Minor Repairs To  Broken Church Stained Glass and Small Cracks

Cracks in stained glass are pretty common and definitely something you will start to see on older glass that has stood the test of time.  If you have looked at your Grand Junction church’s stained glass and seen chips, cracks, and even broken glass– you are not alone. As it were, minor repairs, like replacing a few pieces of broken glass here are fairly easy to repair in the frame but for major repairs to stained glass windows, the entire window absolutely must be removed and the stained glass repaired in a professional studio.  Small repairs are called drop-in work and are something we, at Denver Stained Glass, do quite frequently, although we do major restoration work too. Drop in work usually entails cutting the came flange around the broken piece of glass at the solder joints then folding it back to repair or replace the old glass. We try to keep the original glass in the window whenever possible–but if necessary we are quite skilled at creating matching pieces in our studios.

Repairing Cracks In Grand Junction Church Stained Glass

For badly cracked stained glass–replacement is the only options.  In very bad cases like these, the church stained glass window is best restored by removing it and replacing the glass.  But, other times, small cracks can be fixed without replacing the glass and while it is in place. It all depends on where the affected glass is located and how badly it is cracked.  Remember, since cracks in stained glass will enlarge over time (as the edges grind against one another) it is important to have cracks looked at and repaired as soon as you see them.

Stained glass options for repair include:

Copper Foiling: One of the oldest and most common ways to repair stained glass cracks on church glass.  It is usually the best option when a piece of glass has only one or two cracks. In this method a thin copper foil is laid along each side of the break, trimmed and soldered. Since the foil is so incredibly thin, it has little aesthetic impact on your Grand Junction church’s stained glass

* Please note: copper foil repairs should not be used on unstable glass

Epoxy Edge-Gluing: This technique results in an almost invisible line and is, for this reason, often used on painted glass.  The reason why is because epoxy can be tinted to match the glass. This is also a great method for shattered glass or microscopic cracks.  Epoxy produces a very strong repair but deteriorates in sunlight–so it usually requires secondary glazing to protect it from UV degradation.

Silicone Edge-Gluing: This repair method has the lowest strength and is a quick fix used when a flexible joint is needed. However, it will do nothing for the long-term strength of your glass.  Luckily it is easily removed because it is unattractive and essentially useless long for the preservation of valuable church stained glass.

Although Denver Stained Glass is a company that primarily focuses on the front range, we have done numerous church stained glass repairs and restorations in Grand Junction and all over the western slope.  So please Contact us today for more information and pricing on repairing and restoring the stained glass in your Grand Junction church!