Stained Glass Lead
I often get asked about stained glass lead poisoning, and I can honestly say that none of my blood tests have ever shown any dodgy levels of lead in my system. Having said that, it is recommended that you wear latex gloves when leading, and that you seek medical advice if you are pregnant.
Stained glass lead comes in 6ft lengths and is sold in single lengths or boxes. There are many different widths, depths and profiles and a bewildering array of ‘sections’ – for example, round, flat, H and C.
So here’s a few tips, but remember that the main reason for choosing a particular lead is the best one - aesthetics.
Traditionally, 12mm flat lead is used for the edges of windows, as it gives you 5mm leeway on each side for any errors in the measuring process.
Stained glass lead with a round profile is better for leading curved shapes, as it doesn’t pucker up like the flat lead does.
Wide heart lead is useful for plated glass (two pieces of glass leaded together on top of each other) and for antique glass that is irregular in thickness. I’ve also used wide heart lead when I wanted to increase the strength of the panel, as you can cram in more cement.
Biased lead is used to join two parts of a large panel together.
Steel cored lead is used for strengthening panels, and can accommodate slight curves. Alternatively, you can buy separate hardened steel wire that is placed next to the heart of the lead when you’re leading your panel. You can buy it singly or by the kilo (approximately 12 lengths).
Typical section profiles:
Here’s a selection of the different leads available:
Standard sections (heart thickness 1.2mm, heart width 5mm):
Round: lead width 3mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm
Flat: 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm 14mm, 16mm, 18mm, 25mm
Flat biased: 12mm, 16mm
Steel cored: 10mm round, 12mm flat
Wide heart: 6mm flat, 8mm flat, 12mm flat
Stained Glass Lead - Church Windows
