MR. HARDWARE

Glazing a window of one pane of glass will take 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the pane and the stubbornness of the old putty.

1. Glazing a window with putty in good condition is harder to remove. Wear gloves, use a heat gun and a stiff putty knife to soften the putty and gouge it out. Keep the heat gun moving and be careful of the glass.If you are using oil putty, apply linseed oil to any bare wood.If you have latex putty, BIN shellac-based primer works and dries quickly.

2. Measure new glass and subtract 1/8 inch on the 4 sides before cutting. Bring an old piece for thickness.The glazing latex putty comes in a tube, cures quicker and has a longer life. But oil gives better results because it dries slower, cleaner and smoother.

3. New glass gets laid a light bead of caulk on the frame before setting the glass on it. A latex caulk is best even if you use oil putty. Set the glass on to the caulk, then press and wiggle the glass down to firmly embed it. Let the excess caulk coming out from under the glass harden and cut it off with a sharp knife.

4. Force glazing putty into the perimeter of the glass, filling all gaps leaving no shallow areas.

5. Smooth out the glazing compound. A wet putty knife (linseed oil or water) lubricates to smooth the compound.Repeat until you have the proper depth and appearance.Oil-based putty is easier to work with warm. You can heat it by knead it in your hands, placing the can in warm water. Add linseed oil to make sticky and pliable.Oil-based putty remains soft for days, so be careful, and wait several days before priming.Remember to overlap the glass 1/8 inch with paint to seal the putty.

6. Collect the excess compound and reuse. When the putty has cured, clean the glass with a solvent.