Windshield storage

[sublimate]

I have a few windshields that I'm trying to figure out the best way to store.
Some are from cars I'm currently working on and others are spares in case I need them - they're all fairly rare (and would be expensive/impossible to replace) so I need to store them safely.
I bought a storage rack for them:

but it's taking up (ever more) valuable floor space. So I'd like to mount it up on the wall. I could leave it oriented as-is, but that would mean building some hefty brackets that stick out from the wall to support the rack. Plus loading and unloading the windshields would be a pain.

So I was thinking about bolting the rack to the wall so the arms stick out and the windshields lay pretty much flat. Is it OK to store windshields this way? I've only ever seen them stored upright. I'd probably space the bottom of the rack out from the wall a bit so the arms have some upward angle and there's no way for the windshields to slide out. But I want to make sure that laying on their side won't put undue stress on the windshields and break them or cause them to creep/deform over time.

Also, what do you think, concave up:


or concave down:

 

[D rock]

I've never seen them stored laying flat either...

I would probably be cautious and leave them upright even if they take up more space. Also, that is how they are installed. You said they would be fairly expensive to replace and they don't sell if there scratched, chipped, busted...Just saying...

 

[NUTTSGT]

I think most junk yards around here have them stored concave up.

 

[Super Sport]

I don't know if they will deform over time, but glass is stronger on edge than laid flat. That is why you always see glass stored or transported vertically.

 

[toomany]

I've got some (9 I think) spare windshields stored in the rafters of one of my sheds. Just stuck up there, some curved up, some down...all horizontal. I've pulled a few out over the last couple years and installed them. Never had any problems with deformation or not fitting correctly. Some are/were gasket style others were glue in's.

I know glass is technically considered a liquid, but I'd think auto glass (especially windshields if they are safety glass), would be less "fluid". I've never seen a piece of auto glass that has "run" or settled. But I'm young and only have experience with stuff from the 70's and later. Perhaps early stuff is more prone to this (being the age and/or different style glass).

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Safety/laminated glass won't flow with gravity,but straight glass in older cars can and will over time.

No matter what you do, that is going to be an awkward thing to load and unload while in the air. Not to mention it's going to also be very vulnerable with the windshields hanging out there. I don't know about you, but I've hit my walls and cabinets more than a couple of times accidentally with a 10' piece of angle iron while doing things and that would readily take out a valuable piece of glass.

If you have any space in the rafters, that would be the safest place. Yes, harder to get to, but far more protected from accidents.

 

[APEowner]

If they're horizontal then of takes much less of an impact to break them than if they're vertical.

How about building a box/cabinet around them? If it had a cover you could store other stuff above them.

 

[rsanter]

Build a crate, install wheels
Store other stuff on top of it

Bob

 

[sublimate]

Thanks for the ideas so far.
My backup plan if I can't hang it on the wall is to put it on wheels so it can slide under a workbench or something.
But I'd still like to get it off the ground if possible. I've got a lot of wall space, but no rafters, etc.
Anyone else have windshields stored somehow?

 

[Rewind97]

I say contact a couple of shops that install windshields and see how they store theirs.

Sent from My padded cell using tapatalk 2

 

[csi123]

Pretty sure that the idea that glass is a liquid is strictly a myth. Google it if you want the details. Anyway cars wont have sunroof if there is any problem with glass being stored horizontally.

 

[Bill Bowman]

We used a wall rack for windshield storage. Never paid much attention to direction (curve up / down), but kept all the same. Never broke a glass in 15 years. It's not like your transporting them in a moving vehicle. Don't over think the process. Bill