Restoration & Repair Story

Each restoration and repair is unique. Some repairs may require replacing broken glass where the glass color and glass texture must be matched. Some repairs require a partial or complete releading. A window may require removing the bow and adding or replacing the braces. Before replacing glass pieces, they may have to be painted and fired. In some cases the frame may need repair or replacement. In others the window covering may need to be repaired or replaced. We try our best to restore your windows to their original condition.

The Peoria Restoration Story

The restoration story can best be told using a real life example. The Peoria example incorporates many of the restorative techniques used by our artists and craftspeople.

When a fire destroyed their precious stained glass windows, St. Martin De Porres Church, through the Diocese offices in Peoria, IL, contacted Reinarts Stained Glass Studios to recreate their over 100 year old works of art. The Mathew and Mark windows were completely destroyed and 90% of the remaining glass was made so brittle by the fire that it had to be replaced. Reinarts was on the scene within two days to retrieve what remained of the windows. These pieces were used to match glass color and texture. After approximately six months of researching the figures and locating new glass that matched the original windows, Reinarts was ready to reconstruct the windows. After another six months, the windows were restored to their original beauty and returned to the church for installation.

The first step is to take pictures of the windows and make rubbings high lighting the existing lead patterns. A rubbing is done by placing a sheet of paper over the window then going back and forth over the paper with a marking device to expose the raised came. The windows are removed and sent to the studio.

The next step is to remove the lead and clean the individual pieces of glass. We make every attempt to use the original glass, if at all possible, especially any of the painted pieces. However, sometimes the intense heat makes the glass so brittle it has to be replaced.

Our artist will make a scaled sketch used to create an actual size replacement figure called a cartoon. Our artisians use the cartoon to make a layout pattern for window assembly and a pattern for cutting the glass.

Using the cleaned glass as a guide, we identify the correct glass color and texture. Using the glass patterns, the individual pieces are cut and placed on the patterns.

Lead is cut and fit around each piece of glass. All joints on each side of the stained glass panel are soldered.

An adhesive mixture that remains pliable is worked into the spaces between the lead and the glass.

Once the panel is set and cleaned, it's placed in shipping crates and taken to the site for installation.

The individual panels are installed in the original frames.

 

The completed window has been installed - see upper left.