The sight of a crack in your car’s windshield is enough to make any driver cringe. After all, it not only affects the aesthetic appeal of your car but also puts you and your passengers at risk while driving. In addition to the risk of impaired visibility, a broken windshield may also lead to further complications such as water entering the cabin when it rains, which can result in expensive damage to the interior. Fortunately, there are several ways to repair a cracked or damaged windshield that doesn’t involve total replacement. These repairs are known as crack sealing, chip sealing, and glass welding. Whether you’re about to take your car for an inspection or just want to get more value out of it before selling it; you should be aware of these 5 best car windshield repair techniques:
1] What is chip sealing?
Chip sealing is quite similar to crack sealing, but it is primarily used to repair larger cracks. Chip sealing involves the same application process as crack sealing, but the sealant is applied over a larger area. This method of windshield repair is suitable for cracks that are at least ¼ inch wide. Chip sealing is perfect for repairing chips in the car’s windshield that are otherwise too large to be treated with crack sealing. However, unlike crack sealing, chip sealing doesn’t work well in high-impact areas such as the car’s edge and the windshield’s corners.
2] What is glass welding?
Glass welding is the ultimate car windshield repair method for the more serious types of cracks. Unlike crack sealing and chip sealing, glass welding actually fills the crack with a substance that’s similar to car windshield glue. This substance fuses both parts of the broken windshield together, making the windshield as strong and durable as it was before the damage occurred. This method of repair is perfect for larger cracks that cannot be treated with crack sealing or chip sealing. However, it’s best to avoid this method of windshield repair if the crack is located in a high-impact area such as the car’s edge or the windshield’s corners.
3] What is resin bonding?
Resin bonding is similar to glass welding, but it uses a different bonding agent. Unlike glass welding, resin bonding uses ultra-violet light to harden a special type of glue. This glue is then applied to both parts of the broken windshield. Once the glue has been applied, you must wait for it to harden. This hardening process takes around 10–15 minutes. Once this has happened, the glue is solid enough to fuse the broken windshield together. Like glass welding, resin bonding is best for repairing larger cracks and can be applied to the car’s edge and the windshield’s corners.
4] What is Ultra-Violet Coating?
An ultra-violet coating is applied directly to the broken area of the car’s windshield. This coating is tinted to provide additional UV protection and to match the surrounding windshield area perfectly. A UV-coating is applied using a syringe, and it normally takes around 20–30 minutes to dry. An ultra-violet coating is perfect for repairing small chips and scratches in the windshield. It’s also a very cost-effective option when compared to glass welding or resin bonding. Like the other repair methods, an ultra-violet coating can be applied to the car’s edge and the windshield’s corners.
5] Final Words
A car’s windshield is one of the most important parts of the vehicle. Not only does it protect you and your passengers from being hurt in a crash, but it also helps keep the inside of the car dry in inclement weather. Unfortunately, car windshields can be easily damaged by rocks, tree branches, road debris, and even hail. If your windshield has a crack or chip in it, you should have it repaired as soon as possible. This will not only keep your passengers safe, but it will also prevent water from entering the cabin.
