How To Fix Chips & Cracks In Your Windshield DIY Guide

Looking for Do-It-Yourself cracked windshield repair methods on how to fix a cracked windshield? Here you can learn how to repair cracked or chipped windshield damage using Permatex's or Rain x's windshield repair kits, (best windshield repair kits on the market), without taking your car to an windshield repair shop. 

Table Of Contents:

• Cracked Windshield Repair
• Types Of Windshield Chips & Cracks That Can Be Fixed
• Repair Cracked Windshield Costs
• Repair Cracked Windshield With DIY Repair Kits
• Repair Windshield Chips With Rain X Repair Kit
• Repair Windshield Cracks With Rain X Repair Kit
• How To Fix A Cracked Windshield W/ Permatex Kit

Cracked Windshield Repair

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Performing your own windshield crack repairs can save you tons of time and money. If your windshield is mostly in good condition, but still has a small crack or chip, you should get it repaired as soon as possible to avoid more windshield damage.

The Danger Of Small Windshield Chips & Cracks 

Small windshield chips and cracks can turn into much bigger cracks if left not repaired soon enough. The next steps for your will be windshield replacement, filing auto glass claims, and paying a deductible to your auto insurance company.

How much does it cost to replace your windshield with auto glass companies? Depending on your auto glass coverage, you could pay as much as a $500 deductible to replace your windshield.

How much do I have to pay to replace my windshield if I have auto glass insurance? If you have auto glass insurance in states like Arizona, you get get your windshield replaced for FREE.

Types of Windshield Cracks and Chips That Can Be Fixed

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Before you get too worked up, take a really close look at your windshield chip with a magnifying glass. You may be able to repair the windshield crack instead of replacing the windshield entirely. Take a look at the chart above that shows you the all of the different types of windshield chips and cracks that can be repaired without windshield replacement. The most common way to repair a cracked windshield is to use acrylic or epoxy adhesives also known as DIY windshield repair kits, that to fill in the small windshield chip or crack with a clear when dry adhesive.

What happens if you don’t repair your windshield crack soon enough? Failure to repair your windshield chips in the early stages can leave your windshield with long spider cracks that cannot be repaired. You will need to replace the entire windshield or face receiving a ticket for driving with a cracked windshield. Driving with a cracked windshield that impairs the drivers view is illegal in most states and dangerous to your safety. Also, weather damage can make the crack or chip more severe leaving you in the exact same scenario.

What size windshield chips and cracks are repairable?

Windshield chips or cracks that are 1" to 3" in diameter, or no longer than a $1 bill, can be repaired. Windshield chips or cracks that are longer than 3" in diameter, or longer than a dollar bill, cannot be repaired.

What are the different types of chips and cracks? The different types of chips and cracks are Bull's Eyes, Combination Breaks, Chips, Crack Chips, Edge Cracks, Dings, Float Cracks, Longs, Cracks, Half Moons, Stress Cracks, Partial Bulls-Eyes, Star Breaks, Pits, and Stone Breaks.

Type of Windshield Chips & Cracks That Cannot Be Repaired

Here are the different types of windshield damage that cannot be fixed. If you have any of these types of windshield damage, you are going to need to hire a professional.

• Chips or cracks on the interior part of the windshield
• Damage that goes through all layers of the auto glass
• Chips or cracks that impair the drivers view
• Complex or big spider cracks
• Any crack over 18" long
• Cracks that are contaminated 
• Cracks or chips on the edge of the windshield

Read more about the types of windshield damage that can be fixed. 

Repair Cracked Windshield Costs

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Repairing cracked windshield costs can be expensive if you don't know where to look. Repairing a crack using an auto glass repair shop will cost you upwards of $10-$150, depending on the length of the crack. Repairing a small chip in a windshield using an auto glass repair shop would typically costs $10-$60, depending on location and whether the work is done in a auto glass repair shop or if it's a mobile auto glass repair service. Mobile glass repair services will cost more because they are spending money on gas, travel time, etc. And, If there is more than one crack, it's going to cost you an extra $10-$25 per crack. Well, lucky for you, I'm going to show you how to do this DIY windshield repair at home, for less than $15 dollars!

Related: Learn more about window replacement costs.

Repair Windshield Cracks With DIY Repair Kits

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The DIY windshield chip repair kits on the market will have some flaws prior to application. The DIY kits aren't a perfect fix but they will at least save your windshield from further damage and keep you from getting a ticket.

Required Tools For This Windshield Repair Job

RainX Fix a Windshield Do it Yourself Windshield Repair Kit, for Chips, Cracks, Bulll's-Eyes and Stars (Cost $14.99 on Amazon) (Cost $10.97 at Walmart)
Stanley 28-100 1-3/16-inch High Visibility Mini-Razor Blade Scraper: (Cost $3.99 on Amazon) (Cost $3.99 on Walmart)
red-Star Fix your Windshield Do It Yourself Windshield Repair Kit, Made in USA (Cost $8.16 on Amazon) (Not Available At Walmart. Follow the steps in the repair guide below to get started.

