Patch a broken window

If you’ve ever broken a window after 5pm on a weekday or perhaps on the weekend during a game of backyard cricket, you’ll know that glass repair companies charge a pretty penny outside of business hours.  Now, you might have insurance, but who wants to lose their no claim bonus for a little window repair?

Most of the time the after-hours glazier will fix the window completely for you, however, sometimes it isn’t possible and replacement glass will need to be ordered. In these cases the glazier will patch your window and return when the glass is ready. The patch job can cost up to $140 and the replacement job anywhere from $180 up to $700. When you hear how easy it is to do it yourself, you’ll definitely want to keep that money in your pocket.

First work out if a patch is OK to use. Generally, a patch is suitable in cases where the hole in the window is smaller than 50 per cent of the total window and were a sufficient amount of glass is still secured in the frame.

Some sliding doors have laminated glass in them, if the glass in your door is cracked but the glass is holding well together it is probably laminated and does not require immediate replacement, it will hold together just fine and is quite secure, just don’t allow anyone to touch the pane of glass.

To make a patch that is secure you will need a scrap piece of wood, metal, glass, plastic or anything else that is flat and slightly bigger than the hole in the glass you will also need a tube of silicone or some other suitable adhesive and some strong adhesive tape.

Firstly remove all loose pieces of glass away from the window, then apply adhesive around the hole, making sure there is some on all shards of glass still in the window, next carefully press your patch onto the adhesive (this is easier with two people).

Lastly you will want to tape around all the edges of your patch, making sure it is securely attached to the window – also tape along any cracks with masking tape.

Finally, take a rough measurement of the window to tell the glazier or an exact measurement if you intend to fix it yourself. Now that your window is secure you can continue your game of cricket and give someone a call during  business hours to get your glass replaced.

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Choosing the right glass

Using the right glass for the right job is the most important part. Check out the post on choosing the right glass to make sure you’re using the right type and thickness.

Using safety gear

When handling glass safety should be your first priority and the first thing you need to check is the edges, when glass is first cut the edge is very sharp, if the glass you’re handling has clean cut (sharp edges) then gloves are essential – one slip with this stuff and you will slice your hands.

Gloves should be thick enough to prevent the glass cutting through to your hand, yet flexible enough that you can feel the glass to know if its slipping. If you’re going to be doing a number of glass jobs it could be worth getting your hands on a pair of gauntlets (no, not that thing a knight throws down to initiate a duel) these are glazier’s gauntlets – each one is a foot long piece of fabric or leather that wraps around your forearm and usually has tough reinforcement on the palm side. They are designed to protect your arteries from broken glass, if you can’t get hold of some then welding gloves are OK and at the very least you should wear a thick long sleeved shirt, and maybe stuff a piece of cardboard under it.

If the glass you’re working with has blunt edges (this can be done by the glazier when you order the glass) then gloves are not as important, although you should wear whatever feels comfortable.

Carrying glass

Small pieces of glass, no matter what the edge is like, should be held with two hands and kept away from your body. If the glass is bigger than a large book then it should be held at your side with one hand underneath and one hand holding and balancing the top. The reason for this is that you should be able to remove your hands quickly and safely if the glass breaks, throwing the glass away from you. Never hold glass above your head or tuck it under your arm, if it breaks you’ll be in the way! Always be aware of the glass you’re holding, making sure you don’t hit the edges on anything. One knock in the right spot and it can sometimes break easily.

Also be careful of wind, it can be the glaziers worst enemy, if you’re not comfortable picking up a piece on your own, find someone to help you or consider calling in a professional.

A lot of the glass you’re likely to be handling these days is safety glass, the two main types being laminated and toughened, if you follow my advice above it is almost impossible to seriously harm yourself using this stuff, compared to standard glass, which can break into sharp pieces.

I hope this has taken away some of the fear of working with glass, after all last time you broke a drinking glass did you phone a professional to pick it up for you? Of course not, so why is it the first thing everyone does when a window breaks? If you use your common sense, choose the right glass and take things slowly, you’ll be fine. Just don’t touch the sharp bits!

If you have any questions drop me a line below.

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Choosing the right silicone

Always use a neutral cure silicone when gluing mirrors. Acidic cure silicone will degrade the back of your mirror and lead to black spots over time. If you’re not sure, just ask your local hardware store to point out the right type.

