Frequently Asked Questions
Below there is a list of questions we’re frequently asked to do with the mounting, illuminating and display of Stained Glass panels. Do please feel free to contact us about any of these topics, or any others, we’d be delighted to chat to you about your Stained Glass thoughts, needs and projects.
How can I light my Stained Glass?
At The Stained Glass Display Company we specialize in professionally framing and lighting Stained Glass.
We would encourage anyone with a need for Stained Glass lighting to get in touch to have a chat with us. We’re friendly, know what we’re talking about and are happy to offer free consultation, advice and answer any questions.
Is there a limit to how large a frame can be?
Yes and no… Essentially at a certain point a Stained Glass panel gets so large that it’s weight and dimensions make it impractical to frame. The same can be said of windows.
At that point it’s a case of creating more than one panel and more than one frame, before putting them together as a single installation.
That said, we have made some enormous frames for clients measuring several metres in length.
How much do your frames cost?
We very genuinely can’t give ballpark estimates of prices. There are so many factors involved ranging from the Stained Glass dimensions, shape, your framing/design requirements, current material prices…
We’ll happily take the time to discuss a project with you though (just get in touch) and to outline the different options and costs available.
Which countries do you supply?
We’re based in the United Kingdom, near the border between England and Scotland, but we operate globally. We’ve delivered solutions internationally from the Republic of Ireland to the United States. Whether you’re from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America or even Antarctica, we’ll happily help you with all of your Stained Glass display needs.
My Stained Glass panel is shaped/curved/large/unusual, can you frame it?
No two Stained Glass panels are ever the same! Every project we undertake is a bespoke one and frames are made specifically for each individual panel, from scratch.
Stained Glass panels vary in dimensions, strength, weight, shape (rectangular or shaped), saddle bars, materials, curvature, lead type, lead thickness (between panels and sometimes within a panel) and more. We’ve made frames for everything from simple rectangular panels to ones housing floating curved glass art pieces.
We’re a specialist Stained Glass engineering and design firm, so we’re ideally placed to create the solution to your Stained Glass needs.
My Stained Glass needs some TLC, can you help?
We’re extremely passionate about Stained Glass and have worked with the medium since the 1970s. Whatever the issue with your panel, we can help.
We’re able to do minor work/cleaning of panels where neccessary in-house. Often, we pass this work on to one of our skilled Stained Glass specialists.
If further advanced knowledge is required, we have great relationships with leading experts, conservators and practitionerss throughout the UK and the rest of the world.
Will your frame care for my Stained Glass?
Our frames aren’t just designed to make your Stained Glass light up and look fabulous, they’re also designed to the highest museum conservation standards, to care for your panel.
Stained Glass, when not fitted within a window, is actually very fragile and risk of damage is high. By mounting it within a frame you offer the panel strength, security and the ability to be moved or displayed with confidence.
Our frames are proven designs, which have evolved by working with leading conservators (from establishments such as the V&A, York Minster, The Burell Collection) since the 1970s. They’re made with inert, conservation materials and with premium LED lighting components. The design has inbuilt consideration to help keep the Stained Glass from developing microclimates or from being effected by LED lighting heat.
Each frame is a bespoke system developed for an individual Stained Glass panel, with it’s dimensions, shape and design intricacies in mind throughout. Every project is designed and manufactured with an expert level of detail and care, to a museum conservation standard.
What method of lighting do you use?
Gone are the days of cramming flourescent lightblubs into huge boxy frames and then having to worry about their inconsistency, reliability and heat build up.
Our frames are illuminated by a custom-made high specification LED panel system. The system produces simulated natural light wavelengths with remotely adjustable brightness. These premium modern LEDS have a minimum estimated 50,000-hour lifespan.
These panels are specifically designed to help prevent heat build-up and carry a five year manufacturer’s warranty. We’ve yet to have to ever replace an LED panel, but frames are designed to make this process very simple.
These LED systems are low energy, which lowers running costs and helps the environment.
We are able to manufacture our own Stained Glass lightsheets in-house, but also have industry partners who are able to supply us with their premium products.
We have also manufactured frames that can be mounted in front of a window, thus allowing daylight through. In fact, we’ve even made dual-lighting systems that can pass daylight through the day and then light up electrically when the sun goes down.
How bright are the finished lighting frames?
Extremely bright, but we offer a remote dimmer system, so you can alter the brightness to exactly what you’d like it to be for your environment.
What materials are the frames made from?
To keep frames fully conservation compliant, we aim to manufacture from inert, powder-coated aluminum alloy. That said, if you were looking for a frame made from a different metal, or a wooden frame (or any other material), we’d certainly work with you to create exactly what you required.
What support do you offer?
We offer free consultation to anybody who would like to discuss their Stained Glass needs with us.
Once commissioned, our work comes with pre-production support, production updates, installation guidance and post-installation care.
What type of Stained Glass do you frame?
Everything! If it’s frameable, we’ll frame it. This might be an incredibly valuable ancient exhibit for a leading museum, or it could be a newly comissioned piece for a private home.
