How To Make Window Grille Inserts

Learn how to add on window grids to your existing windows with this simple DIY tutorial for DIY window grilles! These footstep-by-stride instructions will bear witness you exactly how to install DIY window grids in but 4 easy steps!

This post was originally published on August 15, 2018 and has since been updated.

Interior of window with diy window grilles with text overlay for pinterest.

When we went to install the windows in our she-shed dwelling role, nosotros chose to purchase them all on Craigslist to save money. Doing this, led us to have one window with grids and two without.

I love the look of windows with grids (aka window grilles), then of form I took it upon myself to figure out how to make diy window grilles and add together the grid patter to the rest of them so they all lucifer. 😉

This isn't the first time I've used this method either – I used the aforementioned steps as in this tutorial to add DIY window panes to the shower doors in my master bath shown below.

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With this tutorial, I'm going to teach y'all how to brand window grids and add them to your existing windows (or shower doors) to easily up the manner in your home! Enjoy, my friends.

DIY Window Grid or Grilles FAQ

Before we get to the tutorial, let's talk about window grilles/grids for a 2nd.

What are window grids?

Window grids originated in the early 1600s when London had a shortage on glass. A drinking glass factory was developed in Jamestown and, rather than risk breaking large, valuable pieces of glass in shipment, they instead shipped pocket-sized squares with which the builders simply pieced together with trim to create larger windows. Nowadays, the grid pattern you see on windows is likely just for looks.

In that location are three different terms you might hear discussed when the topic of window grids come up:

Window Grilles (not structurally needed, only for looks)
Window Mullions (structurally concord window panes together)
Window Muntins (vertical sections of a grille or mullion)

So, an easy explination for these terms is that the muntins are the vertical part of the mullions and grilles are today'south faux mullions put on windows just for looks!

Many window manufacturers install the grid pattern between the panes of glass on new windows, and so if you know you lot want them when yous're installing new windows, be sure to purchase ones with the grilles already in them.

Ane of the big benefits of installing windows with manufactured grids is that you don't have to try and make clean around the trim since it'southward all enclosed in the glass.

For windows that weren't originally made with grids, the most common way to add grilles is by installing some sort of trim on the outside of the window like I've done here.

Not sure if you lot want grids on your windows? Check out this mail service for thoughts on what'due south right for your dwelling.

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Can you lot add grids to existing windows?

Well, of grade! That's what I'g going to teach you in this tutorial! Merely, continue in heed, the grids or grilles we're calculation to your windows are purely aesthetic. They don't serve any purpose other than giving your windows some actress fashion. 😉

Well, allow's get to it, shall nosotros?!

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How To Install DIY Window Grilles

For a printable copy of the materials and instructions, scroll down.

Materials & Tools Needed:

Trim
White Electric Tape
Super Mucilage
Paper Towels
Window Cleaner
Painter'south Tape
Measuring Tape
Chopsaw
Pencil

Materials needed to install diy window grilles.

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How to Install DIY Window Grilles or Grids:

Outset, you lot'll want to note that because there isn't enough room on the inner sides of vinyl window panes for the added grid trim to slide dorsum and forth, nosotros're going to install the thicker trim on the outer sides of the panes and white electrical record on the inner sides.

STEP 1: CLEAN THE WINDOW

It's critical that y'all clean your window actually well earlier installing the trim so that the glue can strongly adhere. I used window cleaner and a newspaper towel.

STEP 2: INSTALL THE VERTICAL PIECES

Measure the width of the outer pane of your window and decide how many vertical pieces of trim yous want to install. For mine, I wanted to mimic the window grilles on the door next to my window, then I just needed 1 vertical piece.

Start your process to install a window grid by measuring the width of your outer pane.

Side by side, measure the height of the window and cut a piece of vinyl trim to that dimension.

Measure the height of your window pane so you can cut the right length of trim to install a window grid.

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Before you cut and install a window grid, measure and mark the trim to cut it to size.

