I Need to Connect a Metal Handle to a Glass Oven Door

Mechanical Fasteners

• Glass oven doors are made from tempered glass; they cannot be drilled. If your door was cast with a hole or -- more likely -- two holes for a handle held in place with set screws, a new handle must be sourced that exactly matches the dimensions of the original. The set screws pass through the door from the inside, and are typically fastened into threaded receivers cast into the stems of the handle. The shape and size of the new handle must exactly match the holes in the door. Furthermore, the receivers in the handle must be sized to accept the same screws as originally used; larger screws cannot be driven through the glass without shattering it, and smaller screws will allow the handle to work loose and either rattle or fall off.

Usage Tips for Adhesives

• Using an adhesive is a more complex process, but is the only other option for a door without holes, or for a door with holes for which a matching handle cannot be found. An adhesive specially designed to bond metal and glass must be used, and because of the application, the glue must also be able to withstand heat. Heat resistant silicones, urethanes and two-part epoxies are commonly available that withstand temperatures as severe as 600 degrees F, far more severe than most domestic and commercial ovens.

  Before gluing, scour both the glass and the metal to promote the best adhesion. Using course sandpaper is likely to be too imprecise; the tip of a new box cutter blade works well, so long as it is used with great care. If recommended to do so by the manufacturer of the adhesive, clean both surfaces with a solvent. Hardened over-spread should be removed with a razor blade followed by glass cleaner.

UV Glue

• UV glue is a one-part adhesive that is cured by exposure to ultra violet light. UV glue typically dries crystal clear to form a self-supporting bond in a very short period, usually only minutes. Most artisans that work regularly with UV glue have a special lamp cluster to expose the adhesive to ultra violet light, but for a one-off job -- such as bonding a metal handle to a glass oven door -- the sun on a bright, clear day is often sufficient. The curing process will take much longer than when using a lamp cluster, but will take place eventually.

  Glass Etching Kits’ UV-GM689 is manufactured specifically for glass to metal bonding. The product is 100-percent modified acrylated resin; because the curing process is actuated by ultra violet light, no solvents are used, giving the product a high flashpoint and a low propensity to irritate skin. The Loctite and Devcon companies also produce UV glues.

Also Recommended

• E-6000, manufactured by TAP, adheres well to both metal and glass. Similar to silicone, the product retains flexibility when cured, so is ideal for situations where expansion and contraction is normal. HXTAL NYL-1, manufactured by HXTAL, is an extremely strong glass/metal epoxy used by sculptors, restorers and makers of blown-glass goods.

Advisory Note

• Heat from the oven can transfer to the handle through the glass of the door and through mechanical fasteners. Grasping a metal handle that is attached to an oven door after even a short period of heating can be injurious.