What Is Storefront Glass Repair?
Storefront glass repair fixes problems around a storefront panel without replacing the glass itself. The glass is often fine. What fails is everything that holds it in and keeps the weather out: the rubber gaskets, the sealant, the setting blocks, the glazing stops and the weep system at the sill. And sometimes the glass has a small edge chip that can be ground smooth before it becomes a crack.
On restaurant and retail strips like Kensington Market, Ossington, Roncesvalles and the Danforth, many frontages are 20-40 years old. Gaskets shrink, sealant cracks, and water starts showing up inside every time it rains. Fixing that is a repair. Replacing the panel is only needed when the glass itself is broken.
The Repairs We Do Most
- Safe-edge grinding. A diamond pad smooths a chipped edge on annealed or laminated plate so the chip cannot start a crack.
- EPDM gasket replacement. Old gaskets go hard and shrink, leaving gaps at the corners. We lift the panel, replace the gasket with the matching profile and reset the glass.
- Setting block replacement. Blocks that have crushed or slipped let the glass sit on the frame, which stresses the edge and breaks seals.
- Perimeter re-glaze. Old sealant is cut out completely, backer rod is installed, and a new bead of Dow Corning 795 is tooled in.
- Weep and drainage clearing. Blocked weep holes in the sill hold water against the glass and the gaskets.
- Stop and pressure plate tightening. Loose stops let the glass move and rattle in the wind.
Is It a Repair or a Replacement?
| What you see | Usually | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small chip on the edge, no crack | Repair: safe-edge grind | $450-$650 |
| Water inside after rain | Repair: gasket or re-seal | $450-$1,200 |
| Panel rattles in wind | Repair: stops, blocks, gaskets | $450-$900 |
| Crack running across the glass | Replacement | $1,200-$5,500 |
| Chip on tempered glass | Replacement | $1,200-$5,500 |
| Shattered panel | Replacement + board-up | $1,200-$5,500 + $185-$650 |
Why Restaurants Should Not Wait on Leaks
Restaurant frontages take a beating. Patio furniture gets dragged against the glass, delivery dollies bump the frame, and the steam from a busy kitchen meets cold glass all winter. A small leak at a sill rots the floor below, stains drywall and lets cold air into the dining room. Fixing the gasket in fall costs a few hundred dollars. Fixing the floor, the glass and the frame in spring costs thousands.
How We Schedule Around Service
We book storefront repairs before opening or after close, and work one bay at a time so only a small part of the frontage is open at once. Floor protection goes down inside, and the sidewalk is kept clear. When we leave, the glass is cleaned and the bay has been water-tested.
Spotted a leak, a chip or a rattle? Send a photo and our Toronto glass repair crew will tell you whether it is a repair or a replacement before you book.
Written by The Elite Glass Repair Toronto Crew. Last updated .