Cut your trim then install a window grid.

Use a pencil to marker where your trim needs to exist installed on both the elevation and bottom of both outer sides of the window.

Mark the upper location of your trim to install a window grid.

Use a pencil to note where the trim goes when you install a window trim.

Apply super gum to the back of your trim in a zig-zag pattern and and so glue information technology onto the window and tape it in place with your painter's record.

Apply glue to your trim in a zig-zag pattern before you install a window grid.

Try not to get too much glue, as yous don't want it to seep out from nether the trim once you lot printing information technology to the window. If information technology does seep out, just use a newspaper towel to wipe it away while it's even so wet.

Vertical piece installed for the first step to install a window grid.

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Footstep 3: INSTALL THE HORIZONTAL PIECES

Next, decide how many horizontal trim pieces you want to install and follow the same process as above. Measure, mark, cutting and mucilage onto the window.

**TIP: Tear off and fix your blue tape pieces to the side of the window before you showtime gluing and then y'all don't have to let go of the trim once it's on the glass.

When you install a window grid, be sure to prep your painter's tape before you start gluing.

Afterwards you lot're finished with one side, do the same matter on the interior "outer" pane.

Here's how mine looked subsequently both sides of the window had the trim installed:

Install trim on both "outer" sides of the window when you install a window grid.

STEP 4: Record GRILLES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES

The final step is to tape over the back side of the trim with your white electrical tape. For the virtually office, this hides the behind of the trim and the super mucilage. My window panes are about 1.v″ autonomously, then when you stand at an bending sometimes you tin come across between them, only in general it looks keen.

I but cutting a straight edge on the tape and then stretched and stuck it in line with the trim on the other side of the window.

Starting at the top, install a window grid on the inside using electrical tape.

When you install a window grid, use white electrical tape on the inner panes of each side.

Don't forget to tape the horizontal lines when you install a window grid.

Do the tape on both sides, and you're done! You're now an experienced DIY window grilles installer and accept likely mastered the art of how to make window grids. 😉

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Here'south how ours turned out on the front end of my she shed:

The grid on the door came that way, simply the grid on the window is my DIY window grilles. Looks pretty practiced, don't you think? Definitely more curb entreatment!

Here are a few earlier/afters to give yous a glimpse at how the grids impact the style of the windows from the within:

Unfortunately, the only before pictures I have are from really early on on in the construction portion of the she-shed. But you get the gist, right?

I also added this same type of DIY window grids to my dorsum window and side door of this space.

Do y'all see there how the glass door now has that fashionable grid design on it?

As promised, here are the printable instructions:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 1 hour

Full Fourth dimension: ane hour 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Price: $10

Instructions

Clean the windows really well on both the within and outside.
Measure the height of your window and cutting the vertical vinyl trim pieces for your window. (Recollect you're only doing vinyl on the non-sliding side of the window, so you'll merely demand plenty trim pieces for ane vertical in each spot.)
Mucilage your vertical trim pieces on the "outside" sides of the window (the sides that don't slide against each other when the window is being opened) using super glue and painter's tape to hold them in place.
Measure, cut and glue your horizontal pieces in around the vertical piece and tape them in place to dry.
On the "inside" sides of the window (the sides that slide up against each other when the window is being opened) utilise electrical tape along the window backside the recently installed trim pieces.

Notes

Before kickoff, you'll want to determine how many grids you want on your window and so yous know how many vertical and horizontal pieces to cut.

Note that because in that location isn't enough room on the inner sides of vinyl window panes for the added grid trim to slide dorsum and forth, yous install the thicker trim on the outer sides of the panes and white electrical record on the inner sides.

Information technology all the same amazes me what a tiny bit of trim tin can do to the style of a window!

I Dear the look of decorative window grilles, and it's fun existence able to take thrifted windows and doors and make them lucifer some other one that came with a grid design. 🙂

I hope you lot take fun with this one and let me know if you have any questions!