How to Replace Wood Stove Glass (Step by Step)
Replacing the glass in a wood stove door is a 30-minute job with a screwdriver: take the door off, remove the retainers that hold the glass, fit the new panel with its gasket, and tighten the screws evenly, just snug. The part that matters is getting the right glass. Stove glass is heat-resistant ceramic made to your stove's exact size, never window or tempered glass. The genuine SBI door glass we sell for Drolet, Englander, Century and Ventis stoves comes with the gasket already fitted, and every panel ships with No Sales Tax in any state.
Quick answer: Let the stove go completely cold, lift the door off its hinges, lay it face-down on a towel, remove the retainer screws and retainers, swap in the new glass with its gasket centered, then refit the retainers and tighten the screws evenly. Don't burn the stove with cracked glass.
- Use only ceramic stove glass cut to your model. Ordinary or tempered glass shatters from the heat.
- The two most common reasons stove glass cracks are glass sitting off-center in the door and retainer screws tightened too hard.
- Find your stove in the glass-by-model table below. Genuine door glass with gasket runs from $69.99 to about $265.
No Sales Tax in any state, free shipping on orders over $300, and real people at 1-888-866-8206 to confirm the part for your stove.
Can you run a wood stove with cracked glass?
No. A crack lets air into the firebox around the gasket, so the fire burns hotter and faster than the air control intends, and the stove can overfire. The crack also grows each time the glass heats and cools, until a piece falls out with a fire behind it. Stove manufacturers, including SBI (the maker of Drolet, Englander and Century), say plainly not to use the stove with broken glass. Let it go out, and run it again once the new glass is in.
A chip on the edge that's hidden under the gasket and retainer, with no crack running into the viewing area, is less urgent, but plan to replace it before the next long burn season.
Why wood stove glass cracks
Stove glass is ceramic, rated for continuous temperatures around 1,400°F, so heat alone rarely breaks it. These do:
- Glass not centered in the door. If the glass sits off to one side, the metal door frame presses on its edge as the stove heats and expands. SBI lists uneven placement as one of the two main causes of broken door glass.
- Retainer screws over-tightened. The other main cause. The retainers should hold the glass against its gasket, not clamp it. Glass that's squeezed has nowhere to go when it expands.
- Slamming or striking the door. Closing the door on a log that's sticking out, or slamming it shut, cracks glass every winter.
- A worn-out glass gasket. When the flat gasket around the glass flattens or falls out, the glass rests on bare metal.
- Cleaning hot glass. Cold cleaner or a wet cloth on hot glass can crack it. Clean only when the stove is cold.
- The wrong glass. Window glass or tempered glass from a hardware store won't survive firebox heat.
Find the replacement glass for your stove
Each panel below is the factory glass for that stove. The SBI panels (SE part numbers) come with the gasket already fitted. Your model is on the rating label, usually on the back of the stove, and on the cover of the manual.
↔ Swipe the table to see more →
Retainers, glass frames and cookstove oven-glass kits are listed by model in our wood stove glass and glass frames collection. Don't see your stove? Email info@stovesource.com or text 1-888-866-8206 with the model and serial number and we'll find the part.
What you need
- The replacement glass for your model. Factory glass usually comes with the gasket already on it.
- A screwdriver or nut driver to fit the retainer screws (often a #2 square or Phillips).
- An old towel or piece of carpet to lay the door on.
- Work gloves. Broken stove glass has sharp edges.
- If your glass comes without a gasket, a roll of flat glass gasket such as the 3/4" × 6' pre-glued flat glass gasket (AC06400).
- New retainers if the old ones are bent or their screws are seized.
How to replace wood stove glass, step by step
These steps follow SBI's own procedure for Drolet, Englander and Century stoves. Most other brands work the same way.
- Let the stove go cold. Wait until the fire is completely out and the door is cool to the touch, usually several hours.
- Take the door off. Open it fully and lift it straight up off the hinge pins. If your hinges use set screws, loosen them first. Lay the door face-down on the towel.
- Remove the retainers. Unscrew the screws holding the glass retainers (some stoves use a one-piece frame or moulding instead) and lift them off. Soak seized screws with penetrating oil and use the correct bit so you don't strip the heads.
