If you are looking to get an accurate and fast estimate online, please send us pictures of your windows at our email [email protected], and please include your building’s exact address, so we could google it to see what type of windows you have. It will help us provide you with a more accurate quote. Thank you.
The most common call we receive from property managers. Scaffolding contact, abrasive dust embedded in squeegees during post-construction cleaning, and debris dragged across glass during renovation work. Typically surface-level but can cover large panel areas. Often treatable in a single visit.
Hard water mineral buildup and surface oxidation that has etched into the glass over time. Appears as white haze or clouding that doesn’t respond to cleaning. Treated chemically rather than mechanically – product selection depends on surface sensitivity and deposit severity.
Mechanical etching with keys, coins, or abrasive tools. Differs from acid graffiti in that the damage is physical indentation rather than chemical etching – but the restoration process is similar. See: Graffiti Removal for acid etching specifically.
We confirm which category applies during the on-site diagnostic. If restoration isn’t the right path, we say so before any work starts – not after.
Before polishing, the entire damaged area must be brought to a single uniform depth. This means removing material down to the deepest scratch in the zone — not just working the surface. We use the Glass Renu professional restoration system with the appropriate abrasive sequence for the scratch depth and glass type identified in the diagnostic. This phase is where most DIY attempts fail. Uneven material removal leaves the surface with high and low zones — the high points will polish to clarity first, locking in the depth variation as permanent distortion.
Once the damage zone is level, the boundary between the restored area and the surrounding undamaged glass is feathered out. A hard transition edge - even at microscopic scale - reads as a visible ring or halo once the surface is polished. The blend has to be gradual enough that the eye cannot locate where the restoration ends.
Cerium oxide polishing compound is applied and worked with a rotary polisher, progressing through grits until the restored surface matches the optical quality of the surrounding glass. Three variables are controlled throughout:
This Wasn’t a Standard Graffiti Removal Job Most graffiti removal calls follow a predictable pattern. Someone etched the glass, we assess the depth of the damage, we restore it. Straightforward.
Location: Long Island, New York (approximately 90 minutes from our Brooklyn base) Property: Commercial facility, originally constructed in the 1980s Condition: Severe calcium oxidation across exterior glass panels — up
Location: West Broadway, SoHo, Manhattan, NY Services Performed: Acid Graffiti Removal · Anti-Graffiti Window Film (Solar Gard) This SoHo jewelry store was preparing for its grand opening when the owner
Overview of all restoration services, assessment process, and when replacement is the more practical path.
GraffitiGard sacrificial film applied after restoration protects the repaired surface from repeat vandalism and construction damage during future work.
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Glass Renu is a professional restoration system designed specifically for in-place glass restoration – meaning the glass stays in the frame throughout the process. It uses a controlled abrasive and polishing sequence calibrated for different glass types and damage depths. Standard polishing compounds available at hardware stores are not calibrated for glass and typically produce uneven results or introduce new surface damage when used without the correct tooling and technique.
Send us photos taken at an oblique angle with a light source – this reveals depth and distribution better than straight-on shots. We’ll give you a preliminary read before the site visit. Final determination happens on-site: coating type, glass composition, and damage depth all factor in, and none can be confirmed remotely with certainty.
Yes. Restoration at height is performed from rope-access systems by IRATA- and SPRAT-certified technicians – the same access method we use for high-rise window cleaning. No scaffold rental required for most façade work, which reduces both cost and the time needed to mobilize.
Tempered and laminated glass – yes, with depth assessment first. For Low-E coated glass, the answer depends entirely on whether the damage is above or below the coating layer. If it’s reached the coating, polishing removes it – that’s a replacement scenario, not restoration. We determine this on-site before quoting.
Duration depends on panel count and damage severity. The 56 Leonard St project – 10 panels of post-construction scratches – took 24 hours on-site. A single storefront panel with surface scratches typically takes 2–4 hours. Interior work generates fine glass dust; the immediate work area is contained with full PPE protocols, but the space does not typically need to be fully vacated.
The restored surface offers no inherent protection against repeat scratching. For high-traffic or construction-adjacent locations, anti-graffiti sacrificial film applied immediately after restoration provides a replaceable barrier – damage hits the film, not the glass. See: Anti-Graffiti Film.
