The Complete Handbook of Stained Glass Panels

Chapter 1: Understanding Stained Glass Panels

At its core, a stained glass panel is a structural composite. It is a window, a partition, or a piece of architectural art that must simultaneously perform two distinct and often conflicting functions: to control and transmit light, and to support its own weight against the forces of gravity, wind, and thermal expansion. A failure to appreciate this dual nature is the root cause of most performance problems, from sagging panels to cracked glass. To understand what a stained glass panel is, you must understand it not as a single object, but as a system of interdependent materials working in tension and compression.

The system begins with the individual pieces of glass, known as "lights" or "quarries" depending on their shape. These pieces are not just aesthetic elements; they are the primary structural components of the panel. It is the glass that resists the majority of the compressive loads and provides the panel with its rigidity. However, glass is a brittle material. It is exceptionally strong under compression but very weak under tension. This is where the second major component, the structural matrix that holds the glass, becomes critical.

This matrix, usually referred to as the "caming," acts as the frame for each individual piece of glass and the connective tissue of the whole panel. In traditional and most professional work, this is a came made of lead. Lead came is an extruded H-shaped profile. The glass sits in the grooves of the 'H',