setting glass inteak frames

restoring a Albin, lots of teak trim. Windows are set in solid teak frames. Safety glass 1/4" was places into frame after a liberal application of silicone caulk. This was done in 1986 - PITA *** to remove until I discovered kerosene. Boy did it help remove the old silicone.

Now that the teak is cleaned and sanded, I intend to apply a few coats of thinned epoxy before I finish off with polyurethane.

Question 1. is would you keep the inside frame bare or apply the epoxy there too?

Question 2. Old school installation was just squashing the glass against the teak and letting the silicone squish out. Then it was trimmed. Is that a good way to do it these days? Would it not be better to apply thin spacers on the inside that keeps the glass edge from being flush, so when it done I can recaulk the edge to get a better seal?

Question 3. I dont think silicone is the way to go, I dont want to "glue" the windows in. Some like Life Caulk, I have had a so -so exp with it. I was thinking about that black butyl stuff that never dries.

Would love to here some suggestions - thanks

 

you are right abt old school with Silicone

you need to find the right Sikaflex, it is what they hold skyscaper windows in with, and boat windows of all sizes.plus it holds paint where silicon will not, , there is a thin strip of foam that you get with the sika, it spaces the glass, you dont want to tighten the glass but leave a cetain thickness of sika. this stuff stretches like crazy, they even use it to glue structural alloy instead of welding
there are other urathanes that are half the price, bostik make some good ones
I do not know of any yards that use silicon now

 

After using a penetrating epoxy, use a couple of coats of regular laminating epoxy. Since you'll be working against epoxy and not wood, silicone is one of your best choices for sticking to glass (unfortunately). Some of the polyurethanes will do a good job too. Polyether is the choice of glass professionals.

 

My experimentation with a dirt-cheap home window caulking product called MORTITE has been very successful. Mortite is a ropy material available in gray and brown in virtually every hardware store. It never hardens and yet it sticks to both glass and wood. You'll have no leaks. A space, as mentioned, is a good idea. Maybe about 1/16". My guess is every ten years or so the caulk might be replaced. A good idea would be to seal the caulk on the outside with varnish (as one would when re-varnishing the wood).
Not messy at all, mineral spirits to clean up, pleasant odor.
This is all based on third year results, with caulk just as soft and sealing as well as when it was applied.

Alan

 

Can i tell you all a product NOT to use, Selleys All Clear. It is crystal clear goop in a tube.

It looks like it could be a nice product, but the surface is really tacky and if disturbed all hell breaks loose. I had a chandley with a coffee shop attached one time in a past life, we used this product to seal under the coffee machine as the top was glass, the girls hated me forever as it stuck to their aprons from time to time.

It is a strange product, really do not know where it could be used successfully.

 

Leave it to a Lubber to try something like that . . .

 

Funny now mate, it was not funny at the time.....