Stained glass windows take time, skill to produce

A church stained glass window starts with a design, which companies such as Doors by Decora do primarily on computer. Once a design is complete, it is enlarged and made into a pattern.
   
The term stained glass is actually something of a misnomer because much of the window is cut from colored glass rather than glass that has been stained.
   
Glass becomes colored when metal oxide is mixed in at the molten glass stage. Different metal oxides produce different colors, and mixing several oxides produces multicolored glass. A swirl effect may be created when they are not completely mixed.
   
After mixing, the glass is poured out on metal tables. This creates variations in the thickness of the glass and resulting challenges when the glass is cut.
   
Using the design pattern, each piece of colored glass is then individually cut and fitted by grinding to achieve an exact size. Pieces are then wrapped with lead cane. Once leaded together, the window is soldered and puttied, or glazed, to make it waterproof.
   
Windows depicting biblical scenes are usually painted and fired in a kiln, according to Jones, one color at a time. The size of pieces that can be fired is limited and so is the amount of firings done per day. Large scenes require many pieces of glass that go through this process, causing an intricate picture to be labor-intensive and expensive. Price is determined by the complexity of the design.
   
Special consideration must be paid to the structural quality of stained glass, according to Jones. For example, any point in a stained glass design is a potential weak spot because wind load is a factor. To avoid stress breakage, windows must be designed with minimal points.
   
Churches also need to have a good understanding of how the sun will affect stained glass, Jones said, noting that people worry about whether the glass will fade.
   
Properly fired glass will not. Because stained glass gets its artistic effect from the sun, however, understanding how the rays hit the glass is critical. Otherwise, artificial lighting may be needed to properly illuminate windows.
   
One of the problems that sun and heat may cause is a softening of the lead melding the window pieces. Bulging glass is an indication that sun and heat have taken their toll and the glass needs repair.
   
Because of the historic, aesthetic and intrinsic value of stained glass windows, many churches opt for restoring their windows or, if they are moving to a new facility, taking their old ones with them. To cut down costs, some churches choose to remove stained glass themselves, turning the labor into a work party. “But we always put the glass in,” Jones said.
   
Fortunately, when restoration is needed, glass companies can almost always match the color and texture of original glass, he said. 
   
To fund what is admittedly a costly part of a building project, especially in small churches, stained glass is often paid for by individuals who give a window in commemoration of a loved one with a dedication inscribed on a small brass bar. Jones said one church was worried about having enough money to finish its window project. But it ended up with more money than windows. “That’s a pretty common thing. People like this project.”
   
Another church got its stained glass windows when, in lieu of flowers, someone gave a money donation to memorialize a loved one. Over time other windows were installed, one by one, as loved ones passed away.
   
One church window donor asked Jones to draw cucumbers in a scene as a private memorial to his wife, whose pickles had helped raise much money for missions causes through the years.
   
Jones has traveled Europe and visited its cathedrals to study stained glass windows. “This is a hobby that got way out of hand,” he said. “I truly do it because I love it.”