Got some excess epoxy glue on your window? Don’t let it irritate you, read on to find out how to remove epoxy from glass – so your view of the garden will be crystal clear again.
When you first see some dried epoxy glue the first thing you want to do is reach for a knife or razor and start scraping it off. But this usually results in a lot of scratches. So, next time you need to remove epoxy from glass without leaving a trace the key is to soften the epoxy first. Here’s how to do it.
If you’re making a lot of repairs with epoxy glue, it’s useful to know how to remove epoxy from glass and other materials. There are two ways to do this, but you will always need the following things:
- Kitchen roll
- Acetone or nail varnish remover
- A heat gun or hairdryer
- A razor blade or scalpel
- Glass cleaner
Using solvent:
- Clear the area and gather the things you need.
- Soak a piece of kitchen roll in some nail varnish remover or acetone.
- Put the soaked piece of kitchen roll on top of the epoxy you want to remove.
- Leave it to soak in for 15 minutes.
- Take the kitchen roll off and rub the surrounding area.
- Then, take your razor blade or scalpel and gently scrape of the softened glue.
- If the glue won’t budge, repeat steps 3 and 4 before you use the knife.
- Use some glass cleaner to clean any nail varnish remover off the glass.
- If you don’t have any glass cleaner, you can use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
-  Repeat the entire process until you’ve removed the epoxy completely.
Using heat:
Applying heat is another way to soften epoxy glue before you remove it. If you opt for this method, all you have to do is get your hands on a hairdryer and apply heat to the epoxy for around 1 minute – or until it has softened. You should then be able to take your razor blade or scalpel and carefully scrape off the epoxy glue. Once you’ve managed to remove most of the epoxy, use the above method to get rid of any last traces.
1. Panels. Begin by cutting (or having them cut for you) the seven panels of wood you’ll need for making a birdhouse out of wood, measuring as follows:
- Two 18 x 27 cm panels for the front and back of the box. At 17 cm from the lower edge up both of the 27 cm sides, cut diagonally towards the centre of one of the 18 cm sides for a basic house shape.
- One 22 x 18 cm panel for the floor
- Two 20 x 3 cm panels for the sides
- One 26 x 15 cm panel for the roof
- One 26 x 16 cm (depending on the thickness of the panels) panel for the roof
2. Sand the corners and edges of the wood with sandpaper.Â
3. Assemble. Apply a line of glue along the edges of the front and back panels and glue them to the floor panel. Now apply a line of glue to the base and sides of the side panels (this is where the birds get into the house) and gently slot them between the front and back panels to create all four walls of the birdhouse. If any glue seeps out of the joints, wipe away immediately with a damp (not wet) cloth.
4. Paint. If you want to paint your birdhouse, do it at this stage, before assembling the roof. Don’t use any bright, vivid colours that might actually deter birds from approaching it. Leave the interior and all joint surfaces unpainted.
5. Roof. To assemble the roof, apply a line of glue to the 26 cm base of the 26 x 15 cm roof panel, then glue it to the top of the 26 x 16 cm so that they form an L-shape. When the glue has set, apply glue to the diagonal edges of front and back panels and place the roof on top of them to set it in place.
Unibond has the glue for you, check out the full range of epoxies and more on the website. Â
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