What Makes Dalle Stained Glass Unique?

If you have Dalle stained glass on or in your Fort Collins home or business, you likely know it is different from other types of stained glass but perhaps not why. As it turns out, Dalle stained glass is a very unique expression of the traditional stained glass art form with some pretty significant differences. Below we compare traditional stained glass to Dalle stained glass so you can get an idea about what sets the two apart.

The Age of the Stained Glass Craft

Dalle Stained Glass: was invented in the early part of the 20th century–making it about 100 years old. Furthermore, we have a pretty good understanding of who invented and pioneered this stained glass method.

Traditional Stained Glass: this stained glass artform is old, if not ancient. Some traditional stained glass was even made over 100 years ago and we have no real idea who first made it or where.

The Thickness of the Stained Glass

Dalle Stained Glass: is very thick– sometimes well over 1” thick. It is made in big blocks and then sawed or hammered into size.

Traditional Stained Glass: is much thinner–today’s production glass is about 1/8″ thick. It is usually made the same size as the panel that will hold it and is thin enough to sand and cut with a glass cutter.

Type of Stained Glass Support Structure

Dalle Stained Glass: is held in place by a thick concrete and epoxy frame that is poured onto the glass as it sits in a sand box. This makes it incredibly sturdy.

Traditional Stained Glass:  Is usually made in wood frames with metal supports and the glass panels are separated by lead caming that is soldered in. While not fragile–it is not nearly as sturdy as Dalle stained glass.

The Restoration Process for the Stained Glass

Dalle Stained Glass: Since the concrete and epoxy framing is so durable, this type of glass is very hard to repair and restore. The entire stone like frame needs to be chipped off and then re-poured–very time consuming and expensive.

Traditional Stained Glass: Is much easier to remove and restore since lead caming is soft and can be peeled off. However, re-leading a traditional stained glass frame requires more artistry and care but requires less cleaning afterward.

For more information on either of these stained glass artforms and restoration and repair–contact us at Scottish Stained Glass in Fort Collins today.