How to Create Your Own Stained Glass Window

Installing a stained glass window can add beauty to any home. These windows look very colorful and are often great conversation pieces. It is not always easy to find the perfect sized piece of stained glass to fit the particular window you want to replace without paying a very expensive price. However, with a bit of craftiness, you can create your own stained glass window that looks just as beautiful.

Gathering the Materials

You will first need to gather the necessary materials to create your stained glass window. This includes a piece of clear glass that is the same sized window you want to replace. If you can remove the existing window without cracking it, this same piece of glass can be used. You will also need a sheet of drawing paper slightly larger than the glass, a bottle of white glue, a bottle of clear glue, black acrylic paint, other acrylic paints in the colors of your choice, blunt paintbrushes, a box cutter, a black Sharpie marker, spray on or brush on clear acrylic sealant, super glue, and a muffin tin. 

Step One

Draw the pattern you want on your stained glass window on the drawing paper. This can be any pattern you want, a picture of a person or object or just a variety of different shapes in different sizes. Using the black Sharpie marker, trace all the lines in your pattern. Then place the pattern under the piece of glass you are using to make your stained glass window. Spray on or brush on one layer of clear acrylic sealant evenly on the glass and allow it to dry thoroughly.

Step Two

Open your bottle of white glue, remove the cap and pour out 1/4 of the bottle. This can be discarded as it will not be used. Add enough black acrylic paint to the glue remaining in the bottle to get a solid black color, replace the cap on the glue bottle and shake the bottle until the paint and glue are mixed thoroughly. Use the glue bottle to trace all the lines in black in your pattern onto the glass. Allow this to dry overnight.

Step Three

Choose the paint colors you will use and add two drops of paint in a section of the muffin tin for each color. Then add one tablespoon of clear glue to each section of paint and mix well. Using the blunt paintbrush, apply the paint to each section of the glass that has been outlined as desired. Be sure to cover the sections evenly in a thick layer of paint. Allow the paint to dry overnight.  Inspect the glass after the paint has dried. Any mistakes where the paint is overlapped can be scraped off the glass with a box cutter and then reapplied. 

When placing the window back in its frame, be sure to add super to each side of the glass to ensure it holds in place. However, it may be a good idea to have the glass installed by a service that can handle residential and auto glass to ensure the glass remains chip-free and looks like a beautiful stained glass masterpiece.


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