Application area
Now stained glass windows are found not only in church premises, but in apartments and private houses.
Compositions based on impact-resistant glass are inserted into entrance doors. They are also used in interior doors, but the main thing is that the image is the same everywhere. Then the interior will be designed in the same style.
In apartment design, stained glass is placed in the windows of balconies, loggias or in the kitchen. They are often used in the doors of wardrobes and furniture sets, which gives the furniture an antique chic.
A stained glass composition looks very elegant in the sliding doors of a living room or bedroom.
It is used in the manufacture of decorative items and lighting fixtures. Painted dishes, handmade lampshades, glass paintings or illuminated panels are especially popular.
Stained glass ceilings add special luxury to the room. They came into fashion at the end of the 19th century, but were undeservedly “forgotten”. And only a few years ago they began to be used again, but with the use of new technologies. These are so-called lightweight stained glass windows based on durable acrylic plastic.
Advantages and disadvantages
Stained glass on glass is created quickly enough, and the work will not have any similar ones. The biggest advantage of such a painting will be its practicality. Painted stained glass windows, unlike soldered ones, can be used for large surfaces; moreover, they do not require cutting out individual pieces of glass and attaching them to the sketch. Therefore, when painting glass with acrylic paints, you get a durable and solid image. In addition, stained glass made with paints can be inserted into a double-glazed window, which will save much more heat than if soldered stained glass is inserted into them.
Related article: How to install an interior door yourself
Glass painting fits much more easily into any apartment interior, while soldered stained glass windows require carefully selected furnishings. In addition, painted glass perfectly transmits light, creating a slight kaleidoscope effect.
Kinds
Based on manufacturing technology, they are divided into four groups.
Classical
Lead soldering technology has not changed for many centuries. A life-size sketch of the future composition is drawn. Then multi-colored elements are cut according to the templates. The image is assembled in the form of a mosaic, then the parts are fastened with a lead H-shaped profile. The profiles at the joints are soldered on both sides. For strength, the structures are inserted into a brass “frame”. Patination or blackening is applied to lead frames.
Tiffany
American Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 19th century invented a new type of stained glass designs and improved the classic method of connecting individual parts. When processing the edges of parts, copper foil began to be used, followed by soldering. Due to this, it became possible to give the images a convex appearance and mount them in hemispherical ceiling openings.
The strength of the structure is not inferior to lead-soldering technology.
Used for elegant, detailed designs with intricately curved fine lines and visual impact. Products using this technique are universal and popular.
Fusing
Fusing is a technology for sintering a mosaic of colored particles. The parts cut out according to the template are folded into the intended image and placed in the oven. Under the influence of heating at 850 degrees, the pieces are combined into a web. Glass crystals, drops and granules are used for decoration. The image appears three-dimensional or slightly convex. It is possible to give the product the desired thickness and relief.
painting
The technique is within the power of people even without artistic talent. The selected design is transferred to a degreased glass surface and outlined, which is allowed to dry. After drying, the areas in the contour are filled with the desired color. Then the drawings on the glass are coated with colorless acrylic varnish to secure them.
Special stained glass paints are used for painting.
- Based on organic solvents - alkyd, the base can be alcohol or varnish. They do not require firing, do not spread, and adhere well. They have a strong pungent odor, so they are not recommended for use by children and people prone to allergies. Work must be carried out in a ventilated area.
- Acrylic – odorless, bright, cleanable with water. When applied, it may lie unevenly and will require two to three stages.
The technique is used in the manufacture of gifts and souvenirs - painting dishes, watches, paintings or panels.
Film
Self-adhesive film is the easiest way to create stained glass with your own hands at home. Film compositions are made using technology developed in the middle of the last century using modern materials.
This technique uses multi-colored polymer films imitating colored glass. Such products have less weight and are made on solid fabric without additional fasteners. Compared to other technologies, it is considered low-cost in monetary terms.
How to make a stained glass window at your dacha with your own hands
We live in a happy time when most of us have country houses - dachas, village houses, luxury mansions, etc. Some people visit there only on summer weekends; some, tired of the bustle of big cities, move to live closer to nature for good; and some don’t even know city life at all. But I am sure that we all love our homes equally and try to decorate them to the best of our ability with carved frames or forging, beautiful curtains and patchwork blankets.
I propose another fairly simple and affordable way of decoration - a stained glass window.
Materials : glass (133*77 cm), black contour paint Gallery Glass 59 ml, 5 contours for glass, 12 tubes of stained glass paints from Plaid, 59 ml each, liquid for imitating glass etching from Plaid, 236 ml.
Originally there was a window above the stairs. It faces east onto a neighbor's property where construction is proposed, so there won't be a picturesque view for several years.
When I decided to make a stained glass window, I decided that I would like to do something in the Art Nouveau style. On the Internet I found a wonderful stained glass window of old St. Petersburg, which was located (I hope to this day) at the address: 7th Krasnoarmeyskaya St., 7.
Having decided on the design, I made a life-size sketch on graph paper. I needed a size of 133-77 cm. Before work, the glass must be thoroughly washed and degreased. I used acetone. To prevent fingerprints from being left and the fat-free layer not to be damaged, in the future I worked in thin latex gloves.
Initially, I wanted to use only Plaid paints, but as for the contours, my patience was only enough for 1 tube of this company. Later it took me 5 black contours for domestic glass
