Repairing cracks and chips on the windshield - the best means and methods

Why repair chips and cracks?

Repairing a car that has a crack in the windshield is a mandatory step for safe driving and no problems from the traffic police. In addition to the unpresentable appearance, driving a car with a broken glass can also lead to other troubles:

1. The presence of a large crack or with a certain location poses a risk to the life of the driver and passengers. If the chip is deep, a pebble can fly through it at full speed, which will result in injury to a person. In addition, poor visibility on the road can even cause a serious accident.
2. If there are large cracks, the car will not be able to pass inspection. Since the defect can cause injury, it is impossible to obtain an inspection mark until it is corrected. According to GOST R 51709 - 2001, cars with any cracks in the wiper area and on the driver’s side are not allowed to be used. Driving such a vehicle is fraught with a fine.
3. Any crack can become longer, wider, and deeper over time. This will lead to the need for a complete replacement of the glass or its expensive repair at a car repair shop. Also, a car with damaged glass immediately loses its market value, and it will be much more difficult to sell it.

Driving a car with a crack in the glass may result in a fine.

Why is crack stopping done?

to stop further growth of the crack for some time . Stopping a crack is done without any guarantees, since the crack remains unsealed and the integrity of the glass is not fully restored. The task of stopping a crack is to TEMPORARILY STOP THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE CRACK . Often this procedure copes with the task.

Types of damage

The cause of cracks can be either a stone hit or a minor accident. All defects can be divided into five types according to their shape and features:

1. Ray-shaped. Formed by a strong blow. They are usually long and extend to the edge of the windshield. Removal is possible if the size of the crack does not exceed 10–12 cm.
2. Rounded. The cause of the appearance is a sharp blow from a hard object. Such defects must be removed as quickly as possible with preliminary drilling, otherwise they will spread over large areas of glass.
3. Branching. Formed when hit by a heavy object or due to temperature changes. They are a whole scattering of branching rays, which is why they are difficult to repair.
4. Double sided. They look like a beam that appears from the interior part of the triplex. Most often, the car owner has to replace the glass, since such defects are almost impossible to repair.
5. Mixed (combined). Includes elements of different types of cracks. Their sealing is not always possible.

Branching crack on the windshield
How to stop the spread of a crack directly depends on its type. Usually, simple defects, chips and small dents are successfully repaired at home.

Is it worth trying to repair?

The question is really important and relevant. First, assess the extent of the damage. An impressive proportion of windshield defects make it possible to avoid the need to replace the product. Many windshields can be restored.

When the damage is serious, the crack has spread across almost half of the glass, or the chip is more like a hole, the repair will be pointless and useless. You shouldn't even try to restore such defects. You will waste your energy, time and money on materials. And even if someone undertakes the repair, the price will be higher than the cost of a new windshield for your car. Therefore, think twice and objectively assess the situation.

If an assessment of the car’s condition makes it clear that it makes sense to buy a special product, pour in polymer and restore the surface, then get to work.

DIY kits

Automotive stores offer a large number of adhesives and ready-made kits for windshield restoration.

GlassProfi

The set includes a blade, an adhesive disk, polymer glue, a fixing suction cup, and a syringe. Using a disk and a suction cup, the syringe is securely attached to the crack area, after which the glue is squeezed out of it. After 3–4 hours, the defect will become invisible and the composition will completely harden. Using this product, cracks up to 3 cm in length can be easily removed.

Contents of GlassProfi windshield repair kit

Windshield Repair Kit

This set includes the same accessories as the previous one, but is additionally equipped with a protective film. It helps eliminate defects on regular and tinted glass. When introduced, the adhesive composition completely displaces air from the crack, so the hole will be reliably sealed. This kit is recommended for emergency repairs, as the glue hardens within 20 minutes.

Windshield Repair Kit

Done Deal DD6584

The polymer composition included in this repair kit is characterized by very high strength, almost several times higher than that of cheap analogues. The product contains acrylic acid, so you need to work with it in the air and only with gloves. Glass restoration should be carried out in the shade in summer, and in winter - after preheating the damaged area.

Windshield Repair Kit Done Deal DD6584

Permatex

The product included in the kit is recommended for removing deep chips and can also be used for quick repairs in road conditions. This glue is not suitable for filling long cracks. The composition can damage the paint on the car body, so the hood must be carefully closed before repairs.

Transparent adhesive sealant for glass Permatex

WIEDERKRAFT WDK 65182

The kit includes a set of repair plates, a scraper for cleaning the crack and removing excess glue, an injector, suction cups and glue. It is better to work with glue indoors - this way it will harden an order of magnitude faster. In the summer, after applying the composition, you can expose the car to the sun's rays to speed up polymerization.

