How to light stained glass windows

Stained glass is so beautiful when displayed in a window where sunlight shines through the glass. The effect of sunlight reflecting light through the various textures and colors of the glass adds a dramatic elegance to the room.

To install art glass in a window opening, you have two options. Purchase or make a piece of glass that is the exact size of the window opening. Place the piece of art glass over the existing window and secure with molding or brackets. Be sure to thoroughly clean the window before installation. To display smaller art glass pieces, hang them over the window using a decorative chain or fishing line.

If you don’t have a window where you’d like to display your glass artwork, you can create a faux window. With the push of a button, your art glass will light up.

To turn your art glass into a faux window, you’ll need to make a shadow box. To make a shadow box, you will need wood for the outer frame, sides, and back of the shadow box. You’ll also need string lights or string lights that fit the inside measurements of your shadow box.

First measure the length and width of the stained glass piece. Take these measurements from the outer perimeters of the glass. If you want to have a mitered frame, add the width of the frame material to your measurements.

Example: The perimeter measurements of the stained glass window are 21″ x 24″.

The width of the wood for the frame is 2″.

Using a miter saw or miter box, cut 45 degree angles at each end.

You will need 2 pieces of 25″ and 2 pieces of 28″ from end to end.

Use wood glue and trim head screws to assemble your frame. You are now ready to make the box part of the shadow box.

Cut 2 pieces of 1-1/2″ wide lumber that are equal to the outside length of the art glass piece plus 1/4″ and two pieces that are equal to the outside width of the art glass piece plus 1/4 ” and 2 times the thickness of the wood.

Using wood glue and nails, assemble the sides of the box and attach to the frame. This leaves the back of the fake window open so you can insert the glass. Place the stained glass in the shadow box and fix it with glass and/or silicone supports. Then add string lights or string lights around the inside of the box, just behind the stained glass insert.

To make the back of the shadow box, cut a piece of plywood or masonite to fit over the sides and frame of the assembled box. Be sure to drill a hole for the electrical wire. Using wood glue and nails, attach them back to the sides of the box.

An alternative to making a stained glass illuminated shadow box would be to hang art glass facing the wall flooded from above by flood bulbs that are mounted behind a soffit. This method requires the glass artwork to be hung from the wall about 4 to 5 inches. You can achieve this by hanging the art glass from the ceiling, which will allow lighting to be behind the art glass as if sunlight were coming through a window.

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