Re-Applying Patina to a Stained Glass Panel

1. Sometimes, a piece of stained glass will lose its original brightness and color that the lead lines once had. Also, mold or oxidation will form on the lead lines occasionally. The blackness or copper of the patina will dull and you find that there is a buildup of pale corrosion around the edges of the lead lines. Now I don't know if these steps apply to leaded windows, but they work well on a copper foiled (Tiffany-Style) panel.

2. Get your favorite cleanser (the kind you're never supposed to use except when revitalizing a window) and a stiff brush. (An old tooth brush will work fine or you can use a household scrub brush.)

3. Apply a light coating of cleanser.

4. Add a small amount of water and scrub the lead lines. Make sure to scrub each direction to remove any corrosion that has formed around the lead lines.

5. After both sides of the panel have been cleaned, rinse the cleanser off and dry the panel well. It's easy to rinse off in the sink or with a garden hose. If water is not easily available, get a bucket or pan of water and use rags to rinse off the window.

6. Next you'll need your blacl or copper patina and a rag that you don't care about. You need it to be cloth, paper towels disintegrate and even rags get eaten away by the chemicals in patina. We always discard a rag that has been used with patina because it will decompose after a day of patina exposure.

7. Apply the patina liberally. If you only put a little on, the chemical reaction doesn't work right. Black patina will try to go copper and copper patina will try to go black. Sometimes crystals form on the edge of the bottle of patina. They form after the chemical has been sitting, so always shake the bottle before applying patina. Take your rag and apply a liberal coat of patina. Don't be afraid to use a lot. You'll have better success with more of the chemical.

Wash and dry the window thoroughly. Leaving patina on the glass can cause it to discolor.

Well that is a very good question. You can create some very unique frames for your completed stained glass panels by taking old cabinet doors and making frames out of them.

Where can you find old doors? You can go to the local cabinet makers and ask them what they do with the old door they remove from a remolding project and see if they will give them to you. I have had good success with this. Also go to Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears, or any home remodeling store and ask their installers what they do with the old doors. Many will be glad to give them to you.

Measure your stained glass panel and try to find a door the your panel will fit into. When measuring take into account you will need inside measurement (on the door) a 1/4 to 1/2 inch smaller both width and height than your stained glass panel. This will allow for setting the panel into the frame. If you are interested in these kinds of home decor and stained glass panel then you should visit this website (https://glassartstories.com/collections/birds).