How To Use RainX Windshield Repair Kit to Fix Chips, Bull's Eyes & Stars - Step By Step DIY Guide 

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Step 1. Remove the tiny fragments with your Stanley 28-100 Mini-razor blade scraper by scraping over the windshield. Make sure the suction cups are securely fastened to the windshield with the center ring directly above the chip or crack. Make sure that the suction cups are not covering and chips or cracks. You can adjust the suction cups if you need to.

Step 2. Screw the resin collector into the center ring. You can still adjust the center ring by moving the suction cups into a better position. Go inside the car and make sure the resin collector is directly centered in the middle of the crack. Now screw the resin collector all the way to down to be flush with the windshield. Make sure it is touching but is not too tight. Tightening too much could cause more damage may disalign the collector.

Step 3. Squeeze out about 4-6 drops of the resin (Could be more or less depending on the size of your crack or chip) into the collector. If resin starts to leak out gently turn the collector clockwise in order to stop leakage.

Step 4. Screw the pressure tube into the resin collector clockwise (remember that old saying "righty tighty, lefty loosy") to push the resin into the crack or chip. Keep tightening until the pressure tube is all the way screwed in but not too tight. Check from the inside of the car again to make sure that the resin collector opened up all the way. You should see where all the resin has entered the crack. Make sure that it reached all areas of the crack. If it didn't, use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat up the windshield and make sure the resin seeps in to all areas. Don't use too much heat though. It could cause more damage and take a lot longer to repair. Turn the resin collector all the way in to make sure all the resin has been used. Wait about 5-10 minutes before applying heat after the original application.

Step 5. Remove the pressure tube by unscrewing it to release any air caught in the collector. Now, put the pressure tube back in to remove any air that still is remaining from the break. Look at the glass from multiple angles to find air bubbles that are still caught in the crack. If there is any areas that were not covered by the resin repeat steps 4 and 5 until you receive the desired results.

Step 6. After you remove all the air turn the resin collector and the pressure tube counter clockwise 1/2 turn (to the left). Remove the entire device by lifting up on the suction cups. Clean up any resin that still remains on the collector so it doesn't drip back down on the windshield. Add resin in to any areas that still need fixing and use the curing strips to finish it off. Don't press the strips down too hard, no pressure is need, just lay them gently flush with the windshield.

Step 7. After you are done applying the resin, put the car directly in sun light to dry. Should take about 5 or 10 minutes. After the resin is dry remove the strips. Use your Stanley 28-100 1-3/16-inch razor blade to remove any excess resin scraping at a 90 degree angle until all the excess resin is removed. If there are any areas that got missed repeat steps 6 and 7.

How To Use RainX Windshield Repair Kit to Fix Cracks - Step By Step DIY Guide

Step 1. The resin collector, pressure tube and suction cups are not needed for this fix so just break out your resin dispensor and lets get to work. Very slowly drip resin into the cracked area on your windshield. Dispense the resin extremely slowly (meaing about a drop every 3 seconds). Now, step back and look at the crack from multiple angles to see dark areas filling with the resin. Wait about 5 or 10 minutes and see if there are any air bubbles left in the crack. If there are, apply pressure to the inside of the windshield until all the bubbles are gone. Be carefull though you don't want to make the crack worse. Keep applying more resin and repeating this step until the crack is completely filled and contains no air bubbles.

Step 2. After you completed step 1 reapply more resin the crack while placing your curing strips on top of the crack while leaving no air under them. Once again, do not apply pressure to the strips just make sure they are completely covering the crack. Use your Stanley 28-100 1-3/16-inch razor blade to remove any excess resin scraping at a 90 degree angle until all the excess resin is removed.


Step 3. After you are done applying the resin, curing strips and removing the excess resin, put the car directly in sun light to dry. Should take about 5 or 10 minutes. After the resin is dry remove the strips. Use your Stanley 28-100 1-3/16-inch razor blade to remove any excess resin scraping at a 90 degree angle until all the excess resin is removed. If there are any areas that got missed repeat steps 6 and 7.

How To Repair A Cracked Windshield Using Bug Spray, Salt and Rubbing Alcohol?

Their have been myths that you can use bug spray, salt, and rubbing alcohol for cracked windshield repair. However, the video below shows that this method does not work and you should purchase professional how to fix a cracked windshield products.

How To Fix A Chipped Windshield Using Permatex Windshield Repair Kit

DIY Windshield Chip Repair. This is a how to fix a chip in a windshield using Permatex chipped windshield repair kit. DIY windshield chip repair kit from Permatex helps keep your chips from turning into cracks overnight! It’s easy to do and only costs around $10 on Amazon. A windshield repair shop would easily charge you $500 for this type of repair so save yourself some time and money and learn the DIY way to fix chipped windshields. Here is where Chris bought the Windshield Repair Kit Permatex Windshield Repair Kit on Amazon Here was a different video showing a different windshield repair kit https://youtu.be/YK1kpSZpMPM?list=PLDD611CFB36FC65F2

How To Use RainX DIY Windshield Repair Kit To Repair Cracks Yourself (VIDEO STEP BY STEP)