Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | Oct 12, 2006 04:52pm | #1

   Tab -

   The few times I've replaced glass in aluminum windows, the frames were held together by screws that looked somewhat like trim screws.  Disassembly was usually a real bear.  The oxidized screw heads would strip out in a heartbeat and even if they came out, years of grunge had pretty much welded the glass to the aluminum frames.

   The last time I did this, I gave up and took the window to a local glass shop - lol.

2. 
   DanH | Oct 12, 2006 05:05pm | #2

   Sometimes the glass is held in as you say, with a plastic gasket that slides into a notch in the frame, with a fixed flange on the other side of the glass. Sometimes you'll find some sort of sealant on the back side of the glass, between the glass and the fixed flange. I suspect this was originally a sort of tar-like sticky tape that has turned hard.

   The stuff (when originally soft and pliable) improves the seal slightly, but is probably used primarily to make it easier to assemble the sashes (by sticking the pane to the frame), and to reduce rattles. Shouldn't be needed when replacing the glass.

   If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
1. 
   MarkH | Oct 12, 2006 09:09pm | #3

   Adhesive is needed to keep the aluminum from pulling away from the glass.  We used "liquid aluminum" or yellow 77 weatherstrip adhesive for that purpose. 

   The windows come apart in a myriad of ways. 

   New rubber is available if needed.  When it's old it gets too stiff to work with and you'll break the glass trying to get it in place.

1. 
   tab1 | Oct 13, 2006 07:42am | #4

   I'm a little surprised about the adhesive as I'd have thought you might want to let the glass float to allow for metal expansion/contraction. Sure looks like old adhesive though. <G>When you say 'pulling away from the glass', which direction do you mean? Thanks to all.Thon

1. 
   DanH | Oct 13, 2006 01:45pm | #5

   Yeah, I don't know what he means either.
   If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

2. 
   MarkH | Oct 13, 2006 04:35pm | #6

   If you pull on the frame it can move enough to disengage the rubber. It will then fold under the glass, or jam up in most cases.  The weatherstrip adhesive will allow some flex, so expansion is not a problem.   I worked at 3 different glazing companies, they all glued the frames to the glass.  The window is a lot more rigid with glue.  Of course the windows that have to be disassembled to pull out U shaped weather strip dont get any glue, just  the ones that have the rubber that goes on one side of the glass.

1. 
   DanH | Oct 13, 2006 05:18pm | #7

   Our Rusco storm door doesn't have this adhesive, and I strongly doubt that you could distort the frame enough to disengage the rubber strip the way you describe, without breaking the glass and/or bending the welded steel frame.

   If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

2. 
   junkhound | Oct 13, 2006 05:22pm | #8

   One can generally grap one end of the rubber seal strip (unless a U channel) and pull it out, then the alum retainers come off. U channel one usually has to unscrew the frame.

   Remove old glass from frame with heat gun and tile knife.