Price for a Stained Glass Window

How much does stained glass window cost?

Determining the price of stained glass can be complex. This page provides a general cost estimate to help you avoid surprises and make an informed choice.

Most people who request a quote are unfamiliar with the factors that determine the cost of stained glass. The three main elements are: the type of materials (especially glass), the processing time, and the size of the project.

Types of Glass and Materials

There is a wide range of glass on the market, different in thickness, color and texture, with prices that can vary widely. But what are the main factors that influence the cost of a sheet of glass? There are two: the manufacturing method and the color.

Manufacturing method: Glass can be produced industrially, which is cheaper, or by hand, as in blown glass sheets, handcrafted one by one, making each piece unique and precious.

Color: Color also affects the price. To obtain specific shades, carefully dosed elements are added. Some materials are common, while others, such as the gold used to obtain a bright pink, are rarer and more expensive.

A separate discussion applies to leaded glass windows made using spun roudels, glass discs created by hand one by one and therefore very expensive

Processing Times

Creating a stained glass window involves several phases: design, glass cutting, painting, leading, and cementing. Some stages are relatively quick, while others require precision and patience. For example, cutting the individual glass pieces and painting need meticulous care. Glass painting takes time not only for applying and processing pigments but also for firing each layer in the kiln. Glass cutting, still done by hand, demands consistency and precision to shape each piece carefully, avoiding breakage or wastage of precious fragments of glass..

Project Size

The size of the project also impacts the final price. For a small stained glass window, the cost per square metre is relatively higher, while for larger projects, the price per square metre tends to decrease.

Since each stained glass window is unique and requires a bespoke approach, providing a detailed price guide is challenging. To assist you, we have included example images that you can compare with your desired project, giving you a rough estimate of the potential cost.

Lead-lights

Leaded glass without glass painting is called lead-light.
lead-light is a mosaic of pieces of colored glass, joined together with lead, the joints of which are soldered with tin. A special filler waterproofs and makes the structure rigid, filling the space between the glass and the lead.

The price of a leaded glass window varies according to the number and complexity of the glass pieces: it ranges from simple geometric patterns to complex mosaics, which require thin leads and extremely precise glass cutting.

Descover more about lead-lights

Leaded and painted stained glass

Leaded and painted stained glass is also a mosaic of different colored glass joined by lead, but with the particularity that part or all of the glass is painted with specific pigments that require firing in a kiln several times to permanently fix the color.

In this case, the processing times are longer and the price will be higher than a simple stained glass window. The cost of a painted stained glass window varies according to the complexity of the glass painting.

Spun roundels windows

Spun roundels windows is a leaded mosaic of several hand made and unique glass disks called spun roundels.
Historically, they were widely used in Venice and, in Italy, are known as “Venetian roundels”. Find out how a Venetian roundel is created.
In spun roundels windows, the price depends on both the labor and the cost of the roundels themselves, which, being hand cfafted, have a rather high cost. The number of roundels used significantly affects the price.
Approximate prices of roundels glass:
• Sparse rollers: €1,400 per m2
• Aligned rollers: €2,600 per m2
• Staggered rollers: €3,600 per m2
Find out more about spun roundels