How to choose the right glue for working with a windshield

Quite often, car owners have to repair their front glass.

This is not very strange, because when a car drives down the road at high speed, stones often get into the windows from under the wheels, which can cause the windshield to crack, chip, and so on.

In such cases, the technician looks and determines whether the glass needs to be completely replaced or simply repaired.

There is a special glue for the windshield, it must be of high quality, because it is used to seal the broken area of ​​the windshield, and it must also completely seal this area.

What types of adhesives are there for glass in cars, and how do they differ in composition?

This glue varies greatly in composition, and its level of transparency, scope of application, as well as the quality of sealing depend on this.
The most common adhesive contains polyurethane. Therefore, professionals always have it for various purposes, even for gluing shield frames.

But to use such glue, you need to prepare in advance the surface where it will be applied. And you can’t do without a primer, otherwise leaks or corrosion may appear on the treated surface.

In addition to glue with this composition, others are also used:

1. Balsam is a product with a yellow tint, glassy in appearance. It is made from fir. This type is used for filling holes and other car glass repairs. It dries quickly and is not exposed to various high temperatures. The windshield also has disadvantages - due to its tint, yellow spots may form on the glass.
2. Balsam M is also an adhesive based on fir, but more advanced, it has a transparent color, so it does not leave stains, is very durable, long-term in use, and is also not afraid of water. When dry, there is no deformation.
3. UV glue is a transparent color for repairing surfaces in cars. Its structure and composition allows it to penetrate into the deepest and smallest cracks. In order for the sealant to dry well, ultraviolet light must reach the windshield.
4. Acrylic-based adhesive is most often used when windshield repairs are carried out at home. It has a thick structure and is easy to apply to the desired area. The only downside is that it takes quite a long time to dry, about three days.
5. Silicone-based adhesive - this sealant can be colorless, white or even black. With its help, you can repair the windshield, namely, remove the leak, because it acts as a seal for the windshield. It is produced in tubes, in the form of a spray or in cylinders for a special gun.

Spray adhesive is convenient to use in places where it is difficult to reach, but the price is quite high. There are some drivers who try to fix the problem on the frontal bump with simple superglue.

But this is a mistaken opinion, because such glue is not suitable for this task.

When this sealant dries, the windshield becomes opaque and stains may appear. Regular superglue is not elastic, so as the car moves, the defective area may continue to grow.

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.

What kind of adhesives are there depending on the use?

Adhesive compositions for windshields are distinguished depending on their purpose.
Each case requires an individual approach and careful selection of a specific sealant. After all, each glue has its own composition, for example, the glue for cracks and for installation is very different.

So they are divided into two main groups. A product for complete glass replacement. Previously, rubber seals were used for such purposes, but now such adhesives do an excellent job of this task.

Glass installed in a modern way is very firmly and securely fastened, does not fly out in the event of an accident, and the joints are hermetically sealed. Products for repairing various defects on glass.

After the glue dries completely, it becomes hard and durable like glass itself, and when using such glue, the transparency of the frontal joint remains the same.

That is, good quality glue after hardening should remain completely colorless and not affect transparency.

Such repair sealants are quite fluid, thanks to which they can get into even the smallest cracks and chips; they are not afraid of water and sunlight.

Most often, such glue is sold with additional materials that are necessary to repair a frontal bump at home, and these are:

1. Colorless film;
2. Metal needle;
3. Dispenser;
4. Frame with suction cups;
5. Blades.

Thanks to this kit, you can easily and quickly repair various car glass defects with your own hands, following the instructions.

Required Tools

In order to repair a car windshield with your own hands, you need to have the following materials:

• polymer glue;
• injector (metal or plastic);
• surface degreasing liquid and special wipes;
• electric drill;
• air pump;
• applicator;
• scriber;
• ultraviolet lamp;
• polish.

Tool kit for auto glass repair (case)

As for the injector, it is more advisable to purchase a metal one for reusable use. A plastic injector is cheaper, but it is only suitable for one-time repairs to a car windshield.

How to choose the right sealant for car glass

For vehicle glass, only use adhesives that can provide a strong bond.
For such purposes, professionals recommend buying products with good density, then you will get a very good result. It should also be written on the packaging of the sealant itself that it has good permeability, this ensures that it gets into the smallest cracks.

When choosing glue, pay attention to the following indicators:

1. Transparency level;
2. UV resistance;
3. Level of elasticity;
4. Level of resistance to cold and heat;
5. Level of resistance to temperature changes.

A good product should contain polymer-based resins, and you also need to pay attention to the shelf life of the sealant.

If the defect is not deep, then you can buy glue that is quite viscous, because there is no need for it to penetrate deep inside.

And if the crack is large and deep enough, then glue must be chosen with a high degree of penetration.

