Decorative & Stained Glass
Stained and decorative glass covers church windows, domestic leaded lights, painted and enamelled panels, etched and acid-embossed glass, and the coloured margin lights common in Victorian and Edwardian houses. The studios in this category survey, repair, relead and conserve existing glass, and design and make new work where panels are lost beyond recovery. Conservation practice favours retaining original glass and paint wherever possible, repairing in situ where the panel allows, and recording what is there before anything is removed. Several studios also design protective glazing and handle ferramenta and fixing repairs.
What this category covers
- Survey, recording and condition reporting of historic glass
- Releading, edge bonding and repair of leaded lights
- Conservation of painted, enamelled and silver-stained glass
- Isothermal and protective external glazing systems
- New commissions and replacement panels for lost glass
Ark Stained Glass & Leaded Lights Limited
Ark Stained Glass & Leaded Lights Ltd designs, manufactures, conserves and restores ...
Clement Windows Group
Clement Windows Group designs, manufactures and installs steel windows, doors and screens ...
Design Glass Ltd
Design Glass Ltd has produced leaded lights, architectural stained glass and glass ...
Holdsworth Windows Ltd
Holdsworth Windows is a family-run manufacturer of bespoke steel windows, leaded lights ...
Lattice Period Windows/Mike Honour Windows
Lattice Period Windows, run by Mike Honour Windows, manufactures traditional steel and ...
Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists
Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists is an independent family business established in 1995 ...
The British Society of Master Glass Painters
The British Society of Master Glass Painters has been devoted to the ...
The Cathedral Studios
SPECIALISTS IN STAINED GLASS CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION: The Cathedral Studios looks back ...
Commissioning stained glass conservation
Get the panel recorded before it moves. Rubbings, measured drawings and photographs of each panel in place are standard practice, because leadwork is rebuilt from that record and glass sequences are easy to lose once a window is out of its opening.
Repair in preference to releading. Complete releading is invasive and removes evidence, and edge bonding, copper foiling and localised repair can extend the life of a panel considerably. Ask what proportion of the original lead and glass the proposal retains.
Treat painted glass as the vulnerable part. Historic paint and silver stain can be unstable and are readily lost through cleaning, so a conservator should test before cleaning anything and be explicit about which panels are painted.
Consider protective glazing carefully. Externally vented isothermal systems can reduce condensation and physical damage, but badly detailed protection traps moisture and accelerates decay. In churches, faculty permission applies alongside any Listed Building Consent.
Questions to ask
How long does leaded glass last before it needs releading?
Lead came typically lasts around a hundred years, but life varies with exposure, panel size and ventilation. Bowing, cracked solder joints and loose glass are the usual indicators. A survey should establish whether localised repair will serve rather than full releading.
Does repairing a church window need permission?
In Church of England buildings the faculty system applies, and other denominations have their own procedures. Listed Building Consent may also be needed. A conservator used to ecclesiastical work will normally help prepare the supporting statement.
Can broken painted glass be repaired rather than replaced?
Often yes. Edge bonding with conservation-grade adhesive retains original paint and glass, and is preferred to inserting new pieces. Replacement is a last resort where the glass is lost or shattered beyond reassembly.
All 11 businesses listed under Decorative & Stained Glass
- Ark Stained Glass & Leaded Lights Limited Herefordshire
- C J L Designs Somerset
- C N Glass Oxfordshire
- Clement Windows Group Surrey
- Design Glass Ltd West Yorkshire
- Holdsworth Windows Ltd Warwickshire
- Lattice Period Windows/Mike Honour Windows Gloucestershire
- Lightworks Lancashire
- Sherriff Stained Glass Specialists Dorset
- The British Society of Master Glass Painters Somerset
- The Cathedral Studios Kent
Directory information is provided to help visitors identify potentially relevant specialists and suppliers. Inclusion does not constitute a recommendation, approval or guarantee by Tuscan Foundry Products. Please check current services, credentials, availability and suitability directly with each business.