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Home Repair Windows DIY

Leaded Glass Window Repair

2 years ago

Hi! I am in the process of repairing an antique leaded glass window so that I can hang it on my wall. (I already used Peel Stop and Poly to encapsulate any lead paint.) I have attached photos. The window is missing a pane, which is 7.5” by 5.75” inches. The lead is 0.25” deep.

I got a few estimates from local glass and stained glass folks, but it could be as much as $150 to repair. Because I’m not using this as an actual weather-tight window, I was hoping I could DIY this; however, I’m also hoping someone with more knowledge than me can tell me if my plan would work. I don’t want to break the lead.

I am wondering if I could buy and cut plexiglass (since it’s easier to cut than glass) and then gently bend the lead to slide the plexiglass in.

Is this possible?

Thank you in advance for your wisdom. :)

Featured Answer

kudzu9

2 years ago

Paying $150 to have it properly repaired seems like a bargain...much less hassle, and cheaper than having it repaired after you do further damage trying to fix it yourself. I'm very handy and very cheap, but this is one job that I'd leave to a professional.

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Comments (7)

oberon476
2 years ago
What you are suggesting might work, but it's hard to tell from your pictures, but I am not sure that you would like the look of a plastic piece right in the middle of your antique frame.

Glass is actually very easy to score to the correct size and the tiny size that you need shouldn't be that much trouble to get.

Have you tried to buy a piece that size from any of the glass shops that you visited?

Also is the glass in the window frosted?
figureskater04 thanked oberon476
PRO
toddinmn
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I would use regular glass or the old wavy glass , whatever matches what is in there now. I would try ti put the glass in feom the side that is going to face the wall. watch some you tube vids.
figureskater04 thanked toddinmn
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toxcrusadr
2 years ago
Definitely use glass. Have a glass shop cut you the piece to size so you don't have to mess with it.
figureskater04 thanked toxcrusadr
tozmo1
2 years ago
I used to work in a stain glass studio. To do it properly, $150 is quite a bargain. To rig it, I'd get glass cut at a hardware store, slightly less wide and less tall than the channel. You will then slide the glass into the channel on one side and the bottom and it will just short of being in the channel on the top and one side. Then you will take a tiny bit of glue and secure the glass on the side that is against the wall. You're going for looks, right? As long as it doesn't move, it should stay in place.

I don't know how you can bend the lead since the corners are soldered. I guess you could make a slice on the lead on the backside, very close to one corner at the top and on one side, and then flip it open. Once the glass is in place, you could flip it back down. Even with that method I don't know how you're going to get the glass in all channels.
figureskater04 thanked tozmo1
figureskater04
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you all for your advice! @oberon476 The current glass is neither wavy nor frosted—they're maybe a little yellowy, but pretty clear. I am going to put pictures behind each glass pane, so I dont think variation in the new pane will be too noticeable. @tozmo1 I think your suggestion with glue is a good one. I was ready to try that, but I found another glass shop who said this is an easy fix and they can do it for $30 while I wait, so I think ill just go that route. Thank you again, everyone, for your feeback. Much appreciated.
PRO
toddinmn
2 years ago
$30 is pretty much free . Post some pics up when you are done .
figureskater04 thanked toddinmn

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