What’s the difference between wet and non-wet areas?

Wet areas are slippery – so there’s a higher risk of someone falling into the mirror in your bathroom or laundry, compared to say your lounge room.This is why mirrors in wet areas need to be installed in a different way to those in non-wet areas. The mirror in a wet area needs to be installed properly so that if it breaks, it stays together and doesn’t break into shards that could cause serious injury.

How to install a mirror safely.

Non-wet areas

When I install mirrors in a non-wet area wall I use blobs of silicone, roughly the size of a fifty cent coin and as thick my thumb, the blobs should be spaced approximately 200mm apart across the full height and width of the mirror.  Using blobs in this way creates more suction, which holds the mirror in place until the silicone goes off (or sets), usually making mirror tape unnecessary.

How to apply glue for a non-wet area job

If you apply the silicone in the way I describe above, it should hold the mirror to the wall, however, care must be taken to support the bottom edge until the silicone has set otherwise it will start sliding down the wall. If there is a solid object below the mirror, like a bench, use a piece of cardboard between the mirror and the object until the silicone sets. If there is nothing to rest it on, use some temporary props like timber to hold it in place. Neutral cure silicone usually takes 24 hours to fully cure (or set), always check your tube for recommended curing times.I

If you’re worried about the mirror falling of the wall while the silicone cures, there are double sided tapes you can use in conjunction with silicone. Never use this stuff on it’s own – it’s only meant to hold the mirror until the silicone sets. Make sure the tape is suitable for mirrors.

Never glue a mirror to the ceiling (I wont ask why you want a mirror on your ceiling, but its a very dangerous idea). There are safe ways to fix mirrors to a ceiling but this is something best left to a competent professional glazier.

Mirrors in a wet area
According to the Australian Standards all glass that is to be used in wet areas must be Grade A safety glass, this includes mirrors. Only mirrors with a full backing of vinyl or similar are classed as Grade A but gluing vinyl does not work, the silicone does not adhere to vinyl properly and so this only leaves mechanical fixings like clips or dome covered screws, however there is a way around this.

It involves gluing the mirror in a special way were instead of blobs you use lines. The technique accepted by the Australian Standards is to use lines of neutral cure silicone, as follows:

1. Starting 50mm from one side of the mirror run a 5mm thick continuous bead vertically from the top of the mirror to the bottom.
2. Continue this every 70mm till you reach the other side of the mirror.

How to apply glue for wet area jobs

From here, to install the mirror, use the same process as described above. The lines of silicone, when dry act as a complete backing that hold the mirror together if it breaks.

The post How to install a mirror safely appeared first on GlassShop.com.au.

I’ll provide more detail in future posts, but these tips will give you an idea of the things to consider, if you’re not sure, please ask a professional glazier in your area for advice or drop me a line.

Have a think about where the glass will be installed – is it near a door? Could someone easily fall through it and get hurt? The glass industry has a set of Australian Standards, which outline the minimum requirements for creating a safe place to live or work when installing glass. They’re pretty detailed and a professional glazier can give you a hand if you have a tricky question, or just leave a comment below and I’ll get back you.

These pointers cover off the basics – I’ll provide more detailed information in future posts.

• Windows – should they be 3mm or 4mm?

Recently there was a change to the Australian Standards and now 3mm annealed glass is only to be used in residential windows were the pane size (each individual piece of glass) is less than 0.85 square meters, most residential windows over that size are to be glazed in 4mm glass.

• So, are all windows OK to be 4mm glass if they are glazed? 

No, any spot that’s risky, where someone might fall into the glass should not be in 3 or 4 mm annealed (glazed) glass. That includes doors, low light windows (close to the ground), highlights (pieces above doors), sidelights (pieces next to doors) and sliding doors. These should not under any circumstances use 3 or 4mm glass – it’s just not a safe option. Again, if you’re not sure, drop a comment below.

Other tips:

• Low light windows: A window close to the ground that someone could kick their foot through or a child could run into – usually I recommend you use 5mm, unless the piece is above 1.2 square meters, then we’d look at other ways to make it safe.

