How to Change the Window in a Garage Door

Removal From Steel Doors

• 1

  Close the garage door and ask a friend to stand on the outside of the garage door. Unplug the door opener if you use one, to prevent accidental opening of the door. This is necessary regardless of the type of garage door you own.

• 2

  Pull out any broken pieces of glass that are loose. This helps prevent glass from falling on your hands as you work. When removing retainers, watch for loose glass and remove it from the door as you remove the retainers.

• 3

  Ask your helper to hold the outer window frame against the door while you remove the inner retainers. The retainers fit over ridges on the inside of the plastic frame.

• 4

  Insert a small flat-head screwdriver or awl in between the retainers on the upper right corner of the window frame. Maneuver the tool under the end of the upper retainer.

• 5

  Pull the end of the retainer away from the frame with the tool, until you can grab the retainer with your fingers. Pull the retainer away completely.

• 6

  Slide the screwdriver or awl under the upper end of each side retainer, and pull the retainers away from the frame.

• 7

  Remove the bottom retainer from the window frame. Remove all broken pieces of glass, and brush the frame with a paint brush to remove small bits of glass and glass dust.

• 8

  Push the frame with your fingers until your helper can pull it out from the outside of the garage door.

• 9

  Take the frame to a glass shop so they can measure and cut a piece of single strength glass for the window. It is a good idea to purchase two pieces of replacement, in case one breaks while installing it into the garage door.

Installation in Steel Doors

• 10

  Push the plastic window frame through the front of the garage door, and ask your helper to hold the top and bottom of the frame against the garage door. Go inside and carefully insert the replacement window into the frame. Hold the window in place with one hand, and push the upper retainer into place with your free hand. If necessary, gently tap the retainer into place with a rubber mallet. The bottom of the retainer will curve against the glass, securing the glass and frame.

• 11

  Press the two side retainers into place over the frame. Ensure that the glass is against the inside of the frame as you install the side retainers.

• 12

  Push one end of the bottom retainer into place, and insert the other end of the retainer. Push the center of the bottom retainer into place with your fingers. The two ends will slide over under the bottom of the two side retainers. Lightly tap all retainers with the rubber mallet to ensure they are tight.

Removal From Wood Doors

• 13

  Insert the flathead screwdriver between the bottom edge of the window frame and the quarter-round glass retainer. Gently pry the quarter-round away from the window frame in small increments along the length of the quarter-round. This helps prevent breaking the quart-round. Once the quarter-round is loose from the window frame, gently pry it away completely.

• 14

  Remove the side quarter-round retainers in the same manner. Remove the loose portions of broken glass, and remove the upper quarter-round retainer.

• 15

  Pull out any brads that stayed on the window frame with a pair of pliers. Wood brads hold the quarter-round is held in place and sometimes pull through the quarter-round as you remove it from the frame.

• 16

  Brush the inside of the wood frame where the glass sits with a paint brush to remove bits of glass.

• 17

  Measure the length and width of the inside window frame opening with a tape measure. Purchase replacement single-strength glass that is 1/8 inch shorter than your measurements. This ensures the glass fits inside the opening and accommodates the expansion and contraction of the wood.

Installation In Wood Door

• 18

  Hammer the ends of the brads on the bottom of the quarter-round so that the heads are raised and the points are flush with the bottom. This makes it less difficult to install the quarter-round.

• 19

  Insert the replacement glass into the window frame opening. Place the upper quarter-round retainer over the top of the window frame opening. Place the side of the hammer head against the glass, and tap the brads into the quarter-round. Sliding the hammer across the glass helps prevent accidentally hitting the glass sharply with the hammer.

• 20

  Place the two side quarter-rounds into place, and gently tap the brads through the quarter-round and into the frame with the hammer just as you did the upper piece.

• 21

  Insert one end of the quarter-round under the bottom of one side piece. Bend the center of the quarter-round enough to insert the opposite end under the other side piece. Gently tap the brads with the hammer, starting with the center brads.

• 22

  Tap in new 1-inch brads into the quarter-rounds as necessary, where the old ones pulled through.