How To Conduct Stone Chip Repairs In The Windscreen?

A common experience of car drivers is the damage caused to the windscreen by flying debris like stones. Such chips and cracks can grow worse over time, so one must get stone chip repairs or total replacement of windscreen glass early enough.

Size Concerns

One cannot use DIY kits to repair cracks that are over 3 inches long and chips that are bigger than a quarter. They must be replaced or repaired by professional auto-glass companies. But if the chip is smaller than a quarter, it is possible to go the DIY route to repair it.

DIY Chip Repair

The first step is to buy a DIY repair kit from a local auto store. The content of epoxy resin has a shelf life, so one must check the expiry date of the product. Else, enquire from store employees whether the item has been sitting on store shelves for over 6 months.
To make sure that one gains proper adhesion in the process of repair, one must thoroughly clean the exterior of the windscreen at the spot of the chip. However, one should avoid directly spraying glass cleaner onto the chip or crack.

Alternatively, spray a small quantum of rubbing alcohol onto a cloth of microfiber and use it for wiping the surface. Make use of a thumbtack or pin to eliminate any free glass shards in the crack or chip.

In case UV light is needed for curing the epoxy resin in the DIY repair kit, pull out the car from the garage or the shade towards open daylight. Whenever possible, save the repair job for a sunny, warm day. 

In case there has been rainfall, one can use a hairdryer to get rid of moisture from within the crack or chip before the application of epoxy. In all, always follow instructions in the DIY kit and adhere to the following steps.

Steps For Repair

For starters, peel away the backing of paper on the adhesive patch to expose one side carrying the adhesive. As for the chip, it may not be bigger than the patch’s circular cut-out at the centre. Keep the patch upon the chip and apply it to the dry, outdoor facing and a clean portion of the windscreen. Peel away the other side of the paperback and apply the pedestal to the adhesive. The pedestal is a moulded piece of plastic featuring a tube that angles upward. Ready the tabs for smooth removal.If needed, mix the resin. One must pour the resin liquid into the pedestal and fill it all the way to the top. Next, compress a syringe downwards and insert it firmly within the pedestal.Next, use one hand to hold the pedestal while slowly pulling up the syringe plunger. Note that one need not fear that this will draw up the resin. Continue to draw up the syringe plunger till its full length.Drawing up the plunger creates a vacuum within the syringe which will gradually draw out air bubbles from the resin away from the chip. One can note air bubbles leaving the chip from inside the car. How long to keep the syringe depends on the kind of DIY kit. One way is to wait until there are no more air bubbles.Remove the syringe from the pedestal using one hand. The syringe must then be inserted again. Use it to force the resin into the crack or chip. Push about halfway down or as per instructions.Knock on the window gently with knuckles to free any air bubbles trapped in the chip. If there is a small area in the chip that is not filled, one must compress down the syringe a bit more. Take care to do so, one may risk damaging the adhesive seal.Refer to the instructions for how much longer the syringe must stay in position. The pedestal and adhesive patch can be removed after the curing of epoxy resin.Put one or two drops of resin on top of the chip.Place the curing strip on top of the chip with resin drops. Hold the strip gently while using a razor blade to eject any air bubbles and permit the resin to cure for the suggested time.The curing strip must be scraped off using a jagged razor blade. Avoid pulling it away. One must place a finger over the chip and break away the bond between the glass around the chip and the curing strip using a sharp blade.Lastly, twist off the strip so that one does not extract the resin from within the chip.Use the blade to scrape away any resin that is left over.

Hire Professionals

If DIY fixing of windscreen chip is not one’s cup of tea, it is a good idea to leave stone chip repairs job to professionals. Only a trained and experienced technician can decide whether to repair the chip or replace the glass. They can be relied upon to do either job professionally.