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How to Replace Insulating Glass: Step-by-Step Pictures and Instructions

Read an overview of three ways to fix a broken or fogged-up double-pane or Thermopane window.

By Art Rooze and Duane Johnson
From The Family Handyman
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1. Take out the screws that secure two diagonally opposite corners. Leave the other two corners fastened to help you reassemble the frame squarely.


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2. Tap the frame loose from the gasket and glass with a wooden block and hammer. Be careful not to mar or damage the frame. Use a piece of old carpeting if necessary.


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3. Remove the old gasket and wrap it around the edges of the new insulating glass unit. Then push the frame pieces back together around the gasket, tapping it tight with a hammer if necessary.


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4. Seal any gaps in the corners with a small bead of clear neutral-cure silicone to keep out water.


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5. Pry out the stops with a thin pry bar or thin-blade putty knife. Usually you’ll need to begin at the top, then do the sides and finally the bottom.


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6. Flip the window over and slice through the tape bond with a thin, flexible putty knife or a utility knife. If you can’t slide the knife in, you’ll probably have to break out the glass.


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7. Lay the new tape in place after you scrape the old tape and adhesive from the frame and clean off any remaining adhesive with paint thinner or solvent.


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8. Position the glass against the setting blocks and drop it in place. Take care: Once the glass touches the tape, it adheres and can’t be adjusted. For accurate placement of a glass panel larger than the one shown, lean the frame against a wall and have a helper steady the frame while you set the bottom edge in place, then tip the panel into the frame. After the glass is in place, replace the stops and caulk any gaps at the corners with clear silicone.


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9. Pry off the stops with a thin pry bar and/or stiff putty knives. Work them off gradually to avoid breaking them and damaging the frame.


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10. Flip the window over and try to cut the caulk with a utility knife. Sometimes the caulk is weak, and the glass comes free. But usually it won’t, and you’ll have to break the glass.


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11. Turn the window over again, cover the glass with cardboard and smash it as close to the frame as possible with a hammer. Wear goggles, a dust mask and leather gloves for safety.


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12. Pry the glass out piece by piece. If the frame shows signs of cracking or chipping, use a heat gun to soften the adhesive. Then scrape and clean the edges. Keep the worksurface clean or padded so you don’t damage the frame surfaces.


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13. Apply a bead of clear neutral-cure silicone to the frame and drop in the new insulated glass. Make sure any setting blocks are properly positioned. Then run a thin bead of caulk along the backside of the stops and tack them in place with 3/4-in. brads spaced every 6 in. Let excess caulk dry, then scrape it off with a razor scraper.


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