• Doors: All doors must be made from Grade A Safety Glass, this includes door highlights (above the door) and sidelights (you guessed it, to the side of the door) as well as any widow less than 300mm from the non-hinge side of a door.

• Sliding doors or patio doors: All must use Grade A Safety Glass.

What is Grade A Safety Glass?

In Australia, Grade A Safety Glass means either toughened (tempered) or laminated glass.

• Toughened Glass: This is the stuff in the side windows of cars, it has undergone a heat process and is slightly stronger but most importantly it breaks into small square pieces usually about 1cm square which is safer than the big shards left when annealed glass breaks. Toughened glass usually comes with a small stamp etched on to one of the corners of the panel, though if you’re ordering a small piece from your supplier you may not get the big with this stamp on it.

• Laminated Glass: Laminated glass is actually two pieces of glass stuck together with an interlayer, this is the stuff in windscreens and it breaks in the same way as annealed glass however the interlayer holds all the broken pieces together.

As I mentioned above, this is just a very basic introduction to the Australian Standards, if you’re not sure what to use, please get in touch or contact your local glazier. Whilst I encourage you to have a go at installing glass jobs yourself, it’s worth it to have a chat to your supplier before you order, to make sure your choosing the right glass for the job.

You’ll be glad you did.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanghaidaddy/3208106453/sizes/m/in/photostream/

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Mirrored glass is made by taking flat glass and coating one side with a reflective coating, which is mostly made from silver, it’s usually then painted over multiple times.

After the coating process is finished the large sheet of mirrored, or silver glass, is then processed in the same way as any other glass. It can be cut down to size and the edges can be processed in a number of ways, from simply removing the sharp edge (arrissing), flat polishing or bevelling.

There are a couple of guidelines to follow when choosing the right mirror. The following guidelines are my recommendations, based on the Australian Standards for mirrors in buildings.

What thickness of mirror should I use?

• Use 3mm if the mirror is less than 1 square meter
• Use 4mm if the mirror under 2 square meters
• Use 6mm if the mirror is bigger than 2 square meters or if you would simply like the look of a thicker mirror.

What if my mirror is in a wet area? For example, a bathroom, laundry or next to a pool/spa?

According to the Australian Standards mirrors that are to be used in a wet area must be either vinyl backed or completely adhered to a surface, this means if the mirror breaks all the pieces are held together. I will do a how to install mirrors page soon.

Different types of mirror
Although most mirrors are on clear glass, mirrored glass comes in a range of colours like grey, bronze, green and blue.

Mirrored splashbacks

Recently mirrored splashbacks have started to be used  in kitchens and bathrooms, however, it can’t be ordinary or toughen mirror. The heat process that is used to temper, or toughen, ordinary glass ruins the silver coating and this type of mirror also cracks when exposed to heat during use.

The way around this is to use one-way mirror glass, as it has a special coating that reflects light – this coating can survive the toughening process. After the glass is toughened a special glass paint is applied to the coated side of the glass. The end product is a piece of glass very close to a standard mirror, this toughened mirror usually looks a bit darker than standard mirror and can also have slight imperfections that come from the toughening process.

Edgework on mirrors
The edges of mirrored glass, like any glass, can be processed in a number of ways, or if the mirror is to be framed, the edges can be left raw (sharp).

• Arris: The easiest and usually cheapest way to finish the edge of a mirror is called arrissing, this is a process done on a vertical wet belt sanding machine, it simply removes the sharp edge.
• Flat grind: This is usually done on a big machine called a straight line edger, it is a perfectly flat edge with a slight chamfer on the corners, it has a matt finish.
• Flat polish: A flat polish is also done on a straight line edger and it is a highly polished edge that shines in the light.
• Bevelling: Beveling is the process of grinding from the edge into the face of the glass/mirror, it can be done at different measurements from 5mm to 30mm, after grinding the edge is then highly polished, giving the mirror the appearance of a silver border, beveling is very expensive, it also weakens the edge of the mirror by making it thinner.

Thank you for reading all about mirrors, I’ll go into more detail in future posts and will also provide some tips on installing mirrors yourself.

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Thankfully you don’t need to understand it’s chemical structure to work with it, but you may find a bit of advice along the way helpful, which is where this blog comes in.

