AdammsGallery

Restoring Concave/ Convex Leaded Glass Windows

  

                        

  A few times a year we are asked to restore concave/convex leaded diamond pattern windows. Many people think that these  windows were originally flat and that they sagged  due to age, and people poking on them. While this may be true in many cases there were a significant number of windows that were made concave/convex intentionally. We don't see too many being made today simply because it is a time consuming process, and most manufacturers either do not know how to build them, or just don't want to put in the time.

     In fact the first time I encountered such a window I though it had sagged from age, but the home owner informe3d me that he was a child when his father had them commissioned and that they were intentionally made that way when the house was built. It was from this experience that I learned how the windows were constructed, and what we had to do to restore, or duplicate them.

     With this particular project there were other leaded diamond pattern windows that had been releaded, but flat rather than concave/convex. This project involved eight casement windows approximately two feet by five feet. Four were in steel sash, and four wooden sash. We removed all the sash and boarded up the window frames with plywood. This was easier, and cleaner than taking the windows out of the sash on site. Of course it was much safer also as we could remove the windows in our studio with no risk to them falling, or coming apart in the process.

     The windows were in such deteriorated condition that we didn't have to soak them to loosen the putty. When we removed them from the sash they for the most part came apart in our hands. Of course we numbered the pieces first before removing them. Then we cleaned them and began the process of rebuilding them. The deflection was about 1" on each side, so we used 1" Styrofoam cut in 1 1/2" square to support each rise. The 3/8" H flat lead easily bends up and down, and the intersecting sections are cut to slip into the opposite channel. Once the window is leaded up, we solder the joints normally and glaze up both sides.

The reinforcing bars have to be placed horizontally rather than on the diagonal as we do with flat diamond windows. Of course this means that the bars are visible as they cut half way through the diamond, but there is no alternative.

                                      

     As you can see the final result is dazzling. The reflection off the glass resembles a diamond, and really stands out, especially from  a flat diamond pattern.

Adammsgallery.com                          Adamm's Stained Glass  1426 4th St.  Santa Monica, CA 90401

 

Stained Glass Restoration New Pershing Hotel Los Angeles

 
  Earlier this year we were asked if we would like to bid on the restoration of the stained glass windows in the New Pershing Hotel at 5th and Main St in downtown Los Angeles.  Westport construction as the prime contractor, and they had demo0lished the entire 1889 building except for the victorian facade which included the onkly victorian windows in downtown los Angeles, and a series of 13 stained glass windows.

     We won the contract which was part of a City of los Angeles project to renovate the older historic buildings downtown.The plan was not only to clean up the area, but also to  give the homeless people living in the area a place to live and get off of the street. Westport had already completed two other hotels caddy cornered from the New Pershing. On the first day on site, while talking with Westport personel, we were approached by a young man who lived in the area. He sincerely thanked us for making his neighborhood a prettier and nicer place to live. I'll never forget that. You never know how people are affected with your work.

     Our project involved removing 8 panels that were 6' x 6 1/2' in size and weighed about 200 lbs. each.  We had to remove the windows from the inside of the structure which meant working on 3 story high scafold. Fortunately we were able to use a scissor lift to lower the windows. however, that doesn't mean it wasn't pretty hairy taking them out of the frames and swinging them out onto the lift. Then we had to carry them down two flights of stairs to the basement of the building and out the upward sloped driveway.

     Once we transported them to the studio we replaced broken glass, soldered lose joints, and necessary lead. Then we cleaned and reputtied the windows. The original were most likely made with zinc came.  every window used this was had been made with zinc, not lead. However, these windows wre lead. I assumed they were releaded sometime in the 1970's or 80's. The releaded windows were made with 1/4" lead came. This is why they were so heavy.

     About 3 months later we returned to the New Pershing and installed the windows. This time the building was rebuilt. We were able to install with scafold from the inside at street level. The bottom of the windows were only about 12 feet off the ground.