Glass installation tips, advice and of course great pricing!
From time to time, you might want to consider replacing your glass windows, doors, patio walls, and or tub/shower enclosures. Doing this is something a lot of homeowners overlook because they believe glass items only need replacing when something gets broken.
The fact is new glass items can be used to decorate and change the look of your home. In the long run, certain glass features can add value to your home should you ever decide to refinance your home or put your home up for sale.
Since buying and installing new glass windows and doors is not something you would do on a regular basis, you might find some tips on the process to be very useful. With that in mind, here are some things you should consider as you move forward with your Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project.
Choosing your Glass Materials
Before you start your search for the right glass materials, you need to make certain safety, energy efficiency, and decoration decisions.
As for safety, there are glass options that are safer than others. If maximizing safety in and around your home is a high priority, the right decision would be to go with a tempered glass solution. When broken, this type of glass does not create sharp and jagged edges.
As for energy efficiency, we live in a time when energy (electric) costs are always on the rise. To optimize energy efficiency, you might want to go with a Low-emissivity (Low-E) glass or insulated glass. By eliminating harmful UV rays from the sun from entering your home, you can gain control over the temperature of your home. That would likely result in lower heating/air conditioning costs.
Your last consideration might be about going with a fun DIY glass installation idea that includes decorative glass panels. You will find you have access to beveled glass pieces, coloured glass panels, textured and patterned glass, and speckled/frosted/fluted glass options.
Pricing Considerations
Once you have an idea of which direction you want to go, pricing will quickly become your top concern. We can assure you the cost is going to go higher as you choose more decorative options. However, there are price control measures you can take.
Here are a few ways you can control the cost of your DIY installation process:
- Buy pre-cut panels directly from a glass manufacturer
- Buy larger panels wholesale and cut your own pieces (best suited for experienced glass installers)
- Buy other installation hardware and tools from wholesalers
- Do as much of the work as you can yourself
- If you live in or around Montreal, you might want to buy your glass materials wholesale and have it cut and polished by a top Montreal glass installer
Tips on the Glass Installation Process
With your glass materials and tools in hand, it would be time to go through the installation process. If you have never tackled a fun Do-It-Yourself glass installation project, we suggest you proceed with caution but do have fun.
We are not going to take you through a step-by step installation process because the process differs based on a number of different factors. That list of factors includes:
- Type of project: window, door, tub enclosure, patio wall
- The types of glass and wood materials you would be working with
- The size or sizes of the locations where the glass is to be installed
- Cost restrictions
During the installation process, you would have a variety of installation choices. The list of choices would be:
- Full-frame for window installations (replacing entire window with frame)
- Pocket for window installation (replacing a panel while leaving the original frame intact)
- Frameless, semi-frameless, full-frame, and hybrid glass shower door installation options
- Full-door for interior and exterior doors
- Glass panel replacement into an existing door frame
If you were to choose one of the glass panel replacement options, you could choose from one of three sealing options:
- Installation of retaining clips to hold panels in place (could result in minor glass rattling when opening or closing the window
- Glazing points or putty
- Silicone caulking (most expensive and aesthetically looking option
The most important thing to consider if you are doing the installation yourself is to check and double-check window/door and glass measurements to ensure you are going to get a proper fit.
Hiring of Glass Installers
If you get a sense that the project you are about to tackle is beyond your capabilities, don’t feel bad. Glass installing projects can get a little tricky. There is nothing wrong with hiring professional glass installers. They are far less likely to make installation errors and far more likely to leave a finished product that looks exactly the way you want it to look.
Yes, this option would be a bit more expensive. But remember, you can still purchase your glass materials wholesale and save some money in the process.
