rex

I haven't glazed windows in while now but I always prime over the new glazing with an oil base primer. Then paint over it with a good acrylic paint with no problems.

Of course as you said a week of drying is best, but I have glazed, primed & painted all in 1 day. If you could let it dry a couple of days it would be better. Thank goodness most people around here are replacing the old glazed windows.   ;D

Lynjo
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Jared

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2008, 07:28:05 PM »
Yep, that's how I do it as well.  I also dislike the acrylic glazing sludge.  Not only is it not fun to work with, but in my experience, it just doesn't cure hard enough to last when you've got a thick bead of glaze.

I tend to use CoverStain on the oil-based putty type of glaze, and I always try to allow as much dry time as possible before priming it...  but as Lynjo says, it can be done in one day.

Offline rmichael

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2008, 10:27:13 PM »
Yeah, I agree, CoverStain or solvent Kilz before the acrylic paint seems to do a pretty good job of bridging the glaze... and  I agree with Lyn... glazing a house full of 12 over 12s aint no fun...  :-\  ;)
Pro Painter 30 years ~ Down East Coastal NC

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Offline rex

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2008, 05:05:57 PM »
LOL..........I dont really enjoy scraping out and reglazing all those old windows either, but it gives us work. :)  Sometimes the really bad windows (12 lite) get estimated @ 3 hrs each, for scraping, puttying, priming and one finish coat.  Multiply that by 15 or 20..........plus all the other trim....... :o. No wonder some of exterior paint jobs on even the small to medium sized houses cost $5,000 +. We did one last year that we had to replace 75 broken window panes, and refit and plane down all the french windows to get them to close.  Plus the house was 35 ft to the peaks on the gables..........6 sections of scaffolding high.  We scaffolded each side of the house completely and sprayed as much as we could from the scaffolding, and did al;l of our window repairs from the scaffolding.  $35,000 for that job.......8 weeks labor for 3 men.   Needless to say the house was a mess when we started, now its a show place. ;D

Vin

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2008, 05:44:49 PM »
I have glazed thousands of windows did a whole school once but we didn't do the painting , worst part is whacking out the old glaze that was some tough stuff they used in the old days and my thumb knuckles took a beating whacken my hand with a hammer all day long weeks on end, hated that job!!!!!

Offline BrushJockey

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2008, 08:24:55 PM »
I know it's a little late, Vin, but the secret to removing old glaze is a heat gun....

Sorry bout yer knuckles!
"It would be ludicrous to think I'm new to this, I know this, this is what I do"  ( Prince and Geo Clinton..)

Offline chrisn

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2008, 04:19:46 AM »
I know it's a little late, Vin, but the secret to removing old glaze is a heat gun....

How do you go about NOT breaking existing glass with this ethod? ???

Offline BrushJockey

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2008, 06:16:16 AM »
Don't get it too hot. The glazing softens under heat.
"It would be ludicrous to think I'm new to this, I know this, this is what I do"  ( Prince and Geo Clinton..)

Offline Fred

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2008, 02:41:34 PM »
we've used this with great success
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/andmore_home/andmore_greatgadgets/99986.aspx?feature=Product_98
 And yes we use cover stain also
We don't pick the color, we just put them on......

Offline rex

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2008, 08:23:30 PM »
does that Prazi putty chaser work ok?  Ive seen them but figured they were just another gadget to stuff away in my toolbox.  I have used cover stain on top of putty and sometimes it works nicely, and sometimes the putty is too greasy, and the cover stain kinda melts into the putty and doesnt seal it properly.  It seems like the most trouble that I encounter is when the putty is too soft and oily........when its a less oily it seems to react better to the primers. 

 I was hoping that some company(DAP maybe?) would come up with an acrylic putty with the same consistency as oil based putty. Anyone know of any products like this?

Offline rmichael

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2008, 08:50:56 PM »
Try sprinkling some talcum powder onto the ball of glaze (and knead it in ) before laying it in and tooling... but be careful too much powder and the putty will curl up around your knife...  :)
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Vin

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2008, 11:15:17 PM »
I know it's a little late, Vin, but the secret to removing old glaze is a heat gun....

Sorry bout yer knuckles!


Bj we had to use air chisels to get that stuff out real old and extremely hardened, no time for heating thousands of windows removed and reglaze new ones 4 weeks at least  :-X


Take a golf ball size and keep rolling it in the palms of your hands it will warm up and be easier to spread using the thumb only to push it up in the window frame, OH watch out for small pieces of the old wind glaze and glass that cuts the fangers  :P
« Last Edit: April 24, 2008, 11:17:17 PM by Vin »

Offline jade

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2008, 01:23:07 PM »
arghhh!  blasphemy!!!  i am a window restorer by trade and bristle at the suggestion that replacing old windows is a good thing.... :o :o

the best practice for repair of cracked glazing putty is, of course, to remove ALL the putty, glass and putty bedding....alas customers may not want to (or cannot afford to)go to that expense...may i suggest that you:  remove crumbling putty that comes out easily, prime remaining area with cover stain, apply putty*, wait a week*, prime with cover stain and paint as usual...

*aqua glaze is difficult to work with--there's a learning curve--but can be painted in a couple of hours...the label says 'sterling-clark' but the product is now made and distributed by savogran..

*UGL glazol is similar to old traditional putties with added chemicals for drying and bonding...the manufacturer suggests it can be primed with an oil based primer in 24 hours and water based primer in 7 days....i waited three days, primed with oil, 2 finish coats of acrylic paint and the oils 'burped' the paint right off...


*many window restorers use a product called 'sarco, type m'...it is very much like traditional putty, skins over in 3-4 days for priming...it's only available through the manufacturer in chicago at 800-969-7889...though they advertise 1,2,3,4 & 5 gallon containers, they usually only have 4 &5's available...

old wood windows rock!! :-*
...jade

Offline MiTm

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Re: glazing old window sash
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2008, 05:04:05 PM »
From the posts I gather that everyone dislikes latex glaze. I have read
however, that it is easier to tool and  does not crack/split like oil-based glaze. The DAP product can be primed/painted in three days.
I have found that the DAP product made several years ago allowed for a much smoother appearance, while the new DAP latex glaze tends toward the crumbly side, a definite turn-off. The latex glaze that I've used has held up well though I'd say an oil-based product will adhere
better to a broken surface.
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