Albert Stained Glass Carries a Wide Selection of Glass for Restoration Projects

Albert Stained Glass Studio Glass for Restoration Projects
235 St. Marks Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 783-8800

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   In landmark applications or when authentic and appropriate glass is required, special glass is used to restore and replicate old window glass.

   Albert Stained Glass Studio stocks a wide selection of glass for restoration for all applications from window glass to cabinet glass.

   See the charts below to select the correct glass for your needs. We cut to size but we do not ship.

    The knowledge and use of glass is ancient, but its application to windows is comparatively recent. It appears to have been used in windows by the Romans to only a very limited extent. It was known to the Saxons, but did not become common till the 13th and 14th centuries. Colored glass has been used almost as long as "white" glass. Older glass workers (glazers) refer to clear, transparent glass as "white."

    When glass was first made for windows, it was spun (crown glass) or blown (muff glass) or rolled. Crown glass is available today, although it is pricey and available only in small pieces. Crown glass is spun out, creating a large rondel (or roundel, if you prefer). This can be trimmed to fit in a square or rectangular opening. Spun glass has a characteristic circular pattern and a center nipple. Rolled glass picks up texture from the iron table (maver) and rollers. Blown glass, known in the trade as "antique", can be relatively free of obvious distortions and textures but is varying thickness in the same piece and frequently has bubbles (seeds) and stretch marks. In the 19th century, drawn glass was introduced. Drawn glass became widely used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When you see "wobble" in large panes of glass as you pass by, it is surely drawn glass. In the 20th century "float glass" was introduced. Float glass is large sheets of glass that is poured, rolled and floated on a molten bed of tin to make very smooth glass. A slight amount of tin can be seen on one side of float glass.

    Glass for restoration projects is made today in varying distortions to match the glass that was made in different eras. Clear glass is rarely crystal clear. Usually it is tints of blue, green or yellow. Matching old clear glass is difficult because of these colors.

Period
Pre 17th century
17th century
18th century
19th century
1900 - 1930

Glass to Use
Crown spun or very heavy lines and waves (reamy) with seeds (bubbles)
Medium to heavy (some reaminess and seeds)
Medium
Light
Light or drawn glass

We stock drawn glass in 1/8" and 3/16" that imitates old glass while giving the glass worker excellent workability. The 3/16" can be tempered for strength and safety. These drawn glasses are not quite as crystal clear as the mouth-blown glass, but their ability to be tempered sometimes makes them the only alternative. Additionally, the drawn glass is a fraction the cost of blown glass.

Brand	Old World Colonial®	Old World Colonial®	Old World Colonial®	Restoration Glass®	Restoration Glass®	Goethe®	Restroverre®	Available Soon
Description	P1 light	P2 medium	P3 reamy	Light	Full	Drawn light	Drawn medium	Drawn medium
Manufacturer	Krosno	Krosno	Krosno	Lamberts	Lamberts	Schott	Schott	Schott
Manufacturing Method	Mouthblown	Mouthblown	Mouthblown	Mouthblown	Mouthblown	Vertical draw	Vertical draw	Vertical draw
Distortion	Light	Medium	Heavy	Light	Medium-Heavy	Light to Medium	Light to Medium	Light to Medium
Clarity	Very clear; slightly blue green	Very clear; slightly blue green	Very clear; slightly blue green	Very clear; slightly blue green	Very clear; slightly blue green	Very clear; slightly yellow green	Very clear; slightly yellow green	Very clear; slightly yellow green
Thickness	2 - 3 mm*	2 - 3 mm*	2 - 3 mm*	2 - 3 mm*	2 - 3 mm*	5 mm	3 mm*	4mm*
Dimensions	To 36 X 36	To 36 X 36	To 36 X 36	To 36 X 36	To 36 X 36	63 X 83	63 X 83	63 X 83
Waviness	Moderate	Moderate	Can be heavy and reamy	Moderate	Can be heavy and reamy	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Can be tempered?	No	No	No	No	No	Yes**	No	No

*Note: For installations of 1/8" thick glass, we recommend that no single piece of glass be larger than 12" X 12" due to the liability you may have. Common sense should prevail. Please check local codes before installing glass in doors, fire exits and public places. Larger pieces of glass in doors and cabinets should be tempered.
** Note: Many glass tempering companies will not temper glass, especially large pieces, that is thinner than 5mm.

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