Kevin's Glass & Mirror

Is One of Your Stained Glass Windows Damaged or Cracked?

The way stained broken glass repair is approached will greatly depend upon two things. One being the size, location, and amount of damage, the other being whether the stained glass was made using copper foil or lead. If your stained glass only has a minor crack, which can be noticed but does not compromise the pieces structural integrity, it’s possible to use an illusion to conceal the crack, using a method which does not impact on the rest of the glass.

However, if the stained glass has numerous cracks or the glass has actually buckled, the repair will be more extensive, but still be managed using some previous know-how. If the damage is more extensive, or if the window is made using lead came, the broken glass repair has just become more difficult. To begin with, use a hack saw to remove the zinc border from the edges of the damaged glass. But, note when doing this procedure, breathing masks and goggles must be worn, as this can be dangerous.

Place the glass on tracing paper, and trace the outer edge, marking off where the zinc is cut onto the paper. This will reconstruct the panel and ensure it is kept squared properly. Then, heat the zinc on both sides and work the pliers until it is removed.

Once the border has been removed the broken pieces will be cut more using a professional glass cutter. Solder will then be melted between the broken pieces and the ones which are still intact. By using the tip of the soldering iron on the unbroken piece, the edge will be cleaned. A glass cutter will be used to trace the replacement glass and will be cut and ground to match the damaged piece.