We offer the same museum-grade levels of service to whoever commissions our work.
Do you make non-illuminated frames?
Yes, while we primarily make systems to house and illuminate Stained Glass on walls, we do make framing systems for other purposes.
We manufacture frames that simply securely house Stained Glass panels for storage (i.e. in museum collections) or for transport (i.e. when museums lend art to other sites).
Can I/my colleague make our own frame?
The short answer is, “Yes”.
The longer answer is, “Yes, but you must be very careful if you decide to try”
Framing Stained Glass is a challenging task as panels are valuable, delicate and require very specialist care for the good of panel conservation and the health and safety of people around it.
Some of the considerations for framing are:
- The size, weight and structure of the panel
- How long do I want the frame to last?
- Will the finished product be safe?
- How to safely and securely house the panel without applying damage to it
- Do I want to illuminate the panel, and if so, how do I light it reliably without heating the glasswork?
- The frame weight, and thus any installation issues
- Lighting quality, uniformity and leak prevention
- Does the Stained Glass have any need for extra bespoke design solutions (i.e. does it require saddlebars, curvature padding, infills .etc)
- Use of inert materials (painted aluminium rather than steel/wood) to prevent chemical reactions and physical damage to the Stained Glass
- How best to affix the frame to a wall, for both safety and future removal
- Insurance (for the Stained Glass and public)
We do see other Stained Glass framing around. Sometimes it’s very good, sometimes it’s not and sometimes it’s given to us to remove and replace.
Who do you create frames for?
We will happily assist with the creation of Stained Glass frames for anyone who has a need. Generally we deliver systems to museums, religious institutions, businesses, educational facilities and private homes. We’re based in the North of England but have provided finished systems to clients across the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.
Do "Light Frames" have other names?
There isn’t really a single industry name for these frames. We generally refer to our light frames as “Illuminated Frames”, to differentiate them from light frames that may just not be very heavy.
Other names include lightbox frames, lightboxes, lighting frames, illuminating frames, LED lighting frames, glow frames, hanging lightboxes, suspended lightboxes .etc
At the end of the day there are lots of different names for these devices, but we refer to them inhouse as “illuminated frames”.
What tools do you use?
We love what we do, and the tools we use are fascinating in their diversity. We use an interesting mix of very old, classical engineering tools and jigs (many exclusive to ourselves), together with cutting edge design and manufacturing devices. This means using tools on the same job which were manufactured over 7 decades apart, such as rivets and punches to computers and laser cutters.
It also means we need to have a skill base that understands very established engineering techniques (precision measuring, cutting .etc) to modern ones such as CAD design and working with lasers.
Who fits the Stained Glass into the frame?
It’s project specific, but ultimately it’s your choice on who fits the Stained Glass panel into the frame and where.
Ideally, the Stained Glass itself will do as little travelling as possible (especially outside of the security of a framing system). Often this means the frame can be delivered to the final site, the panel installed and then the finished system hung on the wall. Sometimes, where the frame is being restored/repaired, the Stained Glass artist/conservator may fit the panel into the frame.
Our frames are designed to be simple to work with however and should be straightforward for anyone. Guidance and support is offered before fitting, during and after the job is finished, should it ever be needed (i.e. if the frame is moved again in the future).
Do you install the finished frame?
Generally we don’t install the finished frames, but we offer installation guidance and post-installation support.
The frames are designed to be as easy to install as possible, essentially similar technology to picture hanging. We don’t tend to perform installations ourselves due to the unneccessary cost to the client of us travelling and performing the work.
Our support and guidance is nearly always enough for in-house teams, but where required we can help source an installation team.
What colour can my frame be?
In truth, you can choose pretty much any colour or finish that you wish. Typically our customers tend to choose a black/dark grey finish, as this helps the frame blend into the background and for the Stained Glass itself to shine.
It’s even possible however to have a wooden/metal finish and indeed to have veneers created to offer the opportunity of changing colours.
Do you deliver the finished frame?
We are able to deliver frames, but there’s several considerations to be made.
If it’s a finished frame which you are receiving to install the panel within, it’s not too heavy/delicate and therefore isn’t too difficult to deliver.
If you’ve given us the Stained Glass to fit and then deliver the entire unit, depending on the size this will be far heavier and more delicate.
Either way, we can help arrange a specialist courier service to get the finished project to you – or you’re welcome to collect from our factory.
Does Stained Glass have to go in a window?
Traditionally, Stained Glass was fitted into windows, offering the dual purpose of offering art/design and bringing light into a building.
Where our frames come into their own is that Stained Glass can now be hung and illuminated on a wall. This can be something that permanently adds to a room, or moved to a different wall at a later date.
If you don’t want to mount on a wall, we’ve even created free-standing systems mounted on the floor or hung from a ceiling.
I have a question that isn't listed...
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If your question isn’t featured here, do please get in touch with us for a chat to discuss your thoughts, projects and needs. We will happily discuss Stained Glass with you and are happy to offer support and guidance. Contact Us