You also need to remember that if a crack formed a long time ago, then any remedy cannot always seal it properly, because dust could get into it, which cannot be cleaned out.

In this case, you should only contact a professional.

Pros of car glue:

1. High level of elasticity. The glass in a car is exposed to heat, hypothermia, ultraviolet radiation, various vibrations, and so on every day. Therefore, only an elastic means can withstand all this and at the same time securely fix it.
2. High level of depreciation. The seam made from this product is durable, so it helps reduce the impact of impact and various vibrations.
3. Fast drying period. Thanks to this property, the machine can be used in just a couple of hours, because the glue will already be completely dry during this time. This feature gives this adhesive an advantage over polyurethane-based sealants.
4. Convenient to use. Even a non-professional can use this tool. To use it, you do not need any additional equipment or materials, and most of these products do not use a primer.

The most popular products for car glass repair

Any car store offers a variety of adhesives that are perfect for repairing or replacing windshields.
You can find any product by name in the virtual store. It is important to purchase only the best sealants from well-known companies that have proven themselves.

Here are the main ones: Terostat Henkel, DoneDeal, Permabond, Loctite and Scotch-weld Rite. Manufacturers supply the market with individual adhesives or kits for removing glass.

The most commonly used sealants are silicone sealants and UV adhesives, which dry quickly under ultraviolet rays. To shorten the drying process of the product, buy special lamps with a wavelength of 250 Nm.

How to glue car glass

For such a procedure, preparatory work must be carried out.
The temperature level in the room where the procedure will be performed should be from 5 to 20 degrees Celsius, preferably 15 degrees. Before work begins, the car must not be touched for about an hour, and the doors must not be touched either.

The windows on the front side doors must be lowered. It is better not to open the room itself for an hour, so as not to worsen the effect of the glue while it dries. The car can be washed only after two days.

Before starting to repair defects, you need to do the following:

1. Wash and dry the glass well;
2. Using special devices, remove all dust from the gluing area;
3. If there is an old product, it must be completely removed;
4. Remove fat from the crack using a solvent;
5. Apply sealant according to the instructions;
6. Level the applied layer, remove excess product;
7. Dry;
8. Polish.

When completely replacing a car windshield, you must do the following:

1. Remove the old windshield. An assistant will be needed for this work. First, pierce the old glue. To do this you need an awl with a string. Using pliers, pry the string from the other side, and pull the awl back. After this, it turns out that one side of the string is on the inside, and the second will be on the inside. Next, the string is attached to something to make it easier to drag.
2. The frontal bump is cut. Take and pull the string from the outside along the front. And the assistant pulls the string inside. In the corners, this part is brought to the top and carried along the sides, thus returning to the starting point. Next, the glass is carefully pulled out and the remaining glue is removed. Everything must be done slowly so as not to damage the machine.
3. Prepare new material. Special Velcro is attached to the left side, with them the frontal bumper can be moved. Do the same on the other side. Apply masking tape along the edge of the material. And wipe the windshield itself with solvent, removing grease.
4. Apply sealant. For ease of use, a special gun is often used; the glue begins to squeeze out when you press the button. This way the glue strip is uniform and without breaks. Thus, the glue must be applied along the entire perimeter of the windshield. The glass should lie down during this procedure.
5. The windshield installation itself. The windshield is taken by the Velcro and placed in the opening in the car. It is attached with tape on top to temporarily secure it. Next, the car is left for three hours so that the glue has time to set. Next, the car is driven outside, where it sits for about another twenty hours, after which the car can be used again.

Methods for repairing chips on a windshield

To remove defects such as chips, you will need glue, a grease remover, and adhesive tools.
First, fat is removed from the surface, especially along the edges, then the product itself is immediately applied. This is done using a syringe or you can buy glue in a package with a thin tip.
In order for the seam to dry well, the sun's rays are necessary; after drying, it is polished so that it becomes flush with the frontal one.

When should cracks be repaired?

Before deciding how to fix the problem, you should decide what to do with the windshield in principle. Removing a crack or chip may not always resolve the technical inspection situation.

In most cases, all the actions and efforts of the car owner turn out to be useless. Therefore, you should decide: to repair the glass or replace it completely.

So, a complete windshield replacement is carried out in the following cases:

• the glass was originally made with a manufacturing defect, which led to the formation of a crack;
• the glass has already shattered into several pieces, it is simply impossible to glue it together;

• the cracks have already reached quite impressive sizes - only defects up to 20 cm in length can be repaired;
• if there is a chip, a large number of cracks have formed that have a branched structure - repair will not help, and time will be wasted.

Assess the whole situation and think about: should repairs be carried out, or perhaps it would be better to immediately resort to replacement?