Buffing Out Glass Scratches: A Comprehensive Guide

Are we buff from buffing glass scratches? A question we hear constantly. Just kidding!  But seriously, glass becomes scratched all the time. Some cement or tile grout plops onto the glass. Next, a careless person innocently wipes it away, leaving a nice big scratch in the glass of your beautiful picture window.  Or perhaps your window cleaner has just scraped your glass windows to remove sap, over-spray or other residue that was on your beautiful sliding glass doors. Now, however, when the afternoon sun hits your glass windows or doors, you notice fine, light scratches all over that glisten and sparkle in the sun.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Scratched Glass

Oftentimes, scratched glass looks like spider webs. When one of the foregoing or some other unhappy scratched glass incident occurs, you now find yourself in the market for some professional scratched glass repair. The temptation lingers : you could just leave it. It’s probably pretty minor, or if it’s not minor, than you probably think you’d have to replace the whole window or door glass.

Not so. First, there’s no such thing as minor glass scratch damage. Even a relatively small scratch threatens the structural integrity of a pane of glass by forming a weak spot that is more likely to break under pressure or impact. Not to mention the perceptual damage that glass scratches or acid etched graffiti in window can do to a business — if you can’t take care of your own front door or storefront, how will you take care of your customers?

Scratched Window Repair is Cost Effective

Did you know that repairing glass scratches is far less costly — usually saving 60% or more — over replacement? In fact, according to a study by the National Glass Association, the average cost of professional glass scratch repair is only $50-$150, while a full glass replacement can easily run upwards of $500 or more, depending on the size and type of glass.

Getting a new tempered glass door or window can be a very pricey process. However, when it comes to processes, our latest and highly-effective process for affordable glass scratch repair is not only faster than replacement but also environmentally friendly, as it eliminates the need for disposing of the old glass.

The Art of Professional Glass Scratch Removal

So what is this miracle cure for your glass scratch debacle? Put simply, it’s a way of taking minute quantities of scratched glass off of the window by grinding it down, uniformly.  Evenly feathering out the damaged area.

When it’s performed properly, glass scratch removal will be permanent and the glass will be restored to like new condition.

However, if someone inexperienced in scratched glass repair attempts this, your glass could end up with visible waves and distortion in the glass, which is almost impossible to restore perfectly afterwards.

I always tell clients, glass scratches may be visible from five feet away, but distortion can be seen from fifty feet away! If your glass is scratched, scratch removal is absolutely possible. However, if someone distorts your scratched glass, it’s pretty much ruined. Don’t let anyone experiment with your glass windows and doors.

Efficient Large-Scale Glass Resurfacing: Our Specialty

Our glass scratch repair process is quicker than literally all other glass restoration technicians, especially if the damage covers a significant portion of your window.

All glass scratch repair jobs — even big ones — can be handled in a timely manner. Our specialty is large glass resurfacing with widespread scratches. In this scenario, resurfacing is the most effective way to restore the glass.

A talented glass scratch removal expert can restore or completely resurface about a hundred and seventy five to two hundred and fifty square feet of glass surface per day — or more if the panes are nice and large, since there are fewer edges to contend with.

The cost of scratched glass repair often costs from $20-$35/sq. foot depending on the type of glass, severity, accessibility and a few other factors in USA.

For more information regarding glass scratch removal and scratched glass questions, or to set up an appointment, please contact us at Unscratch the Surface or fill out our contact form. 805-295-9020.