What Is the Best Way to Cover a Broken Car Window?
To cover a broken car window, clean the window frame, cover it and the surrounding painted exterior with masking tape, and run overlapping strips of clear packing tape across the window frame. This 45-minute procedure requires a feather duster or dust cloth, masking tape, clear packing tape, and scissors.
- Clean the frame and car door
Dust the window frame and the perimeter of the door, paying special attention to the portions of the door edges that are hidden when the door is closed.
- Apply masking tape
Open the door. Cover the window frame and surrounding exterior paint with a 2-inch-wide strip of masking tape, then run another strip along the entire length of the door, covering the first strip and dividing the door into two sections horizontally. Cover all of the exposed paint in the upper section with masking tape.
- Apply packing tape to the exterior
Apply a strip of packing tape along the bottom of the broken window frame. The packing tape should partially or completely cover the masking tape that is already there, and extend to the edges of the door. Cut the tape off of the roll. Place another strip of packing tape slightly above the first one to ensure its bottom half overlaps the top of the first strip. Place additional overlapping tape strips along the window frame until it is completely covered.
- Apply packing tape to the interior
Working from inside the vehicle, apply overlapping vertical strips of packing tape over the horizontal strips you placed in the previous step. Work slowly and carefully to avoid wrinkles and air bubbles.
