Have you ever thought about fixing a broken window in your house, but didn't think you could do it because nobody ever taught you how to cut glass? Well, you really don't have to know how to cut glass in order to repair your window. If you knew how to remove the frame, you could order a replacement piece of glass from your local glass shop already cut to the proper size. Then, it's just a matter of installing the new glass into the frame. But, there are so many different kinds of window out there, there is no way I could explain them all in one article. So, this is going to be the first in a series of articles describing the repair procedure for each type of window.

1. Step 1

   One of the more common types of single pane windows are the type that uses putty to hold the glass in the frame. All old wood windows are done this way. Let's focus this article on the putty style replacements.

2. Step 2

   The fastest and easiest way to remove the old glass is to break it out. Put an old sheet or a tarp on the ground below the window. Then, put on some gloves. Use gloves with a material that will prevent a piece of glass from cutting your hands. A pair of gardening gloves should work fine. Get yourself a pair of safety glasses as well. Trust me, you don't want to get hit in the eye with a piece of flying glass.

3. Step 3

   If you are lucky, the old putty will be dry and brittle. You can use a putty knife to take out the old putty in chunks. Unfortunately, that is not common, so you are probably going to have to break the glass out with a hammer, then remove the remaining glass by hand. Wear gloves!

4. Step 4

   There will be small metal objects in the putty. These are called push points, and you should throw the old ones away and use new ones. Once you have all the glass and putty removed, clean the frame with a paint brush. Then measure the width at three spots:bottom, middle, and top. Take the smallest measurement and deduct 1/8". Then, measure the height at the left side, center, and right side. Take the smallest measurement and deduct 1/8". When you order your new glass, order double strength glass, and give the width first, then the height.

5. Step 5

   When you get the new glass home, put a thin bead of caulk on the frame where the glass is going to make contact. Install the glass. The caulk will hold the glass in place while you install the push points. Hold the push point against the glass, then use the putty knife blade to push the point into the wood. Then, you can either apply putty or use white caulk instead. If you're going to use caulk, cut the tip below the tapered part, and cut at a 45 degree angle. You want the largest possible hole to allow the caulk to cover the large area previously covered by the putty. The caulk method is faster than putty, but it requires more skill to make the job look nice. If you use putty, roll it in the palms of your hands, then put it on the edge of the glass and use the putty knife blade to smooth the putty at a 45 degree angle.