DIY Windshield Chip Repair Kits: Good or Bad?

Jun 30, 2019

Assaulted by a rogue rock, car windshields will chip or crack – this is just a part of driving – no matter how many preventative actions you’ve taken. But instead of visiting a local body shop to get your window chip fixed, you decide to do it at home with a DIY windscreen repair kit. It’s the thrifty choice, as do-it-yourself Autoglass repair kits are quite cheap – you can normally buy a decent Loctite, Permatex, or 3m product for less than $20 – and you’ve got YouTube video tutorials to guide you through the process. How hard could it be, right?

In certain situations, it can be fairly difficult to produce quality results with a standard car window chip kit. Depending on the size of the glass chip, or if there is any spider webbing or bullseye damage, it may be in your best interest to head to a professional windshield replacement or Autoglass repair shop. Here’s how to know if you should stick to the DIY route or bring in the big guns, like the pros at our Kansas City body shops. (Apologies for the shameless plug.)

Types of Windshield Damage & Recommended Repairs

Chips

The most minor form of windshield damage. Window chips, sometimes referred to as stone-breaks or dings, are usually found on the first laminated layer of glass, where the debris made impact, and will rarely affect the plastic interlayer.

Can it be repaired at home? A good windshield chip kit may be the solution if the glass chip is smaller than 1 inch in diameter and there is no splintering or sign of visible cracks stemming from the impact site.

Should I bring it to the shop? If the ding is in the “danger zone” of the windshield – that is, on the outer edge of the windshield, directly within the driver’s line of sight, or near the windshield wiper blades – you may need a windshield replacement. Some insurance plans may even cover the cost of repairing a windshield without raising your premium or asking for a deductible. Ask your agent for more details.

Bullseye Chips

Bullseye windshield damage refers to any glass chip that appears as a dartboard, with a well-defined “pit” in the center.

Can it be repaired at home? DIY windshield bullseye repair kits do an admirable job of filling in minor bullseye chips up to 1 inch in diameter, though it should be noted that the damage can still be visible even after the repair.

Should I bring it to the shop? Similar to a standard window chip, bullseye damage should be repaired by a professional when it’s on the edge of the windshield, within the driver’s sightline, or near wiper blades. Oftentimes bullseye chips are not repairable.

Half Moons

Also known as partial bullseyes, half moon windshield chips are usually smaller than bullseyes and may not have the same distinctive, symmetrical dartboard shape.

Can it be repaired at home? Partial bullseye chip kits can work, but don’t expect the damaged area to disappear entirely after applying the resin. Both half moon and bullseye chips are notoriously difficult to hide, post-repair.

Should I bring it to the shop? If the half moon is larger than an inch or sits within the “danger zone,” consider taking it to an auto glass repair center.

Surface Pits

Deeper gouges in the glass are referred to as surface pits or, simply, windshield pits. These pits are not usually penetrative or damaging to the tempered center of a car windshield.

Can it be repaired at home? Because surface pits are typically deeper than a chip, windshield pit repair resin or filler may only fix damage with a diameter of 1/8 or 1/4 an inch.

Should I bring it to the shop? Any pitted auto glass that shows signs of cracks or spiderwebs, or any pit that has penetrated the interlayer of the windshield, should be brought to the professionals.

Combination Breaks

A chip or crack in your windshield that features a combination of any or all forms of damage, including bullseyes, chip cracks, stars, etc.

Can it be repaired at home? Combination breaks in a window are repairable if they’re less than 2 inches in diameter. However, unless the damage is very minor, windshield repair kits for combination breaks are not recommended.

Should I bring it to the shop? Any combination break larger than 2 inches should be brought to your auto glass replacement center.

Star Breaks

Usually, star breaks will feature numerous “legs” that branch out from the impact site, almost like a star.

Can it be repaired at home? This type of damage can be quite complex, therefore it’s not advisable to use a star break windshield repair kit.

Should I bring it to the shop? Star breaks smaller than 3 inches in diameter can sometimes be repaired by an auto glass technician, though total window replacement isn’t out of the question.

Hail Damage

Hailstones are the devil. They’ll ding, crack, or even shatter car windows.

Can it be repaired at home? Unless you were extremely lucky and found a single small chip after a hailstorm, we don’t recommend using a hail damage repair kit to fix your windshield.

Should I bring it to the shop?We fix plenty of vehicle hail damage in Kansas City. Most often, we find that windshields damaged by hail cannot be fixed. It’s also more cost effective to replace the entire pane of auto glass.

Cracks

A crack in your windshield, no longer than 14 inches, should be repaired immediately. Cracks can expand, spiderweb, or entirely break your window if left too long. There are four subsets of cracks, which include stress cracks, edge cracks, floater cracks and chip cracks.

Can it be repaired at home? Some windshield crack repair kits claim to fix cracks up to 14 inches in length; be wary of these claims! The auto glass technicians at our Kansas City body shops only recommend attempting to repair windshield cracks up to 2 or 3 inches in length, and even then…

Should I bring it to the shop? Cracks that are longer than 3 inches, including edge cracks, stress cracks, and floater cracks, should be inspected by a professional. Any damage with 3 or more large cracks would indicate a replacement windshield is in order.

Don’t DIY. Get Professional Windshield damage repair.

Windshield chips and cracks are nothing to mess around with. If you’re driving around with a damaged car window, you could very well be one stone, speedbump, or accident away from a very dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation. So, either buy your windshield repair kit or bring your vehicle to an auto glass specialist. It’s the smart thing to do.

For professional and affordable auto glass repair and windshield replacement in Kansas City, head to your nearest McCarthy Collision Centers location, and receive a free quote.

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