A glass pool table as featured on http://www.wired.com

I’ll share some of the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the past seven years, working as a professional glazier. I hope to demystify this clever material that seems to be used for just about anything, even pool tables, and help you make use of it, whether you’re renovating or just doing a simple repair job.

Over time I’ll cover off all sorts of topics, from fixing a broken window, to installing a frame-less shower screen, to making your own picture frames and fish tanks, or using the right adhesive to attach mirrors and much more. I’ll also be on the look out for great glass projects to share with you from around the world.

As a domestic and commercial glazier I have been lucky enough to work with all kinds of glass from 2mm used in picture frames all the way up to the 19mm custom-laminated, digital-printed glass. With this blog I’m hoping to help out any one who wants to know a bit more about glass and how to best use this wonderful material.

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The golden rules of glazing

The first rule applies to a lot of DIY projects – measure twice cut once. This is especially important with glass as unfortunately you can’t easily cut a few millimeters off glass and it doesn’t like to bend, whether your cutting it yourself or ordering it from a glass shop, always check it twice.

The next golden rule of glazing is don’t let glass touch metal, if you’re repairing a timber window then the glass can be placed straight on the wood, but there should always be something between the glass and any metal on the frame, you could use rubber gasket, silicone, double sided tape, putty or plastic bead.

Another important thing is to make sure you are putting the right glass in the window, this varies from country to country, if you live in Australia check out my choosing the right glass page, if not check your local building standards.

OK so you have a broken timber window (I’ll explain other types of windows in future posts) the first thing you want to do is put on your safety gear, check out my handling glass safely page, then you want to clear away any broken shards from the area. When removing broken glass from a window always start from the top, being very careful not to accidentally touch any sharp bits, stay calm and focused while doing this, it’s a moment of panic that will cut you. If you have a glass cutter it’s helpful to make cuts in the broken glass, making small triangles and removing one piece at a time. For stubborn pieces lightly tap them with a hammer whilst holding the piece that you want to remove in your gloves. Never force a piece free, that’s a sure fire way to get cut.

Once you have removed all the broken glass, unless you’re very lucky, there will be a lot of putty still left in the rebate, professional glaziers use a special tool to remove this called a hacking knife, for the DIY-er an old chisel will do the job. Lightly tap the chisel with your hammer being careful to only remove the putty and not gauging into the wood. There will also be small diamond shaped metal glazing sprigs or small nails in the side rebate, these hold the glass in place, remove them completely as well.

So you should now have a clean rebate. If you haven’t already, measure the size for your glass and either cut it or order it. Make sure you check three points when you measure, for both the height and the width, some windows will be bowed or made out of square (in other words crooked!), make sure your glass is going to fit.

There are two ways you can go from here to complete the job, you can use back putty or silicone. If you want a nice, clean paint line then back putty is the way to go, but if you just want the quick and easy way then use silicone.

1. Using Back Putty – You should use a linseed oil putty for windows, it’s designed for this purpose and is easier to work with.Knead your putty for a few minutes before starting, it will soften it up and make it easier to work with, roll the putty into long worms about the thickness of a pencil and push it firmly into the rebate, keep going until the whole rebate is filled.
2. Using Silicone – Before you open the tube of glazing silicone, make sure the surface is as dust free as possible, then open the and lay a fine bead of silicone around the whole rebate making sure there are no gaps.

Once you’ve done this step, push the glass into the rebate (and onto the silicone or putty). If you’re using putty, carefully push until you have about 2mm of putty between the glass and frame the excess should ooze out to be cut off later.

Glaziers will use a sprig gun now to secure the glass but I’m guessing you may not have one, so what you’ll need are some small nails, carefully nail them into the side of the rebate – they should be hard up to the glass, you can use your chisel to tap them right in, hold the face of the chisel on the glass and tap one side with your hammer and the other side on the nail, this is the one time that metal can touch glass, you should put a nail every 200mm.

Now you’re ready to “putty up”. This is a bit of a practiced art for those in the professional glazing game, I’ve seen some guys from England that could putty a window in one minute flat, blind folded whilst humming God Save the Queen, standing on one leg! Now that’s great if you’re making a living doing it, but all you want is a window that doesn’t fall out and looks the same as all your other windows – right?

