How to replace curved glass on an old china cabinet

Question: My dog ran into my china cabinet while chasing the cat. No damage to the dog or contents, but major damage to the curved glass. The cabinet is oak and from an estate sale 35-plus years ago, so it doesnt have any sentimental value, but its pretty. Any ideas where I might get new glass, or is it even worth it?

Charles Town, W.Va.

Answer: Dodsons Curved Glass in Frederick (301-662-0020) makes replacement glass. You can order it directly from the company or through a glass shop or an antiques restorer.

One advantage of going through a restorer is that someone else will take care of measuring for the replacement and installing it, a process that involves nailing thin strips of wood around the edges on the inside. One little nail you hit wrong, and the glass breaks, said David Wells, owner of Carrisons Restorations, an antiques restorer in Manassas (703-369-6318; http://www.carrisonsantiquerestoration.com). He said replacement glass runs about $100 to $200 if it has a uniform curve, which is the kind of situation Dodsons deals with. If the glass has a flat section and then curves, Wells orders it from a company in Michigan and the cost of one piece rises to $400 to $800. Wells charges $100 and up for installation, depending on how the furniture was designed. If the glass fits into a groove on one side and has a wooden stop only on the other side, the job is a lot quicker and less risky than when wooden strips secure the glass on all sides.

Ordering a new piece of curved glass involves determining not just the height of the glass and the length of the curve, but also the radius of the curve. B&L Antiqurie in Lexington, Mich. (800-840-1110; http://www.bentglasscentral.com), which bends glass sheets into custom shapes, describes the measuring process on its Web site.

Question: We have an old, wooden hot tub that we enjoyed for many years. We went on a foreign assignment about 10 years ago and, for insurance reasons, emptied the hot tub when we rented out our house. When we returned, the wooden planks had shrunk and the tub didnt hold water. We tried to fill the gaps with epoxy, but that didnt work, and we have been unable to find anyone in the area who either repairs hot tubs or carries and installs them. Can our existing tub be repaired? Or is there someone in the area who carries and installs new wooden hot tubs? We need one about five feet in diameter because ours is set into a small deck and there isnt space for something larger. We also prefer to stay with a wooden tub.

Cabin John

Answer: Assuming the wood hasnt rotted, you might want to start by trying to coax the fibers to swell up again. It can take several weeks, but if it works, its essentially free.

Preparation includes scraping off any remaining epoxy, making sure any groove joints in the stages (sideboards) line up properly and tightening the metal band or bands around the outside, after first measuring the height to make sure each metal strip is level. Then moisten the tub with water and keep it damp. Jill Peck, customer sales associate at Snorkel (800-962-6208; http://www.snorkel.com), a Seattle company that makes wooden, wood-fired hot tubs, said one way to do this is to sprinkle the tub with water from a hose or splash on buckets of water, preferably warm. Wait half an hour, and do it again. Repeat several more times. Then spread sopping-wet towels over the sides of the tub. Keep those soaked for two weeks. Try filling the tub. If youre lucky, the gaps will be swollen shut.

If that doesnt work, or if you want professional help from the beginning for tricky steps such as knowing just how much to tighten the bands, try Jack Marshall of Marshall Pool and Spa (202-244-5005; marshallpoolspa@verizon.net), which is moving from McLean to Reston next month. Marshall still repairs and sells wooden hot tubs; one company that deals only in plastic tubs recommended him and said hes the only one they know of who still does.

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How to replace curved glass on an old china cabinet