Cracked or scratched glass doesn’t always need to be replaced — oftentimes, a repair can do the trick and save you some money. But ignoring the issue is never advised, since there’s always a chance for the entire glass system to suddenly fail and break. Call Central Glass to address any cracks or scratches as necessary.
This article goes over types of damaged glass and explains the kinds of damage that can be repaired vs. replaced.
Different Types of Glass Damage
Types of Glass Scratches
- Superficial scratches: These scratches are hard to see or are visible only from a certain angle, and can barely be detected with a fingernail. These can typically be buffed out using glass polish.
- Surface scratches: These scratches are more visible, and you can detect them with a fingernail. These scratches need a local glass repair professional to remove them.
- Sub-surface scratches: These scratches are deep, and you can easily feel them with your fingertips. Sub-surface scratches often lead to window cracking and severe breaks, so you must hire a glass professional.
Note: If severe damage is present, the glass cannot be repaired and will need a full replacement.
Types of Glass Cracks
- Stress cracks: This is caused by differences in temperature. You can identify it with a ‘chip’ or ‘oyster’ on the glass’s edge.
- Impact breakage: This is caused by an impact against another surface. It can be identified by the distorted glass pattern or a line forming around the perimeter of the impact.
- Spontaneous breakage or tempered glass breakage: This rarely happens on its own and is caused by installation damage like chipped glass edges or nickel sulfide inclusions.
- Edge damage: Caused by a chip or nick during installation, which can be identified by spontaneous breakage.
Professional Glass Repair
We repair glass by using an epoxy solution to fill the cracks and then buffing everything smooth — but some types of glass can’t be repaired and have to be replaced instead.
Repairable glass:
- Single-pane glass
- Mirrors
- Glass tiles
- Sidelites
- Picture glass
Non-repairable glass:
- Double-pane windows
- Microwave doors
- Oven doors
- Shower or tub glass
- Automotive glass
Professional glass repairs ensure a beautiful and long-lasting solution to scratched and cracked glass.