So – knead your putty for a few minutes before starting and then push the putty into the rebate so you can “face it off” with your putty knife (I’ll get to this in a second).  You can roll it into a snake or hold it with one hand and push it in with your other, you just need to make sure the whole rebate is filled, next grab your putty knife – if you want to, hold it by the side of the blade – start at one corner, press your putty knife into the putty, cutting the putty about 1mm in from the inside rebate and on the outside edge of the rebate and you want to drag the face of the knife down the putty.

The corner of the blade will cut the putty on the glass and the face of your putty knife will smooth the putty, remove any excess putty. Continue doing this until all sides are smooth, don’t worry too much about the corners they can be neatened up at the end, by starting in the corner and blending back into the finished section.

When you have “faced off” the whole front you can cut away all your back putty excess, if you used it.

There you go – you’re done, it’s not easy to get a perfect edge on putty but you should be able to get a neat enough job, I have seen some professional glaziers that are very messy with putty. The secret is to know when to stop playing with it. I hope this has been helpful and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have just add a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

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This post is about how to fix an aluminum window yourself, if you’re currently planning to get someone else in to do it, perhaps have a read, once you know how easy it is, I’m hoping you’ll want to give it a go and save yourself some money.

In this post I’ll explain how to repair the sliding part of the window, not the fixed part. I’ll come to that in another post. Some fixed windows are repaired in the same way as sliders but I don’t want to confuse anyone.

So the first thing you need to do is measure the glass and place your order. If you’re in Australia check out www.glassshop.com.au to order online and have the glass delivered to you. You can either measure it in place or remove it and lay it down if that’s easier for you.

To remove the aluminum sliding door

Toremove the sliding sash (the sliding door), usually it’s just a matter of lifting the whole sash up from the inside of the house and pulling the bottom of the sash out towards you. Sometimes there will be an anti-lift block in the top pocket, this will need to be removed first, it may also be necessary to hold the lock open whilst pulling the bottom toward you.

Be careful doing this take it slowly and perhaps get a friend to give you a hand if that seems like the smart thing to do.

After you have removed the sash, lay it down flat on an old piece of carpet or a large towel so you can work with it more easily.

How to measure for new glass

These instructions will work for 98.5% of aluminium sliding windows. The glass sits in “u” shaped rubber inside the frame, it usually penetrates between 6mm to 8mm, so what I do is measure the inside of the frame or (daylight size) and then add 14mm, this is the same for the height and the width.

When you have your piece of glass ready, remove two corner screws at opposite corners of the sash
and then with a hammer and an off-cut of wood to knock the frame off the glass, do this by laying the
wood down flat on the glass and hitting it with the hammer, continue until all the glass is removed
from the frame. Then carefully inspect the rubber and make sure there are no pieces of glass left in it.

Get your new piece of glass and stand it on one edge it is a good idea to put some off cuts of wood
under the glass edge, carefully place your rubber back on the new glass and make sure that it is
going on the same way it came off, The cut corners need to meet up with the corners of the glass, and you
shouldn’t need to stretch it too much.

Next carefully get one of your “L” shaped pieces of frame and starting at the corner, with a soft hammer or block of wood give it a couple of good hits until the rubber in the corner is completely flush with the frame. Then, while holding the loose end down, knock the remainder of both sides down. After this “Rinse
and Repeat”, by that I mean, flip the glass and do the same thing with the other piece of frame.

When the frame is together again put your screws back in, be careful here there is a “flute” that the screw needs to go in, many a clumsy glazier has been caught by this and screwed the screw into the glass cracking it
right through the middle, not that I’ve ever done anything like that ha-ha.

Last but not least check that your sash is square, you can do this by precisely measuring the diagonal
size of the sash (right across from one corner of the door to the other), if they measure the same the sash is square. If not stand the sash on its corner and very lightly tap the opposite corner then re check, a few millimetres won’t matter here so don’t stress too much, all you have to do now is pop the window back in the hole and your done, just like a bought one!

I hope now you’ll be inspired to repair an aluminium window or door. It really just takes a bit of patience, so take your time and ask a friend to help if it’s a large door. Best of luck and if you have any questions, just leave a comment below.

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Glass splashbacks

Below is a blog post about measuring and installing a glass splashback, if your after a quote or any questions click the quotes link below! 

