Storefront glass · Oshawa
Storefront windows repaired and reglazed
A cracked display window, a pane gone cloudy, or glass lost overnight. The job is to get the front secure today and reglazed properly after. Usually only the glass needs replacing; the framing is fine. We connect Oshawa and Durham businesses with independent local commercial glass pros who board up, measure and reglaze. Part of our commercial glass services; send photos and pane sizes to start.
- Board-up first, glass made to size
- Heritage fronts checked before changes
- Tempered, laminated and sealed units
The basics
What “storefront glass” means: framing systems, sealed units, tempered and laminated panes
Storefront glass is the large glazing across a shop front, set in framing built for it. Knowing which kind you have speeds up the quote.
The framing
Newer storefronts mostly use aluminum framing, with the glass held by removable stops and gaskets. Older fronts may be wood or early metal, which needs more care.
Sealed units
Two panes sealed around a spacer, the same sealed unit (some still say thermopane) as in a house. When the seal fails it fogs, as in the photo above, and the unit is replaced. See foggy sealed units.
Tempered panes
Safety glass that breaks into small, blunt pieces. It can't be cut after it's made, so it's ordered to exact size.
Laminated panes
Two layers bonded to a plastic interlayer. When hit, it cracks but tends to stay in the frame.
The next morning
After a break: secure, board up, measure, reglaze
If the window went overnight, most jobs run in this order. The pro we match you with handles the glass; you handle the photos, the report and the insurer.
Make it safe and photograph it
Keep people back from loose glass. Photograph the pane, frame and floor before cleanup, and report it to police. If it was vandalism, see the City's vandalism fund.
Board up or fit a temporary panel
The opening is covered so you can lock up. Ask about timing when you call; emergency board-up covers the night itself.
Measure and order
The pro measures the opening and confirms the glass type. Tempered, laminated and sealed units are made to order.
Reglaze and remove the board
The new glass goes into the existing frame, stops and seals are reset, and the board comes off.
Security options
Security glazing and impact film options
After a break, the first question is often about window bars. They're one of three options.
Laminated glass
Replaces the existing pane. When struck, it cracks but tends to hold together, and the display still looks like plain glass.
Security film
Applied to the inside of existing glass to help hold it together. Film anchored to the frame holds better than film alone, so ask how it's attached.
Bars and grilles
Visible and hard to get past, but they change the look of the front. Check with your landlord first, and with the City if the building is designated.
Heritage fronts
Heritage storefronts on King Street and Simcoe Street
Downtown's older blocks on King Street and Simcoe Street hold much of Oshawa's commercial heritage. The City's heritage register includes King Street East buildings such as the Regent Theatre and the Genosha Hotel.
If a building is designated, changes that affect its heritage attributes need Council approval; regular maintenance doesn't. A like-for-like pane sits at the maintenance end; new framing, a new glass layout or bars sit closer to an alteration. The City decides, so ask before ordering anything different. See downtown Oshawa.
The quote
What drives the price: pane size, glass type, framing, after-hours timing, access
Every storefront pane is made to measure, so the quote depends on the job. The pro will ask about:
- Pane size, and whether the opening is one piece or several
- Glass type: tempered, laminated, or an insulated sealed unit
- Framing: aluminum, or older wood or metal
- Board-up or a temporary panel, and whether it's needed after hours
- Access: sidewalk space, height, awnings and signage over the glass
A photo of the whole front and rough measurements help a pro quote before visiting.
Paying for it
Paying for it: insurance, the vandalism fund and the downtown façade grant
Start with your insurer, who will want photos, an itemized invoice and, for vandalism, the police report number.
Two City programs may help. The Graffiti and Vandalism Remediation Fund has offered commercial and industrial owners rebates toward vandalism repairs, including windows, doors, locks and deductibles, and toward window protection. It's a one-time, first-come fund, subject to availability. Downtown, the Urban Growth Centre façade grant helps with façade work, which can include storefronts. Check both program pages for current terms.
Sign-off
Permits and building owners: who signs off
Oshawa's permit exemption for same-size window and door replacement is for houses only, so check with the City before new framing, a new door or a new glass layout goes in.
If you lease, the landlord has a say too. Leases often name who repairs the storefront glass, so settle that before glass is ordered. Entrance doors are covered on our commercial door repair page.
Questions
Storefront glass questions
Explore your options
Other jobs shop owners ask about
Local pros reglaze storefronts across Oshawa and nearby Durham towns, including Downtown Oshawa, Stevenson & the Oshawa Centre area, Whitby, Bowmanville and Ajax.
Send a photo of the storefront
Include pane sizes if you have them, and say if you need a same-day board-up. We'll pass it to a local commercial glass pro.