Stained Glass Construction

There are two ways to make stained glass, leaded or copper foiled. The major difference between the two is in the construction. With leaded stained glass, the glass is fitted into channels of lead came. In contrast, copper foiled stained glass is constructed by wrapping each piece of glass with copper foil. Leaded stained glass historically is found in churches. It was during the Victoria Era where leaded stained glass was introduced into homes and has remained a popular method of constructing stained glass ever since. Foiled stained glass was mastered by Tiffany in the early 1900’s and soon after became a popular method for creating stained glass.

Common Questions:
Is one method better than the other? he simple answer is no. A better answer is that it depends on the artist and the design.

What is the difference in leaded and foiled construction? With leaded stained glass, the construction must begin at an outer corner, the individual pieces are fitted into lead came. Once all pieces are cut and placed in lead came, the joints of came are soldered. Then the piece is cemented. With foiled stained glass, the construction can begin at any point in the design and worked out from there. The individual pieces are wrapped in copper foil and soldered together.

When is foiled stained glass construction better than lead? With intricate designs, foiled construction is superior

When is lead construction better than foiled? Leaded construction is used most often with designs that have repetitive geometric shapes. These designs can be foiled, but construction time is increased.