Painted glass splash backs have really taken off during my time in the industry. When I first started out I looked forward to fitting them, mainly because they looked so good, but there was always one big problem – the cost was astronomical, with standard kitchens costing upwards of $4000 to supply and install the splash back, which made them unaffordable for many people.

As much of this cost is in the labour, I’ve thought long and hard about why it is that many people won’t have a go at installing their own splash backs. The enthusiastic renovator will do their own tiling, floor boards, painting and so on, but when it comes to splash backs, often hesitates and gets someone in to do it for them.

Click here to go to our Glass splashback page

Part of the problem, from where I see it, is that glass splash backs are often fitted at the wrong time – they’re left to very last, which I reckon is a hangover from the days of using tiles. Doing it this way means you have to carefully measure the space between the kitchen bench and overhead cabinets, which can be really tricky to get right, especially if things aren’t level. This need for a high degree of accuracy really limits the ability of those who want to do it themselves – in truth it stumps a lot of professional glaziers too!

I have talked to many glass company owners who all have the same problem; they can’t find tradespeople that can measure accurately. This is particularly bad news for the supplier as once the glass is toughened it can’t be modified, so a new piece has to be made – a costly mistake.

The solution – fit the splash back first

Taking on board what I’ve learned over the years, I’ve been able to work out a solution to this issue, it’s pretty simple and with a bit of thought you can save thousands. For jobs where you need to work around overhead cabinets, the thing to do is fit the splash back first, it will save you from making costly mistakes and you will end up with a better look. Of course if your splash back is going to be a simple rectangle then you don’t need to do this, but if you need to work around anything then it can be a smart way to go.

If your fitting your own kitchen then you already know how much you can save by doing it yourself, to help things go smoothly, the most important part is planning. If you do things in the right order you can save yourself a lot of grief. When measuring your kitchen start thinking about your splash back, if your really confident with measuring you can even order your glass at the same time as your kitchen, although its usually a good idea to wait until you have your kitchen in place. If you’re fitting your own cabinets then take your time, make sure everything is level – you will thank yourself latter if you do.

When all your lower cabinets are fitted you can measure for the glass, make a mark on the wall where the bottom of your overhead cabinets will be and you want to make your glass about 20mm higher than this point, think about any corners and make sure you allow 8mm where glass is going to meet in a butt join.

Before you order your glass check and double check all your measurements and that nothing will obstruct you fitting it to the wall. If you’re unsure make a template out of cardboard or similar using your measurements and check the fit.

Glass splash backs are usually made from 6mm painted toughened glass, once glass has been toughened it can not be cut or changed in any way, which is why it’s so important to take your time and make sure all your measurements are correct.

DIY Glass Splashback

Next make sure you’re happy with your color, most suppliers will paint in any color, I advise getting a small pot of paint in the color you want and painting the wall, this isn’t exactly how its going to look, as the glass over the top can change the shade slightly, but after a day you should know whether you like it. Most suppliers will also give you a free sample of standard colors painted on a small piece of glass, if you want a custom colour they will usually paint a small sample piece for a minimal cost that is usually deducted from the purchase price of the full splash back, when you order it.

Did you know that standard glass is slightly green? Yes, even your reflection in a mirror is actually slightly green, and not just after a big night! Glass is made from sand and also contains iron;  it’s the iron that gives glass a green tinge. For most darker colors this is fine and you will not notice the green, however, if you want a color like white or a light shade the green can change the color completely. In this situation I advise ordering your glass in low iron or crystal clear glass, extra clear glass is usually quite a bit more expensive but if you want a light color, or you want to match a color perfectly, it is a must.

Power points

To measure for power points, simply mark a centre crosshair (+)  for the height and the width and then give a measurement from the edge to these lines as shown on the diagram below.

How to measure a power point

Also, measure the outside perimeter of your socket plate and let your glass supplier know these details. If you think you have a non-standard power point you should give a size that is slightly bigger than the screw holes, so that the plate completely covers the hole in the glass, and the screws should not touch the glass.

If you’re going to fit a splash back yourself around power points, you should really get an electrician to remove the power point hardware and cap all the wires, and then get someone back to refit it, but if you’re confident enough you can turn the mains power switch off, unscrew the power point and usually turn it 90 degrees so that it sits inside the box.

