Stained Glass Windows

When you think of stained glass, your thoughts may drift to churches and cathedrals, but stained glass is much more versatile than that.

It’s available in many styles and themes to suit your home; whether you have a Tuscan design or a modern flair.

Furthermore, adding stained glass to your home is easy to do, can fit any size window, and provides privacy and light control.

With a stained glass window, you don’t need any other window treatments.

Consider the following to learn if stained glass is right for you.

About Stained Glass Windows

True stained glass windows are made with individual pieces of colored glass, which are cut into small shapes. Their edges are wrapped with copper foil, assembled in a pattern, and soldered together. You can find smaller mass-produced pieces, usually in geometric or traditional designs if you just want to purchase a pane.

You can order a custom window, in which a photo or design of your choice is mapped out on the computer and designed to fit your specifications, which is the best choice if you’re looking for something unusual. However, these custom orders can get awfully expensive, particularly if you’re looking to cover a large expanse such as a glass door.

If the expense is too much, and you’re still interested in the stained glass look, consider purchasing a smaller piece to hang in the middle of the window to get the same look without replacing the entire pane, look for second-hand glass, consider making your own stained glass, or try a stained glass window film.

Making your own stained glass is easier than you may think, and the basic instructions are provided below.

Or, you can try window films in stained glass patterns. These are cheaper than replacing the panes and easy to install yourself; all you need to do is clean the window, apply the adhesive, put on the film, and work out the excess fluid and air.

You can install stained glass windows anywhere in your home. Bathrooms, entryways, and windows in hallways and stairways are popular choices for stained glass, but you certainly don’t need to feel limited to those options.

Try adding stained glass window panes in an unexpected place, like as an insert on your kitchen cabinets, as a room divider for an open floor plan, or as an insert in a glass coffee table. Just because they’re designed to be used in the windows doesn’t mean that you have to follow directions. Just make sure that the piece you select or make is sturdy enough for its intended use.

Whatever the use, you’re sure to find a pattern to suit your needs. Some of the options available include geometric prints, nautical themes, flowers and fruits, and southwestern themes.

Make Your Own Stained Glass

But if you’re unable to find a pattern that suits your fancy, or if you’d really like to convert a photo of your favorite vacation spot to install in the hallway, you can make your own stained glass.

As with any other craft, start small with a geometric print and work your way up. It’s probably not the best idea to start with a photo conversion.

Consider the following tips when learning to make your own stained glass windows:

• The first thing you’ll need are some stained glass supplies. Many arts and crafts stores carry starter kits that have the basic supplies you’ll need. They’re not the highest quality available, of course, but they’re good enough to get you through a small project so you can decide if it’s worth the investment in better tools.
• Next, you’ll need a stained glass pattern. Generally, it’s easiest to purchase a simple pattern for your first project. You can start designing them later once you know what you’re doing. Look for a pattern with a small number of pieces (around 10 or so) with relatively simple shapes.
• Glass pieces can be purchased in precut pieces if you’re working with simple shapes like squares or rectangles or cut for you by a specialty store. You can also learn to cut your own glass once you purchase the right materials. You simply score and snap the pieces in a process similar to cutting tile.
• To continue the tile metaphor, the process of soldering the glass is similar to the process of caulking a tile, except instead of wiping the solder on, you apply it with a solder gun. Then you pin the pieces together until they dry.
• Once all of the pieces are soldered together, glaze the entire panel to firm up the seals and finish the job.