- Lift out the old glass. With gloves on, lift the panel out. If it's in pieces, pick out every fragment and scrape off any old gasket stuck to the door.
- Center the new glass. Set the new glass, with its gasket, in the door so there's an equal gap on all sides. This step prevents most repeat cracks.
- Refit the retainers and tighten evenly. Start every screw by hand, then tighten them a little at a time, working around the door, until the retainers just hold the glass firmly. Stop there. Over-tightening is the other main cause of cracked glass.
- Rehang the door and check the seal. Close the door on a strip of paper all the way around. If the paper slides out easily anywhere, the door gasket needs adjusting or replacing. See how to replace a wood stove door gasket.
- Start with a small fire. Burn a small fire for the first hour so the new gasket settles in before you load the stove fully.
Fitting a new glass gasket
If your glass didn't come with a gasket, or you're reusing glass that's fine but the gasket is flat, fit a new flat self-adhesive glass gasket before the glass goes back in:
- Peel off the old gasket and clean the glass edge.
- Lay the gasket adhesive side up and peel back a short section of the backing.
- Press one edge of the glass down onto the middle of the gasket so the glass sits centered across its width.
- Peel and rotate the glass around the gasket without stretching it, then cut it to length.
- Pinch the gasket over the edge of the glass into a U shape all the way around.
The flat glass gasket is a different part from the round rope gasket around the door. Our wood stove door gasket sizes guide covers both.
Measuring stove glass when you don't know the model
If the label is gone and you can't find the model, measure the old glass itself, not the opening in the door:
- Width and height to the nearest 1/16", across the widest points.
- Thickness, usually 5/32" (4 mm) or 3/16" (5 mm) on wood stoves.
- The shape: rectangle, arched top or angled corners. For arched glass, also measure the height at the sides.
Then email info@stovesource.com or text 1-888-866-8206 or text us a photo of the stove and the glass. The size and shape usually identify the stove family, and the factory part fits better than a cut-to-size panel.
How to keep new glass clean and in one piece
- Burn dry wood (under 20% moisture) and run the fire hot for the first 20 to 30 minutes. Black glass is almost always wet wood or a fire that's been turned down too soon. See seasoned firewood moisture content.
- Clean only when the stove is cold, with a non-abrasive wood stove glass cleaner. Pellet stoves have their own pellet stove glass cleaner.
- Load wood so nothing touches the glass, and close the door gently.
- Check the glass gasket each fall when you inspect the door gasket.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace wood stove glass?
The glass itself is most of the cost. Genuine factory door glass with gasket runs from $69.99 for the Englander 25-CBPAH glass to about $265, and most wood stove panels cost $120 to $200. Fitting it yourself takes about 30 minutes and saves a service call.
Can I use tempered glass or window glass in my wood stove?
No. Tempered and window glass can't take firebox temperatures and will shatter. Wood stoves need ceramic glass made for the job.
Does replacement stove glass come with a gasket?
The genuine SBI door glass we sell for Drolet, Englander, Century and Ventis stoves comes with the gasket already fitted. If yours doesn't, fit a flat self-adhesive glass gasket before installing it.
How tight should the glass retainer screws be?
Snug, not tight. Tighten them evenly until the retainers hold the glass firmly against its gasket and stop. The glass needs a little room to expand as it heats.
Why does my new stove glass keep cracking?
Usually because the glass sits off-center and touches the door frame, or the retainers are over-tightened. Also check for a bent retainer, a missing gasket and logs hitting the glass when the door closes.
Is wood stove glass the same as fireplace glass?
Wood stove door glass is ceramic. Glass fireplace doors on an open masonry fireplace are often tempered glass, made for the lower heat in front of an open fire, and the two aren't interchangeable.
Related guides
- How to Replace a Wood Stove Door Gasket
- Wood Stove Door Gasket Sizes: How to Measure and What to Buy
- How to Use a Wood Stove: Lighting, Air Control and Daily Operation
- Seasoned Firewood Moisture Content
No Sales Tax in any state on every glass panel, gasket and part we sell. Shop all wood stove glass by model.