Des Moines, Iowa

Stained Glass Repair & Restoration

The Des Moines area of Iowa has origins that can be traced back to the 1840’s when the first military fort was built at the point where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers meet. One of the first buildings constructed in the town was a Methodist church.

Today, religion continues to play a central role in Des Moines’ daily activities and the lives of those who reside here. Beautiful churches belonging to Catholic, Lutheran, Christian, Methodist, and Presbyterian groups, along with many other denominations can be found throughout the city. Many of these churches contain lovely examples of stained glass that exhibit excellent craftsmanship and intricate hand-paintings. Church Stained Glass Restoration is proud to be part of the mission of keeping these meaningful works of art alive so that they can be enjoyed by future generations.

Our company has been restoring stained glass for over thirty years. Our work has brought us to the inner walls of temples, churches, chapels, cathedrals, synagogues, and all types of religious buildings. Whether you need repairs for a historic church in the Court District or Sherman Hill or a newer church in the suburbs, we can help. Our stained glass repair and restoration services are available to churches all throughout the Des Moines area, including West Des Moines, Altoona, Ankeny, Urbandale, Waukee, Johnston, and the surrounding areas.

Restoration Process for Des Moines Church Stained Glass

Stained glass restoration is an intricate process that begins with examining the condition and age of a piece before devising a plan for repairs. During inspection, experts look for signs of deterioration like cracks, chips, sagging leading, or bowing pieces. Afterwards, a report is given to the church which describes the steps that can be taken to restore the stained glass back to good condition.

When your church gives us approval, our expert artisans will go to work right away. Small repairs can be done right there and then while larger ones may need more time at the workshop for repair work. For these, we will remove the stained glass so that it can be taken to our studio.

After the stained glass has soaked in a mild cleansing solution for up to 14 days, it is taken apart. The lead caming that held together many of these pieces often becomes weakened and must be discarded. Severely damaged pieces of glass are exchanged with new replacement while any hand-painted details are recreated by skilled artists with great care; once all necessary repairs have been completed, they put back together again! Then, after being cleaned and polished to perfection, the finished product is ready for display at your church.

The process of reinstalling stained glass windows is delicate and requires special tools, but with an expert at work you’ll have nothing to worry about! We will carefully mount the panels into the window frames and secure them in place. Now, your beautiful artwork can be enjoyed by many more generations in the future.