Quick tricks for holding a cracked window together?

scraping dried silicone off trim is one of my least favorite jobs around the house. That stuff clings like crazy.

Couldn’t agree more - removing old silicone is right up there with cleaning gutters in February. As for those UV-cure adhesives, I’ve tried them on a car mirror once, but window glass is a different beast. They bond well on tiny chips but don’t expect miracles on a big crack, especially if there’s any flex or cold air sneaking in. For bigger cracks, your report cover trick is actually pretty clever - beats dealing with a bigger mess if the glass goes. Just make sure you’re not sealing in moisture, or you’ll get that foggy look between layers.

Yeah, that old silicone is stubborn - sometimes feels like it’s fused to the trim for good. The report cover idea is pretty resourceful in a pinch. Just a heads up, I’ve seen folks accidentally trap moisture under those patches and end up with cloudy glass later. If you can, run a hair dryer over the crack first to be sure it’s bone dry before sealing anything up. Not perfect, but it’ll hold things together until you’re ready for a proper fix.

If you can, run a hair dryer over the crack first to be sure it’s bone dry before sealing anything up. Not perfect, but it’ll hold things together until you’re ready for a proper fix.

- Good call on the hair dryer. Moisture under a patch is a recipe for foggy glass or even mold.
- For stubborn silicone, a plastic razor blade works better than metal - less risk of scratching the trim or glass.
- If you’re using a report cover, try to trim it so it only covers the crack, not the whole pane. Less chance of trapping stuff underneath.
- Temporary fixes are fine, but don’t let it ride too long. I’ve seen “just for now” patches stay up for years and turn into a mess to fix later.
- One trick I like: painter’s tape on both sides of the crack before sealing. It keeps the area clean and makes removal easier when you’re ready for the real repair.

Honestly, I’m not totally sold on using painter’s tape for this kind of thing. I get the appeal - it keeps things tidy and cleanup is easier - but in my experience, tape can actually make it harder to get a good seal if you’re not careful. The adhesive sometimes leaves a residue or lifts slightly if there’s any moisture left, which defeats the purpose of drying everything out with a hair dryer in the first place. I’ve had to scrape off sticky lines more than once, and that’s just another hassle.

On the “just for now” patches turning permanent - couldn’t agree more. I once helped a neighbor who’d used packing tape and plastic for what he swore was going to be a weekend fix. Three years later, the tape had yellowed and the crack had spidered out even worse. By then, replacing the pane was way more work (and money) than it needed to be.

One thing I’d toss into the mix: clear UV-resistant packing tape. Not the prettiest, but it holds surprisingly well for a few weeks and peels off clean if you don’t leave it on forever. I’d still avoid anything that traps air or moisture - report covers can be tricky that way, especially if the pane isn’t perfectly flat.

If you’re dealing with old wood windows (like my 1920s house), be extra cautious with heat guns or hair dryers. Too much heat can soften glazing putty or even crack old glass worse. Sometimes less is more - just a gentle dry and a careful patch until you can do it right.

Anyway, I know everyone’s got their own tricks. Just saying, sometimes “quick” fixes have a way of sticking around longer than planned...

sometimes “quick” fixes have a way of sticking around longer than planned...

That is so true - my “temporary” duct tape patch on a basement window lasted through two winters because I just forgot about it. Kind of wild how something meant for a week becomes part of the house. I hadn’t thought about the hair dryer thing messing up old glazing. Makes me wonder if I should just leave well enough alone next time or risk making it worse. Appreciate the heads-up about the clear UV tape, though - never even knew that was a thing.

Kind of wild how something meant for a week becomes part of the house.

I hear you - my “temporary” cardboard shim under a door has basically become a permanent fixture at this point. I get nervous about making things worse, too. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a quick fix will hold or just create more problems down the line. That clear UV tape idea is new to me as well. I might try it next time instead of just defaulting to duct tape... though I’m not sure if it’ll really last through a full winter.

I get the temptation to just slap some tape on and call it a day, especially when it’s freezing outside. Honestly, though, I’ve had mixed luck with clear UV tape - sometimes it peels in the cold, or the adhesive goes gummy after a couple months. For me, a two-part epoxy has worked better for holding cracks together, at least until I could budget for proper glass replacement. It’s not invisible, but it won’t leave a sticky mess either. Sometimes “temporary” just drags on...

Yeah, I hear you on the tape. People love to throw some on and hope for the best, but it rarely holds up, especially once things get cold or damp. Epoxy’s definitely a better call if you’re stuck waiting for a real fix - it won’t look pretty, but at least it keeps the crack from spreading and doesn’t leave that sticky residue everywhere. Temporary solutions always seem to last longer than planned... You’re not alone there. Just keep an eye on it - sometimes those cracks can spread fast if the temps swing.

Yeah, I hear you on the tape. People love to throw some on and hope for the best, but it rarely holds up, especially once things get cold or damp.

I get the appeal of epoxy, but honestly, I’m not convinced it’s always better than tape for a quick fix. Tape’s ugly, sure, but if you use the right kind (like clear Gorilla tape), it can keep a crack stable for weeks, even in weird weather. Epoxy can be a pain to clean up later, especially if you end up replacing the glass anyway. Just my two cents - sometimes simple is best if you’re in a pinch.

- Tape definitely wins for speed - just slap it on and done.
- I tried clear Gorilla tape on my back porch window last winter. Looked a little rough, but it held up through a couple snowstorms and some wild temperature swings.
- Epoxy’s solid if you want a more permanent patch, but honestly, cleanup is the worst. Had to chisel some off once when I finally replaced a pane... not fun.
- One other trick: packing tape in a pinch (not pretty, but works if you’re desperate).
- I’d say, unless you’re showing off your windows, tape gets the job done till you can swap the glass.