How to Create Stained Glass Art
Creating stained glass is fun and rewarding. With a little patience and creativity, you can design your own pieces and bring beautiful light into your home. While the process is intricate and requires patience, many helpful resources are available to help you get started. Below is a basic overview to introduce you to the process.
Before you begin the art of stained glass, please proceed with caution and seek proper training. Stained glass involves toxic materials and chemicals. I am self-taught, still learning my craft, and not a professional expert.
1. CREATE A DESIGN TEMPLATE
Select a stencil design or a sketch of your own.
Traditional method: Place the design on top of a light box and add the glass sheet on top of the design. Trace your shape on the glass with a marker.
Modern alternative method: Cut patterns with a CricutTM machine on vinyl and stick them directly on the glass to trace the design.
Before you begin the art of stained glass, please proceed with caution and seek proper training. Stained glass involves toxic materials and chemicals. I am self-taught, still learning my craft, and not a professional expert.
1. CREATE A DESIGN TEMPLATE
Select a stencil design or a sketch of your own.
Traditional method: Place the design on top of a light box and add the glass sheet on top of the design. Trace your shape on the glass with a marker.
Modern alternative method: Cut patterns with a CricutTM machine on vinyl and stick them directly on the glass to trace the design.
2. BREAK THE GLASS
Trace the lines of your design on the glass, using a special pencil-shaped scoring tool. The blade does not cut the glass, but scores it, allowing the pieces to be broken more easily into desired shapes.
Use several specialty pliers to break the glass into shapes, placing the waffle grid underneath to catch the broken pieces. This step was the hardest to learn. I broke many sheets of glass before doing it right!
3. GRIND THE GLASS EDGES
Once the pieces are cut, use a special glass water grinder to grind the edges of every piece of glass.
Grind the sides down to prep for foil adhesion.
4. FOIL THE GLASS EDGES
Make sure all pieces are dry.
Apply a copper foil tape and wrap the edges of each piece with the foil.
Use a tool, like the end of a paintbrush, to “burnish” the tape around the pieces of glass. The copper foil gives the metal solder something to adhere to in the next step.
5. SOLDER
Wear goggles and a respirator mask. Solder is made of lead.
Arrange pieces according to the design.
Brush a liquid called “flux” on all foil lines.
Take a soldering iron in one hand and the spool of solder in the other, slowly feed a line of solder onto the piece.*
Use the iron to slowly melt the metal along the lines of each glass piece to join them together.
*Be very patient with this step—go slowly and pay attention. Wait for one side to cool before doing the other. If a side is not given time to cool, the heat will crack the glass.
6. CLEAN AND WAX
Once each side is cooled and the piece is finished, clean it with mild dish soap and water.
Finish with a special flux cleaner and wax to keep it from oxidizing.
Admire your hard work and find the perfect place to display!
Wear goggles and a respirator mask. Solder is made of lead.
Arrange pieces according to the design.
Brush a liquid called “flux” on all foil lines.
Take a soldering iron in one hand and the spool of solder in the other, slowly feed a line of solder onto the piece.*
Use the iron to slowly melt the metal along the lines of each glass piece to join them together.
*Be very patient with this step—go slowly and pay attention. Wait for one side to cool before doing the other. If a side is not given time to cool, the heat will crack the glass.
6. CLEAN AND WAX
Once each side is cooled and the piece is finished, clean it with mild dish soap and water.
Finish with a special flux cleaner and wax to keep it from oxidizing.
Admire your hard work and find the perfect place to display!
