What is the difference between leadlight and stained glass?
People use the terms loosely, and there is plenty of overlap. As a rule, leadlight is coloured, textured and clear glass cut to a pattern and joined with lead came, the kind you see in older Australian homes, front doors and hallway windows. Stained glass usually refers to glass that has also been painted and kiln-fired, which is common in church windows. We make and restore both, so the honest answer is: send us a photo and we will tell you exactly what you have.
Can you repair my old leadlight window, or does it need replacing?
Usually it can be repaired. Bowed panels can be brought back to shape, cracked or missing pieces matched and replaced, and tired panels re-leaded so the whole thing is rebuilt around the original glass. We will always tell you honestly when a repair makes sense and when a remake is the better option.
How do I know when a leadlight needs re-leading?
Common signs are a panel that bulges or sags, lead that has gone soft or is lifting, cracks appearing in the glass, pieces that rattle or have fallen out, and daylight or draughts where the lead used to seal. If you are seeing any of these, it is worth having it looked at before more damage is done.
Do you make brand new leadlight for doors and windows?
Yes. We design and make new leadlight to order for doors, sidelights, highlights, windows and feature panels, either to your design or one we help you develop to suit the house. We craft genuine, handmade leadlight glass, not printed imitations.
Can you double glaze a leadlight window?
Standard retrofit double glazing is generally not suitable for an existing leadlight. Once you place a leadlight panel between glass on each side it becomes too thick for the frame, so it is not something we do as a straightforward retrofit. If you want to protect a leadlight from weather or improve comfort, there are other options worth discussing, so talk to us about the panel and what you are trying to achieve. For general double glazing of ordinary windows, see our
Retrofit Double Glazing page.
Do you travel outside Ballarat for leadlight work?
Yes. Most of our restoration is around Ballarat and the heritage homes here, but we work comfortably anywhere in Victoria for larger jobs like a church restoration, and we will travel interstate for the right project. There are very few workshops that can take on work of this scale, so distance is rarely the deciding factor.
What does leadlight repair or restoration cost?
Every panel is different. A single cracked piece is a small job, while a full re-lead or a heritage restoration is a more considered one. Send us a photo and we can usually give you a free estimate before we come out.
