Stained Glass Repair and Restoration

Stained Glass Repair and Restoration for Denver Homes, Businesses, and Religious Institutions

Denver Stained Glass has repaired and restored many beautiful and historic windows over the years. While we know most stained glass companies turn away this sort of work, we are happy to repair or restore anything you need help with, whether it’s a wonderful historic cathedral window or a homemade piece of stained glass your mom made you for Christmas.

Stained Glass Repair

Normally if a stained glass window is less than 50 years old, it can be repaired simply and inexpensively. If the lead came is still in good condition, then it’s just a question of replacing the broken piece. Stained glass repairs can usually be completed onsite without removing your window. From buffing to simple repairs, we’ve got you covered.

Stained Glass Restoration due to the Deterioration of Lead

Stained glass is not a fragile material. In fact, it is very durable. This means the stained glass itself on your Denver home or church will not deteriorate over time as long as it doesn’t break. Usually, the cause of most damage to stained glass windows is from deterioration of the leading, which holds the individual pieces of glass together. This is because lead reacts with both air and moisture to oxidize, and it becomes brittle. Lead will also sag over time due to the weight of the glass and support structure failure. This process takes anywhere from 60-120 years. By the time your stained glass needs restoration, it has usually reached antique status, so restoring and/or repairing your vintage stained glass is well worth your time and effort.

Stained Glass Restoration

For windows around the 75-100 year mark, full restoration may be required. The restoration process begins with an onsite assessment. This assessment determines the underlying causes of deterioration and provides a cost-benefit analysis, an appraisal, a project timeline, and an estimate. Once you’ve decided to go forth with the restoration, we carefully remove your stained glass and have it transported back to our local Denver studio.

When our studio receives your stained glass, we soak it in a proprietary soap bath for up to two weeks in order to remove all the dirt and debris that have built up over the last century. This soak also makes it easier to take your window apart piece by piece in preparation for restoration. The lead came is properly and safely disposed of while we categorize the glass pieces still in good condition. The damaged glass pieces are replaced by perfect matches, and an artist will hand replicate any damaged painted glass.

Once all the glass components are restored, we create a new lead came with a unique mixture of metals for optimal strength and longevity. Your stained glass window is then set with black cement and polished when dry. We’ll remove your temporary windows and install your gorgeous, freshly restored stained glass window.

Hail Damage to Stained Glass

While hail wreaks havoc on stained glass windows, it is usually not terminal damage. Should you get hail damage on your Denver church or home stained glass, we can help you with repairs. Our process involves removing the hail damaged panels, fixing glass pieces that are redeemable, creating new glass panels to replace those beyond repair, re-leading the pieces, and installing your window back in its home. After we finish repairing your hail damaged church stained glass, we will also add an extra layer of glass to protect the window from being damaged again.

Wind Damage to Stained Glass

Older stained glass here in Denver is typically built into homes and churches. If these windows are the originals, they are usually not protected from the elements because that is how older windows were built. Beyond hail, wind is one of the major causes of stained glass falling into disrepair. Besides the obvious fact that wind can cause objects to strike and break stained glass, wind can also stretch the glass’ support structure: namely the lead. Lead that is bowing and stretching gives a concave appearance to the stained glass window.

Re-Leading to Restore Stained Glass

The solution to most structural issues with stained glass windows is to re-lead the panels of the window. Re-leading is the process of replacing old lead with new lead using better materials and improved techniques. This also allows us to remove all the pieces of original glass and clean them. After the stained glass cleaning process is done and the glass is leaded back into place, the appearance of the stained glass window improves remarkably. The stained glass in your Denver home or church will look like new, with incredible luster and shine.

Exterior Protective Covers for Stained Glass Protection

We have proprietary aluminum framing systems for housing a variety of various exterior protective covers for stained glass protection. These aluminum extrusions are similar to commercial storefront systems and can be installed on any existing frame. We can install plexiglass, laminated, tempered, and plate glass into these systems depending on your specific needs.

These durable, modern systems are ideal for any shaped windows and are available in white, dark bronze, and metal finish. We can also provide these in custom colors for any exterior. The aluminum framing system has built-in ventilation allowing proper air flow and preservation of your stained glass. We no longer have to create ventilation through existing frames or glass.

Another incredible benefit of these exterior protective covers is that they’re virtually maintenance-free and help preserve the window frames in addition to stained glass. With a less labor-intensive installation, these systems are also great because any damaged protective glass can be easily removed and replaced. You no longer have to paint your wooden window frames every 5+ years and can enjoy a great long-term, permanent solution.

Work with Denver’s Leading Stained Glass Restoration Studio

The old masters of stained glass worked entirely by hand with glass cutters and equipment that is far inferior to what we have today. Despite these difficulties, they produced stained glass of incredible beauty, and we feel it is our duty to preserve and protect these works of art.

Start Your Next Stained Glass Project By Contacting Us Today!

Our team is made up of expert builders and designers who will work with you along the way to perfectly restore your stained glass in Denver. If you have any questions about our repair process or would like to learn more about how to get your stained glass restored, feel free to give us a call or email us today!
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