How to Repair Glass and Crystal

Use sandpaper to repair small chips in glass or crystal.

Supplies to repair your own glass and crystal can be found at home improvement stores or craft stores.

1. Wrap a small amount of coarse sandpaper over the eraser of a pencil and secure it with tape. Using a pencil with sandpaper makes it easier to reach all of the chip or break.

2. Wet the cloth in water and wipe the edge of any surface that you are going to sand. Water reduces friction and makes the sanding more effective.

3. Sand the edge of the chip using the coarse grit sandpaper. If the glass or crystal is broken into several pieces, sand all of the edges using the coarse sandpaper to remove rough edges.

4. Repeat the sanding using a medium grit sandpaper, followed by a fine grit sandpaper. Sanding successively with finer grits of sandpaper makes a smooth surface on the glass or crystal so that it can be repaired or used without injury.

5. Wipe the repaired chip using water and a cloth. Small chips are now smooth enough so that the glass or crystal can be used again.

6. Apply glass cement or epoxy to the sanded edges of the broken glass or crystal and press them together. Use tape to hold the pieces of broken glass or crystal in place.

7. Follow the manufacturer's directions for the length of time that the cement or epoxy must cure.