Tempered Glass Reinforcement for Stained Glass Panel

by Edie Van Riper
(Farmington, NM, USA)

I am new to stained glass, I just completed a 17" x 48" stained glass panel, I used Zinc came on the border, I have read that for support, I need to back my stained glass panel with a solid piece of tempered glass. My question is, do I frame it with zinc came, and solder it to the zinc came frame of the stained glass? Please advise, I think this is what I do, but not sure.

Answer

Is that a local building code? That is the only reason you would do that (that I know of).

If the panel has been properly reinforced during construction, it should not need any additional reinforcement except for a couple of rebars wherever it is to be installed.

If you decide to go ahead and use tempered glass, you will have to get it cut to size. It is not something you can cut yourself. As for how you would attach it, I honestly don't know until you give me more information:

1. Is the tempered glass due to a building code?
2. How is the window going to be used?
(hanging, installed in a window opening, etc).
3. Where is the window going to be used?
(external window, internal window, hanging inside...outside).
4. Is it made with foil or lead came?
5. Did you reinforce the window during construction?
6. Tell me anything else that might be relevent.

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