WIEDERKRAFT WDK 65182 chip repair kit

Windshield repair using a kit: detailed instructions using the Windshield Repair Kit as an example

Repairing a crack in a windshield with your own hands

Before work, you need to prepare all the necessary tools and consumables and thoroughly clean the glass. Restoration is carried out only at temperatures above +10 degrees, but without using heating devices near the car, otherwise there is a risk of glass cracking. In a cold room, condensation can penetrate into the crack, which will reduce the quality of the finished seam.

Preparatory stage

First, you need to remove all dirt and dust from the crack and surrounding areas. Glass can be washed, dried and degreased, but blowing it with a pump gives an even better effect. This will allow you to remove even the smallest dust particles, which in the future will reduce the adhesion of the glue to the glass. The edges of the crack should be carefully sanded and wiped with a degreaser (acetone, alcohol).

Washing a defect on the windshield

Required materials and tools

If you purchased a ready-made glass repair kit for the job, it already contains all the necessary accessories, except for electrical tools. When completing the kit yourself, the following are usually used:

1. Polymer glue. It is absolutely transparent and looks like liquid glass. Under the influence of sunlight, the composition hardens and reliably holds the edges of the chip together. When buying glue, you need to pay attention to the polymerization time and buy the one that is suitable for a particular situation.
2. Ultraviolet lamp. Typically used if glass repairs are carried out in winter, although it will make the work easier in any case.
3. Drill with a drill for glass. The device must have a speed control function.
4. Scraper (scriber). Needed to remove dirt and debris from the crack.
5. Sharp knife. Useful for removing glue residue or dirt from hard-to-reach areas.
6. Individual protection means. For safe work, you should use gloves and a respirator.
7. Injector-syringe made of metal, plastic with a suction cup and stand. Necessary for high-quality filling of the defect with glue.
8. Magnifying glass and flashlight. They are useful for a detailed examination of the boundaries of a crack and assessing the result of its elimination.

Tools and materials for auto glass repair

Crack sealing process

First, the scale of the restoration is assessed: the crack is examined and its boundaries are determined. Next, the growth of the defect is stopped and the stress in it is reduced: a hole is drilled at a distance of 1–2 mm from the end. You need to drill glass with a drill at minimum speed and very carefully so as not to break it.

Further work is carried out as follows:

1. Fill the syringe with glue.
2. Using a suction cup and stand, attach the syringe to the point where the crack begins.
3. Carefully apply the adhesive composition directly into the defect, strictly controlling the supplied volume.
4. If you have a pump, blow it through the crack (with minimal pressure) so that the composition is evenly distributed even into the smallest cracks.
5. Remove the stand and wash it of glue.
6. Use a sharp tool to remove excess product from the surface of the glass.
7. Dry the polymer composition with an ultraviolet lamp according to the instructions (the operating time of the lamp is always indicated on the glue packaging).
8. If there is no lamp available, expose the car to direct sunlight, but the drying time will increase by about 3 times.

After polymerization of the glue is completed, polishing begins, using a special attachment on a drill or doing it manually. As a result, the surface will become perfectly smooth and will get rid of irregularities and bulges.

Restoration methods

Reading the forum, studying reviews and stories from motorists, and also taking into account personal experience, I can identify 3 main methods.

• Professional restoration. Here we just look for a good workshop where specialists assess the damage, select the necessary materials and carry out the work. In cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg there will definitely be more than a dozen specialists. If you know the address of good masters, you can write in the comments for our readers;
• Independent expensive method. The high cost is due to the need to collect a set of materials and tools, the price of which is not the lowest. But this practically guarantees the elimination of serious chips and cracks if the work is done correctly;
• Cheap DIY method. Here you will also need a repair kit, but it is cheaper. A simplified version of the previous method, which involves purchasing a special kit for glass repair. It is only suitable for eliminating smaller and insignificant defects. Here I’m talking about sets like Sikeo, which can be bought for 280 rubles through Aliexpress.

Now consider which one is right for you based on your financial situation and the extent of your windshield damage.

In what cases can repairs be done?

Is it possible to drive with a large crack if it is located outside the driver’s field of view of the road? Most likely, such a car will not pass inspection, and without repair, the glass will become unusable in a short time. A complete windshield replacement will have to be done if:

• a significant piece has fallen out of the glass, or it has completely cracked, fallen apart,
• the defects are significant in size - from 20 cm,
• there is a whole network of cracks that extends from the main chip,
• damage passes through the edge of the glass, which compromises its strength,
• there are chips in the heating zone - in winter they will burst again anyway,
• the damaged area is a third or more of the total glass area.

