removing glued on window pane dividers

[lizzie]

hi folks - i'm hoping someone has had this problem before so can help.

our "newish" ppor is around 14 years old and at the time of building it was fashionable to have large windows divided up to look like numerous small panes of glass by sticking on fake aluminim dividers.

obviously i want to modernise the place, but don't want to have to pay for all new windows (if i can help it) does anyone know how to take them off?

it is only a sliding door and the windows either side, at the ground floor house front, that need to be done. the bedroom windows upstairs don't matter.

i do have a spare sliding door window to practice on - but would love suggestions before starting ...

 

[Tools]

Lizzie, do you know what they are stuck on with? Is it silicone?

Tools

 

[BayView]

Try a hairdryer or a heat gun to soften the glue first, then use a wide steel piant scraper, or plastic if it is strong enough to GENTLY lever in under the strip.

If the dryer/heat gun works well enough, you can probably just pull it off with your fingers, but wear gloves so you don't burn yourself.

 

[lizzie]

thanks marc - i have a heat gun so will give it a try ...

 

[RicePud]

Hi Lizzie,

I find myself in the same predicament. Our house has lot of (huge) windows with brown tape dividing them up into 'olde worlde' window panes. The tape is getting brittle on the windows which are in direct sunlight, so we've decided to remove the whole lot to modernise the look of the house.

However, easier said than done, the adhesive has been on the windows for 20+ years. We've tried a multitude of ideas to remove but are having no luck whatsoever. The only thing we haven't tried is a heat gun - one guy at the hardware store advised against it, so be careful.

Here are a few ideas from DIY forums I found a couple of weeks ago.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=155477

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/question/0,,401157,00.html

If you do have some success let me know.

Cheers
Ricepud

 

[Tools]

I wouldn't be using a heat gun on glass, or more than likely you will be replacing it.

Tools

 

[lizzie]

I wouldn't be using a heat gun on glass, or more than likely you will be replacing it.

Tools

oooo - do you know if it's actually been done, marc? i do have a spare sliding door to practice on ...

i tried to log onto the moneysavingexpert site - but after a dozen "already in use" user names, i gave up. will try again if the warming doesn't work.

 

[Tools]

If they are stuck on with silicone, try sliding a blade between the strips and the glass.Once you get a start on it,pull it as you slide the blade along .

Tools

 

[lizzie]

wide sharp chisel + gentle tapping with hammer = dividers removed.

just hope i don't get impatient and crack the glass. probably helps that it is 30+ degrees today, so the silicone is warm.

p.s. blade just snapped off - but thanks for the suggestion