FAQ's

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Can I put stained glass in my existing window?  

Yes. There are numerous ways to mount stained glass to the inside of an existing window. Even if the window is operable, the stained glass can be mounted to the sash so that it opens with the window. It is generally not advisable to install stained glass in place of your existing glass as it is terribly inefficient thermally.

What do I need to do to put stained glass in my new house?  

I install normal thermo-pane units as you would otherwise. I come in afterward and install stained glass to the inside of the window. If you know you want stained glass in an opening, don't get any optional "grilles" on your new windows.

Can I put stained glass in an operable window?  

Yes. Stained glass can be mounted directly to the sash so that it opens with the window.

What are the shape and size limitations of stained glass?  

There are no limitations on the shape of a stained glass panel. Larger panels will need to be reinforced with steel bars on the surface of the stained glass panels. Extremely large installations (like the gothic windows in medieval Europe) are installed in sections.

What does my cabinetmaker need to know to put stained glass in my cabinets?  

If the cabinet doors are cut to accept standard glass inserts, I can install my stained glass work as well. If the rear panel stop is routered off after the frames are assembled, it helps if the rabbet corners are trimmed square.

How much does stained glass cost?  

I give prices based upon the design and the installation requirements. A two square foot panel can have 10 pieces or 100 pieces. I may install it into cabinet doors in my shop, or erect and climb three stages of scaffolding on site. There are many variables that will affect the cost. Piece count will generally affect the cost more than the size or color. I tell people to ballpark $150 per square foot and you should be fairly safe, but I can do work for $60 psf, or $250 psf (or higher), so there is no good way to give a price before a design and installation strategy is generated.

What are my design options?  

There are some constraints based upon the nature of the material, but just about anything can be designed into a stained glass panel. There are 1000s of colors and textures of glass to choose from. I can come up with designs from scratch, or work from photos or sketches.

How do I take care of my stained glass window?  

The best way I have found to clean a stained glass window is with a shop-vac and a soft round brush attachment. This pulls dust off of the panel rather than pushing it into the multitude of corners on a stained glass window. Do not push too hard on the panel while doing this however. It should be noted, however, that a vacuum can also pull old cement out of the cames of an antique panel, thus weakening it. So it would be a good idea to have the condition of an antique panel assessed by an expert before using this method.
Spots can be removed locally with a mild glass cleaner applied to the rag, not the panel. Extra care should be taken in cleaning painted work. Horse shampoos are recommended as they are Ph neutral. If there is any question regarding the structural integrity of your stained glass panels, call an expert to assess their condition before cleaning them.

Can you match old glass?  

There were many glass manufacturers during the industrial revolution and into the 20th century that are no longer around. A few of them survived, however, and are still producing glass to this day. The only way to know whether I can match a glass is to see it and possibly compare it to available samples.

My antique stained glass window is curved or bowing, Was it built that way?  

99.999% of the time that answer is no. If the frame that the panel is in is flat, the window was originally flat. If the frame is curved, the panel was built curved also, but that is an extremely small percentage of windows. I get a lot of resistance with this answer because people often say, "it was always that way". It may have been that way for the last 50 years, but it was not built that way. Geometric designs will also often sag or bow in a symmetrical fashion, making them look like they are supposed to be that way, but they weren't.

Is it going to fall out onto the floor?  

There are many things that can cause this condition, and it doesn't always mean the window is in danger of falling out. It is usually not a good sign, but I have seen numerous windows that have bowed out of plane due to other stresses than lead failure. If your antique window is bowed or sagging, it should definitely be inspected by an expert to determine its structural integrity. I can discuss the proper techniques to remedy the situation based upon the assessment

Stained Glass Myths

Old Glass is brittle. 

Not true, necessarily. Glass is extremely stable, but the purity of the material and the rate and manner in which glass is cooled will determine its working characteristics. The manufacturing processes were not as refined at the turn of the 20th century as they are today and some old glass was poorly made or improperly cooled. The "old glass is brittle" myth stems from the fact that some old glass is brittle, but it was brittle the day it was manufactured. Most old glass cuts very easily. The myth is perpetuated by the fact that old glass is not perfectly flat and can break if not properly supported when it is scored and cut. Furthermore, many people try to cut old glass with a cheap and dull cutter. They would have a similar problem cutting any glass with such a tool, but it is easier to blame their failure on the "old brittle glass".

Glass is a liquid (and if stood on end for 1000 years, will become thicker at the bottom).  

Both statements above are false, but oddly, each statement is often used to explain the other. There is an extremely complex answer to this question, but I will try to simplify it at the risk of over simplification (more technical explanations are available on the internet if your thirst for knowledge is not quenched by this explanation).

The glass is a liquid statement can be debunked, or clarified rather, in an assessment of the molecular structure of glass. There are three basic types of molecular structures:

crystalline solids: in which molecules are ordered in a regular lattice
fluids: in which molecules are disordered and are not rigidly bound
glasses: in which molecules are disordered but are rigidly bound

There are other things to take into account if you are extremely technical (such as plasticity and viscosity) but, again, this is a simplification. So, since glasses resemble fluids in that the molecular structure is disordered, they were/are often lumped in with fluids incorrectly. Early misunderstandings about this important distinction continue to be perpetuated to this day.

To compound the issue, the process for creating sheet glass for clear and stained glass windows used to involve blowing glass by hand. This process created sheets of glass with uneven thickness. The new manufacturing processes of rolled and float glass create much more even glass sheets. The previously mentioned misunderstandings involving classifying glass as a liquid, combined with visual observation of the individual pieces of medieval stained glass windows being thicker at the bottom lead to the myth that glass will "run" if left standing on edge for long periods of time. The fact is the glass was thicker at the bottom when the windows were made 800 years ago.

If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact me for more information on the subject.