Restoration Pieces

Here at the Studio, not only do we create new pieces, we also carry out repair and restoration work on stained glass and leaded lights. The lead came has a life of approximately 100 years depending on where the window is situated. A very drafty spot exposed to the elements or a busy door way, constantly opening and closing, it will undoubtedly be much less. You can easily tell if your stained glass window needs restoration if they rattle when tapped or if they are bowed. And of course over time, sadly pieces break. These can be replaced to the best possible match and hand painted if required with traditional techniques.

So how does it work?

The first stage is the removal of the panel. Once in the studio we take a rubbing of the window to create a “cartoon”. This becomes the working drawing we will work from to recreate the window. Then we will take the panel apart, carefully teasing each piece free from its old greying brittle lead frame. Replacement pieces are cut and painted, if needed using traditional kiln fired paints. We will work with you with each stage to ensure you are happy with the process. We always strive to find the closest possible match. 

The next stage is to lead the panel back together using leads of the same width and profile as the original lead. Adding additional strength with rods if we feel it’s needed. All the joints are soldered and then the panel is cemented to make it weather proof and strengthen it. The excess cement is cleaned off and followed by a final polish! The result is a beautiful window that has been given a whole new lease of life, sparkling and shining and almost back to original beautiful state.