Water in the atmosphere will spot the lead and may produce a white powder, this is basic lead carbonate. This can run down onto the glass but can be wiped off without staining. Basic lead carbonate turns to normal lead sulphite then normal lead sulphate. This is when you get to the grey patina state, familiar to old churches and Victorian terrace houses where the glass such an age.
The patina on the lead protects the lead underneath. So, the grey matt oxidised patina on lead is normal, inevitable and actually protects the lead. When we make traditional stained glass for leaded glass windows we solder all the joints. The lead cames and soldered joints are all cleaned up and wiped down. We then treat the cames and solder with an acid to blacken the lead, take the shine out and speed the process of oxidation up.
Therefore, you can use it indoors without ventilation unlike Nitromors which will have you high as a kite. Just brush a little on the bits of paint on the glass or lead and rub in with a toothbrush, especially good for textured glass and around the soldered joints on the stained glass.
Home Strip paint stripper you can get some from Toolstation will have the paint soft and removed within an hour when you can just wipe it off. Be careful not to let it drip down onto the door. On flat glass you can use a sharp Stanley knife blade for removing paint.
This chemistry lesson is intended to help you with the cleaning process. Leaded lights, including the glass should simply be carefully cleaned with warm soapy water and dried off with a paper towel, lint free cloth or microfibre cloth. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content Just like anything else leaded windows need cleaning. Oxidation of leaded windows. Leaded lights consist of a framework of H-shaped lead strips, or cames, that join the glass pieces — usually in diamonds or rectangles.
Except for the smallest, these are supported by metal bars or a framework called a ferramenta from the Italian for ironmongery , historically made of wrought iron, fixed into the masonry. Medieval cames were cast in moulds with any uneven surfaces shaved away, leaving a distinct, faceted profile. From the 16th century, cames were produced by extruding lead through a mill. The light ripples on these restored diamond-shaped leaded lights, positioned between stone mullions.
Leaded lights can last for hundreds of years with only minimal care. Period Living is the UK's best-selling period homes magazine. Get inspiration, ideas and advice straight to your door every month with a subscription.
Broken or cracked glass can be replaced on a small scale by bending back the flanges of the cames to insert new pieces, and re-sealing.
Sometimes lead or copper strips are used instead, to repair cracked glass in leaded lights. More serious distortion places further stress on the cames, which may then lift from the glass, increasing the risk of breakage. It also traps moisture, accelerating the decay of both the glass and the ferramenta. It may be possible to reduce distortion in situ, but in the severest cases panels will need to be laid flat to be repaired.
Installing extra ferramenta can help prevent further buckling. If cames are corroded or have major fractures, the whole panel will need to be taken to a specialist workshop for careful rebuilding. Leaded light windows are authentic to Tudor homes, and perfectly set the tone for cottage-style interiors. Accidents and careless painters can lead to scratches on your windows. DIY buffing kits are also available. Deeper scratches those that catch your fingernail if you run it across the glass are best left to specialist scratch removal firms.
After beginning his career as a chartered surveyor, Douglas soon specialised in building conservation.
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