Stained Glass Conservation Project: Hopewell Baptist Church
As the leading stained glass conservationists in Kansas City, preserving historic and aged stained glass is our top priority. However, sometimes when we are working on repairs or a restoration project, not all of the original materials are in a condition where they can be reused. Sometimes, the glass is severely fractured or damaged beyond repair. However, there are techniques that we can use that allow us to integrate as much of the old materials as possible and combine them with new ones. One good example of this is a restoration we recently completed for the Hopewell Baptist Church. Below, we’ve discussed the project in detail.
Project Overview: Restoring Storm Damaged Stained Glass
The church committee members from the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Holly Springs, MS contacted us because their stained glass had recently suffered severe damage due to a violent storm. There were three windows (two panels each) and two suffered severe damage. The strong wind had shattered a good amount of the glass, leaving only three out of the six panels in tact.
After evaluating the stained glass in person, our next step was to research possible avenues for repair. Because the windows were built long ago, it was impossible to find match glass to replace the missing panels. This meant that if we were to only build the three missing panels, the colors would not match with the old ones.
Solution: Combining New & Old Materials
We decided, in the end, that the best option was to take all of the old windows apart and rebuild all six panels. This way, we could use a combination of both old and new glass for each panel. This allowed the panels to all match each other and look like they were all part of the same set.
Not only was this a more aesthetic option, but it was also more conservative than replacing all six panels entirely. It allowed for the reuse of the original, historic materials. For this reason, it also ended up being the most cost efficient option for the church.
In the end, the windows ended up looking beautiful and the church was very pleased with the outcome.
Learn More About Our Stained Glass Restoration Services in Kansas City
For more information on our stained glass conservation services in Kansas City, please contact our office to speak to a member of our team directly.
Martin Faith
Martin Faith is from Glasgow, Scotland, the stained glass capital of the world. Martin has been practicing the art of making stained glass windows for over thirty years and is a collector of antique works. His excellent craftmanship and extensive knowledge of the art form, including the required techniques for glassmaking, styles, and history of stained glass make him an expert in his field. Martin owns one of the largest stained glass window studios in the country. The company specializes in stained glass repair and restoration, religious stained glass, commercial stained glass, and custom residential stained and leaded glass. Together, Martin and his team have created hundreds of stained glass windows for homes and buildings in the Kansas City area.
