Three Crack Patterns in Windshields and How To Fix Them

Posted on: 27 March 2018

Cracked windshield repair is a mix of art and science. Fixing the cracked glass takes a little bit of knowledge about glass crack patterns and a little skill in repairing them. It is not recommended that you DIY this kind of thing, but if you are going to try, you should know the following crack patterns and how to fix them.

Rosebud or Flower

This is a weird sort of pattern, since it drops a circular hole in the middle and chips out semi-circular edges around it. It tends to look like a rose or flower in bloom (hence, the name). A windshield repair kit that includes a vacuum adhesive applicator and and application works quite well on this crack pattern.

Scratches

Along with keying your car, a former lover might try to scratch up your windshield with something really sharp. If the attempt does not break the windshield, it will leave behind scratches that are difficult to see through and very distracting. Scratches cannot be filled with an adhesive kit because they are just surface damage. They, can, however, be carefully buffed out, and the glass can be polished to a clear shine. 

Spiderweb or Snake

When your windshield has a winding snake crack from one side of the windshield to the other, it will continue to crack across until the opposite edge finally stops it. A spiderweb crack is the classic crack pattern that most people think of when they think of windshield cracks. Something hits your windshield, simultaneously creating both a spiral pattern and several line cracks out from the center of the crack. Like the snake crack, the lines that make up the "legs" of the web pattern will continue to move outward and crack until the lines stop at an edge of the windshield.

Either of these crack patterns can only be repaired one way. The entire windshield has to be replaced. The level of damage from these cracks is such that a complete replacement is the only solution for them. Since you cannot install a new windshield yourself, you will have to get help from an auto glass technician.

A Word on Driving Safely with Windshield Cracks

While it is definitely discouraged and inadvisable to drive a vehicle with a cracked windshield, that is not to say that you cannot. You just have to drive very slowly on city roads. Never drive the vehicle with a cracked windshield in a storm or on a highway, because the cracks can get much worse under these conditions.

If you need help with cracked windshield repair, contact a windshield repair services company near you.

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