Double glazing & stained glass window encapsulation

We offer the ability to encapsulate your existing, restored or commissioned stained glass windows
within double glazed units for installation into UPVC and timber window frames and doors.

The advantages of encapsulating stained glass windows in double glazed units are:

Increased longevity for the stained glass window
Greater security using laminated or toughened glass
The ability to create stunning designs compared with stick on lead & coloured film
Retention of original stained glass features in period properties
Superior thermal insulation and sound proofing

Below are some examples of new commissions we have encapsulates within double glazed units.

The method used for encapsulating stained glass windows in double glazed units is very similar to standard units.

Standard double glazed units are created by firstly selecting the glass to be used for the inner and outer layer of the unit, with a choice of:

Standard 4mm clear float glass
Toughened 4mm clear glass
Laminated 4.4mm or 6.4mm clear glass
Pyroguard 7.2mm clear 30 minute fireproof glass

The next step is to decide the depth of the unit required (most standard UPVC frames require a 28mm unit depth) and most existing timber frames with single glazing will require some work to accommodate a double glazed unit (standard units can be a minimum of 14mm depth). This is achieved by using various sizes and colour of aluminium spacer bar which is cut to size allowing a 6mm gap around the edge of the unit for the sealant.

once the glass has been cleaned and the spacer bar cut to size, filled with desiccant and joined with plastic corner keys the unit is assembled and clamped in place whilst a hot sealant is injected around the edge to seal the unit.

Encapsulating a stained glass window follows the same procedure mentioned above with the addition of a secondary set of spacer bars. The stained glass window is created with a special border lead called "Y section" (see diagram below) this lead is clamped between the two sections of spacer bar during the construction of the double glazed unit to suspend the window in the centre of the unit creating a triple glazed unit.

Cross section diagram of encapsulated stained glass window

Cross section diagram of encapsulated stained glass window