Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > House
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 09-04-2018, 10:58 AM
 
1,524 posts, read 1,291,594 times
Reputation: 1361

Advertisements

It seems that all the stained glass panels I find online say for indoor use only. Could I hang a stained glass panel at the edge of a covered porch? The area gets wet only when it's very rainy and windy. Or could I at least hang it inside the porch from the ceiling? Would I need to do anything to protect it? I'm in an area that gets four seasons, including snowy winters.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-04-2018, 02:09 PM
 
3,602 posts, read 7,850,061 times
Reputation: 9174
A great many older houses in the northeast have stained glass panels that have been exposed to the weather since construction.

I think it will depend on the construction of the panel.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 03:15 PM
 
4,690 posts, read 10,337,858 times
Reputation: 14882
There are 2 kinds of "stained glass" (construction). The "old way" uses only lead to hold the glass pieces in place. These tend to be delicate, but aren't sensitive to being wet/weather. The "modern" way uses adhesive foil that's stuck to the glass. The adhesive isn't particularly robust and will absolutely break down/fail with weather... I'd never put one of those outside where it could get wet.


Stained glass in windows/doors have been an "inside" panel, behind a solid sheet of glass, for most of the last century. If not originally, then certainly as a retrofit just because of the longevity provided.



Personally, I wouldn't hang any stained glass that was costly/important outside. I say that from a position of being able to make and repair whatever I want. I have made a few pieces out of scraps to be hung in the garden as a distraction for birds, they hold up for a few years before failing and needing to be re-made. OP, if you can keep it from getting wet, you'll have better luck with a little longer life but don't expect to have whatever item in 20 years (without having someone rebuild it).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 03:40 PM
 
1,524 posts, read 1,291,594 times
Reputation: 1361
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M View Post
There are 2 kinds of "stained glass" (construction). The "old way" uses only lead to hold the glass pieces in place. These tend to be delicate, but aren't sensitive to being wet/weather. The "modern" way uses adhesive foil that's stuck to the glass. The adhesive isn't particularly robust and will absolutely break down/fail with weather... I'd never put one of those outside where it could get wet.


Stained glass in windows/doors have been an "inside" panel, behind a solid sheet of glass, for most of the last century. If not originally, then certainly as a retrofit just because of the longevity provided.



Personally, I wouldn't hang any stained glass that was costly/important outside. I say that from a position of being able to make and repair whatever I want. I have made a few pieces out of scraps to be hung in the garden as a distraction for birds, they hold up for a few years before failing and needing to be re-made. OP, if you can keep it from getting wet, you'll have better luck with a little longer life but don't expect to have whatever item in 20 years (without having someone rebuild it).
Great info. Is it possible to find ones for sale now that are made the "old way"? Are they never made that way now or is it just less common?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 03:49 PM
 
Location: Bel Air, California
23,771 posts, read 28,844,022 times
Reputation: 37326
check with your local house of worship but they probably have some type of divine insurance policy that guarantees protection or replacement
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 03:52 PM
 
11,230 posts, read 9,153,045 times
Reputation: 32246
Cathedrals form the 1400s exist with stained glass that's been exposed to the elements the whole time.

Never heard of anything other than the lead channels, soldered together (and stiffened with steel, iron, or brass members). Sounds like a case of cost reduction, or just a case of doing something new for the sake of doing something new.

I would bet that if you actually hire a stained glass artist rather than just buying something mass produced in China by the lowest bidder over the internet, they will use the traditional methods of construction. If you find such an artist, they also may well have pieces already made in their studio ready to purchase. I remember browsing through such a shop some years ago (killing time while waiting for an appointment, if I recall).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 04:56 PM
 
4,690 posts, read 10,337,858 times
Reputation: 14882
Quote:
Originally Posted by turf3 View Post
I would bet that if you actually hire a stained glass artist...... they will use the traditional methods of construction.



You'd be mostly wrong. Working with lead came is a PITA for any shape more complex than a straight line. I'm saying this as someone who's dabbled in doing stained glass for income after my mother managed a fairly good retirement income from the same.



Now, if someone Wants it done that way and is willing to pay the price (both in terms of acceptable design and simple labor costs), I don't know anyone who wouldn't be willing. It's kinda fun to go old-school, and it's easier to patina/make appear old (product called whiting powder). For longevity, it still needs to be supported (framed into a wall) and not hung. Even with bracing and in its own frame, sagging is a very real concern, usually in the form of a "belly" (slumping forward, of out 2 dimensions and into 3 dimensions).



OP, you can have anything made. Smaller than a sheet of paper will be more durable/long lived. Something with more straight lines and less curves will be easier/cheaper. If that seems too plain, you can have the glass Painted to add detail.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 05:27 PM
 
Location: Southwest Washington State
30,585 posts, read 24,913,792 times
Reputation: 50788
In old brick houses in St, Louis, bathroom windows used to be stained glass. They did not, to my knowledge, have outer, clear panes.

I actually own two matching stained glass windows which I assume were used in an old bathroom, or possibly flanking a fireplace. They are obviously old, and we have had them hanging indoors as long as we’ve had them. But they had to have been exposed to weather for years before being salvaged.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-04-2018, 08:16 PM
 
23,510 posts, read 69,890,838 times
Reputation: 48854
Two sheets of plexiglass, one on either side, problem solved. FWIW, there is also "fused" glass. A friend has a 16" x 20" panel of that hanging on her porch and it seems to be holding up fine.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-06-2018, 12:55 PM
 
Location: Knoxville
4,705 posts, read 25,182,234 times
Reputation: 6129
I have a stained glass (lead cane) I made mounted outside on a privacy screen. I mounted in in a wood frame for stability, then attached it to the privacy screen.
Its been there for 6 years without any problems, in southern het and humidity, and freezing temps in winter.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > House
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top