Window Glazing & Reglazing
Window glazing and reglazing fixes cracked, crumbling or missing putty that lets water in and glass rattle loose. We reglaze older single-pane wood sashes so the glass seals tight and the wood underneath stays dry.
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- All window types & brands
- Fully insured
- Price match
Signs You Need Window Glazing
Cracked or crumbling putty
Dry, cracked glazing no longer seals out water.
Missing chunks of glazing
Bare gaps between glass and wood let rain straight in.
Glass rattles in the wind
The glass is no longer held firmly in the sash.
Paint peeling around the glass
Water is getting behind the glazing and the paint.
Does Your Glazing Need Work?
- Check the glazing on every older sash each spring for cracks and gaps.
- Photograph the worst sashes and text them to us.
If it's urgent — until we arrive
- Temporarily seal a small gap with clear exterior caulk until it can be reglazed.
What Window Glazing Does — and What Happens When It Fails
On older wood windows, the glass is held in the sash by glazing putty — the angled bead you see on the outside of each pane. When that putty dries, cracks and falls out, water runs straight into the joint between the glass and the wood.
Failed glazing is one of the most common reasons old sashes rot, and one of the easiest to prevent. Water that gets behind the putty soaks into the bottom rail of the sash, and within a few winters the wood starts to go soft. Loose glass also rattles in the wind and lets cold air through.
Reglazing removes the old, failed putty, re-beds the glass so it sits securely, applies new glazing compound shaped to shed water, and seals it with primer and paint. Done properly, it lasts for many years — and it protects the sash from rot.
Which windows need glazing?
Glazing putty is found mainly on older single-pane wood windows, storm windows and some early double-hungs — very common in the pre-1960s homes of Crystal Lake, Woodstock, Cary and Carpentersville. Most modern double-pane windows use rubber gaskets or glazing stops instead; if those fail, see foggy window repair or glass replacement.
Reglazing a window means replacing the old window putty — also called glazing compound — that holds the glass in the sash. Along with the putty, small metal glazier points keep the glass pressed in place. Old window glazing dries out and cracks after decades of sun and frost, and that's when water starts getting into the wood.
Not sure this is your problem? Use our window triage guide — pick the symptom and see the likely cause and cost. Related reading: Wood window restoration
How glazing holds the glass in an old wood sash:
- Glass — single pane
- Sash rail — with a notch (rabbet)
- Glazier point — metal tab
- Glazing putty — beveled so rain runs off
- Paint lap — onto the glass seals out water
- Glass — a single pane set into the sash.
- Sash rail — the wood frame of the sash, with a notch (rabbet) the glass sits in.
- Glazier point — a small metal tab that holds the glass in place.
- Glazing putty — beveled so rain runs off, away from the wood.
- Paint lap — the paint laps slightly onto the glass — this is what seals out water.
When the putty cracks, water gets into the wood. Reglazing restores the seal.
When the putty cracks or falls out, water reaches the wood — reglazing restores the seal before rot starts.
How We Reglaze a Window Sash
Remove failed glazing
Old putty is softened and removed without damaging the glass or wood.
Prepare the wood
The rabbet is cleaned, any soft spots repaired, and bare wood primed.
Re-bed & reglaze
The glass is set securely and new glazing is tooled to shed water.
Seal & paint
The new glazing is primed and painted, lapping slightly onto the glass to seal it.
Jobs that need a professional
- Removing old glazing from painted sashes in pre-1978 homes — possible lead paint.
- Reglazing upper-floor windows from a ladder.
- Sashes where the glass is loose and could fall out when the putty comes off.
- Sashes with soft, rotted bottom rails — they need wood repair first.
Window Reglazing Cost
Typical prices
Per window · typical local prices| Reglazing a single-pane sash | $100–$300 |
| Glass replacement while reglazing (if cracked) | $300–$800 |
| Sash repair & restoration (if the wood is rotted) | $400–$700 |
Reglazing a sash costs a small fraction of replacing the window, and it's often the single most effective thing you can do to protect an old wood window from rot. Catching failed glazing early means the repair stays small — wait too long and the job becomes rotted wood repair on top of reglazing.
Why glazing fails fast in Illinois
Glazing putty has to flex as the glass and wood expand and contract, and the region's swings from humid summers to sub-zero winters push it hard. South- and west-facing sashes, baked by summer sun, usually fail first — which is where we look first on older homes in Woodstock, Crystal Lake and Harvard.
Warranty on Glazing Work
Parts we don't make (cranks, balances, locks) carry only their supplier's warranty. Leaks from roofs, flashing or siding aren't window defects. Full warranty terms Read our reviews
Who does the work
- Our own technicians — no subcontractors.
- About 10 years in the trade, on every kind of window and door.
- The same people who give the estimate come back to do the work.
Make the repair last
- Keep the paint over the glazing intact — repaint before it peels.
Got a quote to replace these windows?
Send it to us before you sign. We'll tell you — free — whether a repair would solve it for less.
Window Glazing Questions
More Wood & Rot Repairs
Window Glazing Near You
Based in Lake in the Hills — we do window glazing in Lake in the Hills and 35+ nearby towns, within about 30 miles. Find yours:
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Fix the Window. Keep Your Money.
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★★★★★ 4.9 from 145+ reviews · 20-year glass warranty · Price match