If the damage is serious, the windshield needs to be replaced.

How to prepare glass for repair

Rinse the glass thoroughly with water and detergent, then wipe with a clean cloth. It is important to remove all dust and moisture from the crack cavity: this will ensure good adhesion to the glue. After complete drying, it is necessary to degrease the surface. Use acetone, thinner or alcohol and a synthetic cloth: it will not leave fibers or lint.

thodonal/depositphotos.com

Do-it-yourself repair or at a car service - what to choose?

It is not possible to repair windshield cracks on your own in all cases. Here is an approximate list of situations when you can try to deal with the problem yourself:

• have glass processing skills and the necessary tools, as well as suitable working conditions,
• a small or medium scratch, crack, or chip has appeared that has not spread to large areas of the glass,
• It is possible to purchase a high-quality adhesive composition or a ready-made repair kit.

If you do glass restoration at a service center, professionals will work on it, so the result will usually be better. All work will be completed in a minimum period of time, because the craftsmen have powerful modern tools and lamps.

However, the cost of repairs can range from 1000–1500 rubles per 1 centimeter of crack, which will ultimately result in a decent amount. Therefore, it is easier to eliminate small defects with your own hands, at least in order to save money.

Windshield restoration in a car service center

Self-repair of the windshield allows you to reliably repair the defect and make it 75–90% invisible. Good adhesives are now sold in any store, so it’s worth acquiring repair skills and not having problems in the future.

Drill out glass to stop cracking

At the location of the crack, the stress of the glass increases, due to which it actually spreads. To remove it, holes 0.5–1 mm wide are made at its edges. Then lightly press on the glass and push the end of the crack into the hole, which is subsequently filled with glue.

How to properly drill a windshield with your own hands:

1. Treat the surface with soapy water and then with acetone.
2. Insert a drill bit for working with glass and ceramics (diamond coated) into the tool. Its diameter should not exceed 1 mm.
3. Drill holes at all ends of the web, spacing 4–12 mm. Operate at low speeds in non-impact mode. Make sure that neither the instrument nor the glass overheats. The hole must be drilled to the same depth as the split. If it is through, then the hole is made through.
4. Drive all cracks into holes.

What factors lead to cracks?

Automotive glass can be damaged mechanically as a result of being hit by a foreign object. However, cracks in glass can also occur for other reasons. Here are just a few possible causes of damage:

• Sudden temperature fluctuations. This is one of the main reasons. If a stream of cooled air hits a heated glass, and vice versa, when a hot stream of air is supplied to a cooled glass, a crack may appear. Often the damage is fixed at the place where the windshield wiper is heated.
• Poor quality glass. A gross violation of production technology can lead to damage to the glass, which simply cannot withstand too much stress.
• Serious deformation of the vehicle body. In this case, the crack does not form immediately, but gradually.
• Unnoticed chips that lead to glass destruction.

Which glass chip repair kit to buy: advice from motorists

1. I bought a more expensive set

“I drive on the highway very often, and accordingly I’ve hit the windshield more than once. And I know first-hand what to do with a chip on glass. At first I saved money on windshield repair kits, buying them for no more than 250 rubles. Their main disadvantage is the need to peel off the double-sided tape from the glass and maintain constant pressure with a syringe. I suffered and suffered and decided to buy a more expensive set. At first glance, I was impressed with the Chinese-made Super PDR, so I bought it.

The instructions describe in detail what and how to do. The suction cup must be lubricated. After installing the device, fill it with a special compound and slowly screw it in, filling the chip with glue. I didn’t succeed in screwing it in completely, because the chip quickly filled up, the rest seemed to be unnecessary. And only when I put the device away, I realized that I needed to do more, because I saw empty spaces. This time I placed a special film measuring 5 by 10 cm under the device - by the way, it is included in the kit. It turned out much better. I don’t have a special UV lamp; I put the car in bright sunshine. After the composition had hardened, I scraped off the residue.

Compared to cheap sets, I liked this one better. It would be just perfect if the suction cups didn't constantly come off. Even though I followed the instructions and lubricated them constantly. If the suction cups are equipped with latches, this will make the process much easier. You don’t have to do anything additional (lubricate, hold, etc.).

2. Enough for one more time!

“This spring I was driving to my dacha, not bothering anyone, and then bam! There's a stone in your windshield, from a tractor ahead on the sidewalk!

