Thread: Correct way to glaze windows

I think it was an old way of doing it so the putty made a weather proof seal, rather than having a bead of timber exposed.

Now with silicone it wouldnt matter which side it was done from.

Al

Some modern aluminium windows are glazed the other way around.

With the old timber windows, it's probably as Al says. I also think it looks better having the solid mullion inside and the putty/glazing bead outside.

if the putty leaks as it will if it deteriates then the water will drain to the outside. Also wind pressure does not push on the putty.

Is it OK to glaze with silicone rather than putty? So, no glazing bead, no putty, just silicone? and does it look OK?

alot of glaziers use silicone as the backing putty(ie on the inside) then use proper putty on the outside.
If you use silicone on the outside you cant paint it and it is very hard to get a good finish ie smooth
You could use coloured silicone. Commercial glazing is often done like this.
Black is the usual colour and probably handles UV better than other colours. But it is very hard to get an even finish on the bead and takes a very skilled hand.

The best way to get a good looking bead is to run the bead where you want the silicone, then spray with diswashing detergent.

Once you have done this, wipe off the excess silicone.

The detergent prevents it sticking so it is only where you ran the bead.

Not sure how well it will work on glass or an the presumably large bead you will have.

Cheers, Jack.

Originally Posted by Jack E

The best way to get a good looking bead is to run the bead where you want the silicone, then spray with diswashing detergent.

Cheers, Jack.

Good old fashioned spit (saliva) does the same job but is cheaper
The glass is fitted from the outside because the rebate which the glass is fitted into is formed on the opposite side to the moulded edge which is faced towards the inside of the room because it looks better that way

Spit does work on small applications.
The problem with spit is that you put it on your finger then wipe off the excess silicone.
The silicone you wipe can still stick to the surrounding surface where there was no spit.
If you spray detergent, the silicone only sticks where the bead was run.
In the process of wiping off the excess you will undoubtedly wipe some silicone on the surrounding surface. if it can't stick there you will have a better looking bead.

Cheers, Jack

Spit, water, whatever. Unlike detergent, it won't have to be cleaned off for a successful finish to be applied. Anyway, it is, at the least, a viable option to yours is it not?

I guess spraying water may work.
My point against spit is that it stops the silicone sticking to your finger, it doesn't stop it sticking to the surrounding surface.
I have had a few plumbers and tilers doing work at my place recently and they all swear by the detergent method.

Cheers, Jack.

I wouldn't even bother trying to form a decent looking bead with silicone to glaze a window. You'll muck around all day and still not get it right. Putty is hard enough. If you don't want to use putty, put a bead of silicone around the rebate, put in the glass, then nail on a timber bead. I used to repair all wooden windows this way unless the customer specifically wanted putty.

Originally Posted by silentC

If you don't want to use putty, put a bead of silicone around the rebate, put in the glass, then nail on a timber bead. I used to repair all wooden windows this way unless the customer specifically wanted putty.

I'd never even heard of using a timber bead before. It's wonderful what one can learn on these forums. Would you finish the gap off with a bit of acrylic sealant?

I've just reglazed 6 old casements windows each with 6 glass panels, it was a lot of puttying. A mate gave me the drum that the key to putty is to get it to the right consistency by working it in your hand until it warms up a bit. Without that, I found it would not stick at all well.

I think a timber bead always looks better than putty and paint....crisper lines uno....and painting thin glazing bars is fiddly (at least for me)

I was taught to roll a bead of putty, run it along the angle and then flatten it on the glass with a scraper to a couple of mm thick before tapping a timber bead into place. A quick trim of the excess putty with the scraper and Bob's yer mater's sibling.

Makes it a lot simpler when come time to paint and putty's easier to clean up than silicone.