If the glass in your uPVC or composite front door, back door or side panel has misted, cracked or been smashed, the door itself is nearly always fine. We replace the double glazed unit in the door you already have, in toughened safety glass, across Wishaw and the rest of Lanarkshire. The lock, the hinges and the door stay exactly as they are, and there is no call out fee.
uPVC door glass, replaced in the door you have
In most uPVC doors with a big glazed area, the glass is a sealed unit held in the door the same way it is held in a window: plastic beads clipped round the edge on the inside, with rubber gaskets either side of the glass. That makes it a job we can do properly.
We take the beads off, measure the unit and check its thickness, and our supplier makes a new toughened unit to those exact measurements. Once it is made, we come back, take the old unit out, fit the new one and put the beads back. The fitting itself usually takes under an hour, and you can use the door again straight away.
The same goes for the glass in side panels and fanlights beside and above a uPVC door, which are glazed like windows. Misted units, cracked glass and smashed glass are all the same job at heart, and our window glass replacement page explains how sealed units fail in the first place.
When the glass is part of the door panel
Not every uPVC door is glazed that way. Many have a solid infill panel, the flat section in the middle of the door, with a smaller decorative piece of glass set into it in its own moulded frame. In those doors the glass belongs to the panel rather than to the door.
Sometimes that insert can be changed on its own. Often the sensible fix is a new panel, which costs a fraction of a new door and lets you change the style while you are at it. We fit those too, and our replacement door panels page covers the choices. Send us a photo of the door and we will tell you which kind you have before anybody comes out.
Composite door glass, and Palladio doors
Composite doors are built differently. The glass sits in a glazing cassette, an inner and an outer frame that clamp through the thickness of the door slab, held together with screws or clips depending on who made the door. The cassette comes apart, and in most composite doors our supplier can make the new unit up to measure in the same way as for a uPVC door.
Where it gets harder is decorative glass. A lot of composite door designs use patterned, bevelled or coloured glass, and some of those patterns are hard to match or are no longer made. If that is the case with yours, we will tell you before anything is ordered and show you the nearest match.
Palladio doors are a different case again. They are built differently from a standard composite slab, and the glass for them has to be supplied by Palladio themselves rather than made up by our usual supplier. Send us a photo of the door and we will tell you which route yours needs before anybody comes out.
Door glass has to be safety glass
Glass in a door is one of the places where the building standards expect it to resist a knock without breaking dangerously. In Scotland that covers glass in a door leaf, glass within 300mm of a door and below 1.5m, and any glass below 800mm from the floor. In practice that means toughened or laminated glass, and every door unit we fit is toughened.
If you want extra security or less noise, laminated glass is an option for some doors. Our guide to toughened or laminated glass explains the difference.
Matching patterns and privacy
Like for like is the usual choice. Common obscure patterns are still made, so a front door that needs privacy can go back with the same pattern as before, and Georgian bar and leaded designs can usually be matched. Some older decorative door glass, with bevels or coloured sections, is no longer made, and if that is the case we will tell you before anything is ordered and show you the nearest match.
A broken unit is also a good moment to change things. Plain glass can become obscure, or the other way round. Our guides to obscure glass and Georgian bars and leaded glass show what is available.
Patio, French and bi-fold door glass
Larger door glass is the same principle on a bigger scale. A misted or cracked patio door unit is a sealed unit like any other, it just has to be toughened and it is heavier to handle. Our pages on patio and French door repairs and bi-fold doors cover those doors in more detail.
What door glass costs
Our replacement sealed units start from £75 for a hopper sized pane, the small opener at the top of a window. Door glass is bigger than that and always toughened, so it is priced on its size and the glass in it: a narrow side panel costs less than a full height door unit, and obscure or decorative glass costs more than clear. There is no call out fee, and the quote is free.
Send a photo of the door on WhatsApp with a rough width and height of the glass, and we can usually give you a good idea of the cost before anybody comes out. Our repair prices page explains what moves the figure.
Call 01698 604 278 or send a photo on WhatsApp for a free quote on door glass replacement.
Door glass, in a customer’s words
When the glass in Elaine’s front door was smashed, she chose a new panel for the door and Jim fitted it.
“The glass in my front door was smashed. Jim helped pick out a new panel for door and did a great job fitting new panel. The door looks brand new!”
Elaine, Google review
Every one of our reviews is on Google, and there is a selection on our reviews page.
Where we cover
We replace door glass all over Wishaw, Motherwell, Hamilton and the rest of Lanarkshire, and further out to Glasgow, East Kilbride and Livingston. The full list is on our areas we cover page. We work Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and a door that has been smashed and cannot be secured moves up the list, so say so when you call.
Questions about door glass
Can you replace the glass without replacing the door?
Yes, in most uPVC doors. Where the glass is held in by beads, the unit comes out and a new one goes in, and nothing else about the door changes. Where the glass is part of a decorative panel, a new panel is usually the answer, and that is still far cheaper than a new door.
How long does it take?
Two visits. The first is to measure. Door glass is toughened, so it takes a little longer to make than plain window glass, and decorative patterns can take longer again. The second visit is the fitting, which is usually under an hour.
Can I still use the door in the meantime?
If the glass has cracked but is still in one piece, usually yes, though it is worth keeping the door shut gently. If it has been smashed, tell us when you call, because a door that cannot be locked or secured is a job we move up the list. Our broken window repair page covers what happens when glass has been broken.
Do you do composite door glass?
Yes, in most cases. The glass in a composite door sits in a cassette that comes apart, and our supplier can make the new unit up to measure, the same as for a uPVC door. Patterned glass can be harder to match, and Palladio doors need their glass supplied by Palladio themselves. Send a photo and we will tell you straight away.
My uPVC door is fine but the panel is cracked. Can you fix that?
Yes. A cracked, kicked in or faded panel can be swapped on its own, glazed or solid, and our replacement door panels page has the details. If the door is dropping, sticking or not locking as well, our door repairs page covers that side of things.
We also fit new doors when a repair is not worth it, and our doors in Wishaw page brings all of it together.