I had to stop, cover it with tape and go online with the question: “What to do if a small chip appears on the glass.” In search of a life-saving repair kit I came across Ebay Windscreen Windshield Repair Tool DIY Car Auto Kit Glass For Chip&Crack.

I was impressed by the composition of this set:

1. detailed instructions telling in pictures what to do;
2. tube of glue;
3. syringe;
4. blades;
5. pedestal;
6. 2 stickers;
7. 5 films.

The tube contains a clear liquid resin similar to superglue. A very useful blade with a stop (for removing glue residues), which can still be useful in everyday life.

So, my impressions. The chip, of course, did not evaporate, but the surface of the glass became uniform and did not differ at all from other areas to the touch. The chip will definitely not spread, dirt will not get in. I managed to keep the original glass, which I am very pleased with. In my case, the set is enough for one more time. The consumables remain, and now I know how to do it all just as well as the professionals.”

3. Didn't have to change the glass

“About 3 years ago, a stone hit the windshield - like most drivers, it came from the wheel of the car in front. I thought that everything would have to change. Every day I looked at the chip and expected a cobweb from it. There was no desire or time to look for original glass at all. I didn’t know what to do with a small chip on the windshield. Friends at a car service center advised me to buy a “DoneDeal” windshield repair kit.

They added that this is not a problem at all, and everything will work out for me, and without damaging the household budget. I went to buy. Once I purchased it, I studied the kit’s instructions and ran to the garage to make it.

The substance (resin) is transparent. Despite this, the treated area is visible, but it does not bother me. Dirt spoils visibility much more. 3 years have passed, no cobwebs or cracks. I can confirm the manufacturer’s words about the strength of the resin.”

4. Saves even from large cracks

The set gave rise to slight doubts, I thought that I would suddenly order it and nothing would work out. Money down the drain. After reading a whole bunch of rave reviews about this set, I plucked up the courage to buy it. The kit includes: a special substance for filling the chip, an adhesive disk, a suction cup, a syringe and a blade for removing the adhesive disk.

I spent about 15 minutes on the job; I didn’t even expect that car repairs could be done so easily and quickly. It took me longer to read the instructions.

Later I found out that even car repair shops buy the set I chose to repair clients’ cars. The set is in demand among professionals for good reason. Because it can cope with a wide variety of problems, including improving the structure of glass. And this, in turn, will make the glass more transparent and save it from destruction in the future. The manufacturer also claims that the composition can eliminate cracks up to thirty centimeters. And I believe him."

How to avoid the problem?

Nowadays there are various offers on the market for protecting windshields. One of the most popular options is to apply a protective film, which protects an expensive car part from mechanical damage.

In addition, the car owner himself should adhere to the following rules for operating the car:

• Check the degree of heating of the windshield and rear window. Do not direct cold air onto hot glass.
• Replace the part only with a quality option.
• Regularly inspect your vehicle for chips and other defects. If damage is found, securely fix it with a special sealant to prevent the crack from branching.

Important! If you “catch” a pebble on the road, then, first of all, it is necessary to prevent dust and dirt from getting into the crack. Cover the damaged area with tape along the entire length. This will not only protect the crack from further deformation, but will also facilitate finishing cleaning in the future. Otherwise, the dirt accumulated at the bottom of the chip will be visible inside the glass after repair.

How much does it cost to stop a crack?

The cost of stopping a crack depends on whether stopping the crack is performed in conjunction with repairing the entire crack, or whether stopping the crack is provided as a separate service.

Cost to stop a crack

• Stopping a crack in MasterSkolov
• Stopping a crack as a separate service - 800 RUR .
• Stopping a crack in combination with repairing the entire crack - FREE

• Stopping a crack as a separate service: 600 - 1000 rubles.
• Stopping a crack in combination with repairing the entire crack: 300 – 800 rubles.

The process of sealing windshield cracks

You need to dilute the epoxy resin to a liquid state using a solvent, and you should not be afraid that the resin will become too liquid - this is good, since in a liquid state it will fill the cracks to the base, and the excess can simply be removed with a rag. By filling a regular medical syringe with liquid epoxy and adding a needle, you can pour it into the cracks.

Many people advise applying pressure on the back side of the glass so that the crack opens and more polymer gets inside. In fact, this is not necessary, because the liquid polymer will penetrate deep into the crack, and create a basis for gluing parts of the glass, and will not allow the crack to develop.

Epoxy resin or any other polymer is not exposed to low and high temperatures, and wipers will not scrape it off the surface and inside the crack, as some car owners predict.