Replacing Glass Panel in Aluminium Front Door

Ettenna

We have an alu double glazed front door with 2 glass panels. Many years ago we have the bottom one replaced with one with a cat flap in it. The cat has long since gone and the dog has broken the flap.

We still have the original bottom panel and want to refit it. We contacted a local glass man who said it could be done but it was a 2 person job and he never came back :mad:

We are both fairly competent DIYers but can't figure out how to get the door apart :rolleyes: .

Anyone any idea ?

TIA

SatanicHare

Without seeing the actual door all i can do is give you general advice, a lot of "ali" doors are wrap round glazed. This means that the door is built round the glass, and there are no glazing beads. Usually the door needs to be taken off by unscrewing the hinges (either from the sash or the frame, whatever is the easiest) and laid flat onto trestles, the sides are often bolted to the top bottom and middle rails, the access holes can be covered by plastic gromets or a plastic cover which slides in to the rail. You should check closely for glazing beads as some doors were shuffle glazed, the door would have a top and bottom bead on each pane but no side beads and the rubber gasket used is a wedge gasket that is inserted separately, inside and out,these doors can be glazed in situ, there are als doors with beads on inside, or outside or even on both sides. If you can upload or PM me pictures i could give you a better idea of how to proceed

plumb1_2

If the door panel has rubber seals, remove them 1st, then the ali beads should tap out. Fit the glass then the beads and then the rubber seals.