Replacing tall door sidelight


  #1  
Old 10-05-04, 06:00 AM
kb9lfr
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Replacing tall door sidelight

I need to replace a tall (probably about 5' tall) side-light window next to my
front door. (the old window is out and it's been boarded up). Any how-to's on this kind of window install? (i've never installed a window before)?

Should I consider glass block?

My main concerns are:

Safety, privacy and cost. (this window is right at the bottom of my stairs, so
I want light but I don't want people to see up my stairs from outside). I also don't want it to be easily breakable in case someone slipped off the stairs and hit the window.

thanks!
-Bob
 
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Old 10-06-04, 07:03 AM
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A little more info needed. Is it wood, metal,Vinyl, when you removed the old window, did you remove inside and outside trim, just outside metal bead, or wood. Insulated or single pane?

You can install a number of different obscure glass patterns, but they must be Tempered glass " safety glass "

Go by a glass shop and they can show you the glass options you have, they can measure it and you can install it if you like.There are many colors and patterns to choose from.
 
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Old 10-06-04, 09:13 AM
kb9lfr
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more info

It was removed by a paid handyman (our neighbor's kids broke it and we needed it boarded up quick). He gave us a quote of ~$350 to replace...it took us a few months to get the $ from our neighbors...and now the paid handyman isn't returning my calls so I guess he lost interest in doing it.

I'm considering whether I could do it myself. The first question I have is
glass-block or not-glass-block (pro's,con's).

-Bob
 
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Old 10-06-04, 08:10 PM
L
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A side lite to a door HAS to be tempered glass -- it's within 24" of the door and probably within 24" of the floor. Glass blocks are OUT!!

You need to know if it's a single pane of glass, a dual pane unit (IG unit), and if it's an IG unit, you need to know how THICK it is. What frame is it going in? Do you have the retainers?
 
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Old 10-07-04, 05:26 AM
kb9lfr
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sidelight replacement

Ok, so glass blocks are out (I don't understand why though).

All I have now is an opening where the old sidelight used to be. What do I need to do to put together a plan to replace it? It was a single pane of glass (about 1.5 feet wide and I think about 5.5 feet tall).

The house (a duplex) was built in 1962 if that provides any clues as to construction techniques.

thanks.

-Bob
 
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Old 10-08-04, 06:34 PM
L
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Bob,

The requirement for tempered glass is a safety issue. It's required in any window that is within 24" of the floor, and any window within 24" of a door. Tempered glass, (along with being MUCH harder to break than just plain annealed glass), breaks in such a way that it's generally not going to draw blood when you do break it. It doesn't shatter -- it crumbles.

Tempered glass is MADE to size -- not CUT to size. Your local glass shop cannot cut it. therefore, it WILL be more expensive than just buying annealed glass. (I bought 4 panes that are about 14" wide and 48" tall to use around some stained glass next to my fireplace. If I remeber right, it was about $200 for those 4 panes, 15 years ago.)

Glass blocks are not tempered, therefore, they aren't legal in the application that you are talking about.
 
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Old 10-09-04, 08:46 AM
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Acrylic " glass blocks " meets tempered glass requirements. So if you really want to go that way you could, but some framing may be required.

I suggest going to a glass shop ( not the 1 the refused your work ) and talk to them about sizes, framing, price ect. Then decide if blocks is the way you really want to go. It will be more spindy going with blocks than tempered obs glass.
 
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Old 10-09-04, 09:12 AM
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I've been thinking about glass block and how it would be almost impossible for a human to break through it and get hurt. I've search the internet and came up with this.

What is a safety material?

The Approved Code of Practice to the Regulations defines a safety material as:

materials which are inherently robust e.g. polycarbonates or glass blocks or
glass which, if it breaks, breaks safely or
ordinary annealed glass which meets certain thickness criteria for certain dimensions of glazing


I have a glass block side light next to my front door!!!!
 
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Old 10-10-04, 07:05 PM
oldtymer50
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Question

I just joined DYI and I was reading the discussion about Bob's broken sidelight. I don't have a broken sidelight, but for several reasons, I would like to replace mine (not with glass block). I've talked to several contractors, but no one appears interested. I would do it myself, but never having done this, I'm leary about it and I haven't been able to find much 'how to' info about replacing sidelights. My sidelights are steel, 14" x 80" and were made by Pease. I contacted Pella, who took over Pease, but they were no help. Any help you could give would be much appreciated.

Frank
 
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Old 10-11-04, 06:59 AM
kb9lfr
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where to go from here

Ok...I need to get this sidelight replaced...winter is coming and cold air seeps in around the wood that was put up to board up the window.

For someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with do-it-yourself projects, what's the easiest and least costly method/approach to replace a tall glass sidelight? Any step-by-step info here?

I only brought up the glass block approach since it seemed like it might be easier and maybe less costly than the tempered glass approach. It sounds like the safety issue is covered either way...I still don't know which approach is easier and less expensive though.

thanks!
-Bob
 
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Old 10-11-04, 07:16 AM
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brand name or detailed info on what it looks like ( wood, steel, vinyl ). Stops where they nailed in, screwed in, snapped in. Are the stops still off? what does the compound that sealed the unit to the stops ( you should still be able to see if it was a spongy tape or a gooey substance on the inside of the stops ) Ordering a tempered unit takes 7 to ten working days ( most will tell you that ) our shop can get it in 3, but we still tell them the same.

Easy way to do this is to call a glass shop in your area and they will come out and measure and order what you need, they can see brand type, needed materials, Most will even tell you how to put it in ( because they want you to come back ) If they don't ...... after they measure it and order it give us the info above and we will.
 
 

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