Time and nature have taken their toll on our windows, and action is needed to repair and restore these treasured works of art. Your contributions will allow us to preserve our windows for generations to come. Shown here is the process that each window panel goes through after the removal and transportation back to restoration studio. After documentation, the window is disassembled, the pieces cleaned and inspected. Broken pieces are glued or replicated with new glass that is painted and fired. The panels are then reassembled with new lead cames, the joints soldered and weatherproof sealed, cleaned and stabilized with new reinforcement bars. With a final inspection in the studio, the restored panels are now ready for transportation back to the church for reinstallation.
| Step 1:
Individual panels are secured and shipped to the studio for the meticulous restoration process. |
Step 2:
A rubbing is made on top of the window to document the exact positioning of each piece of glass in the window panel. |
Step 3:
Disassembly of the glass from the deteriorated lead is done under water to eliminate lead dust hazards. |
Step 4:
The individual glass pieces are positioned back in place onto the rubbing after being cleaned and dried. |
Step 5: After all pieces are inspected, broken pieces are carefully put aside for edge glueing. |
| Step 6:
A two part epoxy which dries clear is used to fuse the broken pieces. |
Step 7:
Glass that is beyond repair is replicated to exactly match the originals. |
Step 8:
The replicated glass is cut by hand to the same size and shape as needed. |
Step 9:
The new pieces are meticulously painted to match the originals. |
Step 10: Painted glass is fired in a kiln at 1,200 degrees fahrenheit for permanency. |
| Step 11:
The panel is reassembled with the new lead wrapped around each piece of glass, forming the matrix as when it was originally created. |
Step 12:
Lead cames joints are soldered together a temperature that melts the solder and not the lead came. |
Step 13:
A putty or “cement” is pushed into the lead matrix to strengthen, seal and weatherproof the panel. |
Step 14:
Whiting and sawdust absorb moisture and aid cleanup of the panel. |
Step 15: Reinforcement bars are strategically placed and soldered to the window. |
The restoration of our stained glass windows has been entrusted to the Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, Wisconsin, whose award-winning ecclesiastical artistry and craftsmanship have enhanced worship spaces since 1889. The family-owned Studio has been a leader in the Stained Glass Association of America for a century and CSS artists have achieved the honors of Presidency, Fellowship and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
