Cut to size · Windsor-Essex
Need glass cut to size? How to order the right piece
The cabinet pane that cracked when a door slammed. Glass for a yard-sale picture frame. A new crystal for an old mantel clock. Small pieces like these are the heart of cut-glass work. We connect you with an independent Windsor-Essex glass pro who cuts to size; this page helps you ask for the right thing first time.
- Single pieces welcome
- Plain, tempered or laminated
- Help measuring odd shapes
Glass types
Annealed, tempered, laminated and acrylic: which one you need
Annealed (plain)
Ordinary glass, cut on the table. Fine for frames, clock faces and cabinet panes, but it breaks into sharp pieces.
Tempered
Cut first, then heated and quickly cooled to toughen it; a break leaves dull granules. For tabletops, shelves and shower doors.
Laminated
Two sheets with a plastic film sandwiched between, so broken pieces stay put. The usual pick for railings.
Acrylic (plexiglass)
Plastic, not glass. Light and hard to break, but it scratches and can yellow. Fair for a shed window or a sign.
Tempered glass
Tempered glass can't be cut afterwards: order it exact
Tempering locks stress into the glass, which is what makes it strong. Cut or drill it afterwards and the whole sheet bursts into pebbles. So every cut, hole and edge is done first and the glass is tempered last. That's why tempered pieces take longer, and why an old one can't be trimmed to fit something new.
Measuring
How to measure, or make a template for odd shapes
Measure the opening
Measure where the glass sits, in two places each way, and give the smaller figure.
Note the thickness
Measure a piece of the old glass, or bring it along.
Template anything that isn't a rectangle
Trace arches, ovals or angled corners on stiff paper, trim to the line and mark the top side.
Say what it's for
The use decides whether plain glass will do or it needs tempering.
Common jobs
Common jobs: cabinet doors, picture frames, fireplace doors, shelves and protectors
Cabinet panes
Clear, frosted or patterned glass for kitchen and china-cabinet doors.
Frames and clocks
Thin plain glass for frames, and small round clock glass where a match can be found.
Fireplace and woodstove doors
These take heat-resistant glass, not ordinary or tempered. Not every pro supplies it, so mention it and we'll check who can.
Shelves and protectors
Tempered shelves and desk or dresser tops; the tabletops and shelves page covers thickness.
Finishing
Edgework, corners and holes
A seamed edge just takes the sharpness off, for glass hidden in a frame. A polished edge is smooth and clear, for shelves and tops you touch. Holes for hardware are drilled before tempering, so mark their centres from one edge on your sketch. For mirror rather than clear glass, see custom mirrors.
What affects the quote
What affects the price
One piece or ten, the quote is built the same way:
- Size and thickness
- Plain, tempered, laminated or heat-resistant glass
- Clear, frosted, tinted or patterned
- Edge finish, corners, holes and notches
- Odd shapes cut from a template
- Pickup, or delivery and fitting
Ask each pro whether HST is in the figure, so two quotes line up.
Doing it yourself
An honest DIY note: plain glass scores, tempered can't
Plain glass can be cut at home with a cutter and a straightedge: score once, then snap along the line, wearing gloves and eye protection. Tempered can't be cut at all, and laminated needs shop tools. Window glass is another story. Most windows here hold thermal glass, a sealed unit of two panes, which is made to order; see broken window glass. Deck guards need safety glass; see glass railings.
Questions
Cut glass questions
Explore your options
More made-to-size glass
Cut-glass jobs come from older homes with original cabinet doors in the city and newer houses in the County, including Walkerville, Olde Sandwich Towne, Riverside, Amherstburg and Essex.
Got a measurement or a tracing? Start here
Send the measurements and where the glass will go. We route it to a Windsor-Essex glass cutter and follow up so a small job doesn't slip through.