Cambridge Classics can help you add or restore unique touches to your home

We have a number of ways that we can help you save your original stained-glass features within your home and lovingly restore them, or if you have always thought about having a stained-glass feature, we can help you create a brand-new design.

Read more about the variety of options below.

Stained Glass:

Restoration of a stained-glass window differs from that of a leadlight, as the focus tends to be on conserving as much of the original glass as possible, instead of refurbishing it to look as new. Small cracks in painted pieces are usually bonded back together, but original pieces damaged beyond repair will need to be replaced with new painted glass.

Lamination:

Obscured glass is used in the production of double-glazed units where privacy is required, for example, front entrances or bathroom windows. Mass-produced 4mm obscured glass patterns have hardly changed since the 1960s.  The range is very limited and hardly inspiring if compared to the vast array of textures that 3mm decorative ‘art glass’ offers.

Unfortunately, single panes of handmade glass are too fragile and unsafe for use in double glazed units, unless they are laminated to the second pane of glass. We produce ‘art glass’ double glazed units that conform to BS EN 1279.

Encapsulation:

Encapsulating a leadlight window is the process of suspending it between two panes of glass and sealing it to form a double-glazed unit.

Whether you are considering restoring your existing decorative glass or having a new design produced, an encapsulated leadlight is superior in quality and appearance to modern-day plastic ‘stick-on’ film reproductions.

Units are produced in thicknesses of 19mm, 24mm and 28mm. They can be made with toughened and/or thermally efficient glass, increasing security and insulation whilst adding a long-lasting decorative feature to your home.

Leadlight:

Whilst traditional leadlight windows should last for decades, they will eventually show signs of age. Apart from glass cracking, usually as a result of an impact, the cement deteriorates over time and falls out at which point the window loses rigidity and starts to bow. When bowing occurs the soldered joints tend to crack and the lead then deteriorates.

It is often possible to replace broken or cracked glass pieces in-situ, but if the panel has bowed then the best option is to remove it, lay it flat on a bench and carry out the necessary restoration.

Every window we restore has its border lead replaced, is cleaned and thoroughly re-cemented as a matter of course, even if the damage is restricted to a small area of the window.

Broken glass is replaced with the closest available match, often taken from our stock of salvaged period glass. If an exact match is not available, then we ‘balance’ our repairs to ensure that symmetry is retained in the design. Once restored, your window will be returned to its original splendour and should last for decades to come.