The splash back can then be fitted by pushing the power point through the hole, it can then be turned back and screwed on again. It may be necessary to get longer screws for the power point, to allow for the depth of the splash back, which as I mentioned above, is usually 6mm.

Where to buy splash backs

Check out our web site GlassShop.com.au we specialize is supplying our customers with glass, mirror and of course painted glass, cut to size and delivered to your door. If you’re not from here, then you’ll want to phone around glass shops in your local area, find someone who will deliver a “supply-only” splash back, this may be difficult as all the money is in the labour (installation) and some companies won’t just supply the splash back for you to install yourself. It should be about $100 per square meter, cheaper if you fit it yourself.

Also try to find someone who will give you a warranty on the paint, unfortunately there are some cowboys out there who think you can paint glass with any old paint and a warranty shows that they have tested their paint and will guarantee that it will not peel off over time.

Painted glass should normally be ready in about two weeks. When you order ask the supplier for a couple of tubes of whatever silicone they recommend, it’s important to use the right adhesive as some glues may have an adverse effect on the paint.

Installing a splash back

Now you’ll be glad to hear that the hard part is over, installing glass splash backs is much more simple, in fact it is exactly the same as fitting a mirror so check out my post on that, basically just add big blobs of glue and push it back! If you’re worried about carrying glass, check out my handling glass post, for a few tips to follow, which will help take your fear away.

My million dollar secret

OK, well maybe more like a few thousand dollars! Get some 8mm spacers, that’s right spacers – as your overhead cabinets are getting screwed to the wall all you need to do is pack them off the wall by 8mm, most hardware shops should have lots of different types of these,  I recommend horseshoe packers for this or alternatively you can use some 8mm timber or similar to bring the cupboards out off the wall.

Now you might be thinking that that 20 mm of glass you have tucked under your cabinet is a waste of money, but hear’s the thing, doing it this way gives you so much room for error that it’s almost impossible to go wrong. I know experienced glaziers who have measured incorrectly and had to order jobs twice, this alone is reason enough to do it this way. Another benefit is the zero edge, because the glass fits behind the cabinet there is no gap to fill and your job will look cleaner than most.

Another thing to note is that most suppliers will charge for each complex cut and charge you for the waste glass in a sheet as well, so chances are you will actually save money compared to a complex cut piece. It can take an experienced glazier over an hour to precisely measure a complex splash back, knowing that one mistake can mean the difference between making or losing money.

I hope this information will save you time and money on your kitchen or bathroom renovation. Send photos if you do use this approach or leave a comment below. I’d love to know how you get on.

If you have any questions about fitting a glass splash back yourself, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

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Follow steps 1 to 5 for how to cut a circle.

OK so you have scored your circle, opened the cut on both sides and you may have noticed that your circle has not fallen out (hopefully you’re reading this at home and not inside the museum). The next step is to get the glass out of the hole, there are lots of ways to do this, outlined below is the way I prefer.

Step 6: Grab your normal glass cutter and score two half circles inside the circle making sure to start and finish your score inside the circle, it should look a bit like a basket ball.

Score two lines like a basketball

Step 7: Next you want to open these cuts on both sides, after you open these cuts make two more score marks, making a kind of curved square in the middle of the glass, then you need to open these cuts as well.

Score a square in the centre

Step 8: The next thing you need to do is, with your glass cutter, score a cross hatch pattern in the middle of the square (diagonal lines that cross each other) then you need to flip the glass over and with a small hammer or a screw driver start opening the crosshatched area, do this by tapping, once most of the cuts are open start tapping continuously in the same spot, it’s a good idea to wear safety glasses while doing this.

Score cross hatch inside the square

Step 9: Keep tapping until you start to see a hole and then further until the whole square is broken out.

Keep tapping until you see a hole

Keep tapping until the square falls out

Step 10: If it hasn’t already happened you should just need a little tap and all the glass in the circle should fall out and voila grab the diamond and run, or maybe install your cat door – whatever floats your boat!

Voila – congrats you did it!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you. As with all things in life it can take a bit of practice to learn how to cut a hole in glass, so either practice on a spare piece or simply order it pre-cut to your requirements.

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