Stained Glass Can Go Anywhere

Have you ever run out of window space for stained glass or not have an idyllic location to hang the piece to get sunlight? Try hanging your stained glass piece on the wall. The process of putting glass on the wall is the same as window panels and it can be quite fun to look at glass with a new perspective.

I walk through my house and think of all the places I want glass to be (which is everywhere). I have an outside wall by the patio that is just screaming for something interesting. I like putting a set of small framed pieces together on a wall in the bathroom.  Stained glass is more water resistant than framed pictures. My new house doesn’t have a transom above the door but there is a space for one. This will be a perfect place for a wall mounted stained glass piece.

Small or large, any stained glass pattern can be wall worthy. When I choose glass for my pattern I put it against the wall and see how I like it. Try looking at it with light shining on it as well as putting the glass in indirect light so you can get a feel for what it will look like. Iridized and dichroic glass is a wonderful option to give you a shimmer that will change all throughout the day. Heavy textured glass can be really amazing on the wall too. It can bring the color forward and have more depth, like thick oil paint. Colored mirror can be another great thought. Spectrum has a great selection of textured mirror in many colors and Desag has some beautiful GNA (German New Antique) textured colored mirror.

Finally, I’m always on the lookout for nice heavy duty frames. You can just stay with the original zinc frame but a wood frame will give you a more finished look for a wall. Whether you find frames at yard sales or Michaels, you can use anything from small silver frames to large wood ones. Make sure your stained glass pattern fits within the frame with the normal zinc frame included for strength. Then, solder the metal teeth hangers, which you would normally put on the wood frame, to the zinc (again for strength). Then caulk the zinc framed piece inside the decorative frame you chose. Once dry it will be very secure and you can hang it on the wall with a few nails. I wouldn’t use the wire version to hang the stained glass because it will be quite a bit of weight to hang from one point. It may not fail but who wants to risk it after all that work.

Send me some pictures of your unusual stained glass places.