Custom Stained Glass has successfully completed many restoration jobs throughout the New England area. We have worked on many of Boston’s historic churches, removing, restoring and re-installing a wide array of historically significant windows. Because of our years of experiance in working with stained glass and our respect for the traditions of the early stained glass craftsmen we are uniquely qualified for restoration work of all kinds.
Below are some of the steps we go through when expertly restoring antique stained glass windows. Each job has its unique challenges, but the general process we use, is the same process used by the stained glass artisans of old.
Starting the Restoration
To start each restoration, the window is photographed and the damage assessed and documented. We then create a wax crayon rubbing of the window to get a blueprint of the window’s layout. This is used throughout the process to keep track of all the individual pieces of stained glass that make up the larger design.
Rebuilding the glass
The first stage of rebuilding the stained glass requires patterns to be made for all sections with broken glass. Later these patterns will be used as templates for replacing the damaged panes. Once the patterns are made, the glass is then matched for color and texture and replaced.