Stained Glass Windows

Stained glass and leaded glass windows are among the most irreplaceable features a home can have. Original panels in pre-war Long Island homes — the lead came work, the hand-blown or cathedral glass, the decorative borders around entry doors and sidelights — cannot be replicated by any modern mass-produced product. When they crack, lose a piece of glass, or have their lead came deteriorate to the point of structural failure, they need a specialist who understands how they were made and how to restore them without destroying what makes them valuable.

At Prestige Window Works, we provide stained glass window production, installation, and repair throughout Long Island, NY, serving homeowners, businesses, and historic properties across Nassau County and Suffolk County. Whether you need a single broken piece of colored glass replaced in an original leaded panel, a complete restoration of a deteriorated window, or a custom new stained glass design produced and installed from scratch — we handle all of it.

Call 516-908-8005 for a free on-site consultation.

Stained Glass Repair Across Long Island, NY — Restoring Original Panels

Repair is the most common stained glass call we receive from Long Island homeowners. Original leaded glass windows in pre-war homes deteriorate in predictable ways, and most of what goes wrong is fully repairable without removing or replacing the panel.

Broken or Missing Glass Pieces

Individual pieces of colored or textured glass within a leaded panel can crack or break from impact, thermal stress, or deteriorating lead came that no longer holds them securely. We source replacement glass from specialist art glass suppliers, matching the color, texture, and opacity of the original as closely as possible, then cut the replacement piece to the exact shape of the opening, re-lead it into the panel, and solder the joints. For panels with antique or mouth-blown glass that is no longer in production, we work with salvage glass suppliers to find period-appropriate material.

This type of repair is most commonly needed in the historic homes of Old Westbury, Cove Neck, and Centre Island on Nassau County’s Gold Coast, where pre-war estates still have original leaded glass in entry doors, sidelights, transoms, and interior room dividers.

Deteriorated Lead Came — Re-Leading

Lead came — the H-shaped lead strips that hold individual glass pieces together in a leaded panel — has a natural lifespan of approximately 75–100 years. In Long Island’s climate, with its humidity, temperature cycling, and salt air near the coast, lead came can deteriorate significantly faster. Signs of lead came deterioration include: came that is visibly bowed or buckled between glass pieces, came joints that have pulled apart, glass pieces that rattle or shift in their openings, or a panel that has developed a visible sag or bow across its surface.

When lead came reaches this stage, the only correct repair is re-leading: the panel is carefully removed from its frame, all glass pieces are extracted and cleaned, the deteriorated lead came is stripped away, and the panel is rebuilt from scratch using new lead came. The glass itself — which is the valuable part — is preserved and reused in the rebuilt panel. Re-leading is a labor-intensive process that requires specialist skill, but it extends the life of an original panel by another 75–100 years.

Broken Solder Joints

The solder joints at every intersection of lead came are what give a leaded glass panel its structural integrity. When solder joints crack or pull apart — typically from thermal cycling or physical stress — the panel loses rigidity and the glass pieces begin to shift. We re-solder failed joints on-site for minor repairs, or as part of a full re-leading for panels with widespread joint failure.

Panel Bowing and Structural Reinforcement

Large leaded glass panels — particularly those in doors and wide sidelights — can bow under their own weight over decades, especially when the supporting frame has shifted or the came has softened. We reinforce bowing panels using zinc or steel re-bars soldered horizontally across the back of the panel at regular intervals, restoring flatness and preventing further distortion without re-leading the full panel. This is a common repair for original entry door glass panels in Laurel Hollow, Matinecock, and Mill Neck where historic entry door systems with large leaded panels are common.

Frame Seal and Protective Glazing

Original leaded glass panels are inherently fragile and drafty — they were designed for beauty, not insulation. We install protective glazing systems: a clear glass or polycarbonate panel installed in a secondary frame on the exterior side of an original leaded panel, protecting it from weather, impact, and heat loss while leaving the original panel fully intact and visible from the inside. This approach is standard practice in historic preservation and dramatically extends the life of original panels in active use.

Custom Stained Glass Production — New Panels Designed and Built

Beyond repair, we produce custom stained glass panels for homeowners and businesses across Long Island who want to add original art glass to their property — whether that’s a new entry sidelight, a bathroom window for privacy and style, an interior room divider, a decorative kitchen cabinet insert, or a feature panel for a residential renovation.

Design Consultation

Every custom commission begins with a design consultation. We discuss your space, your architectural style, the light conditions at the window location, and your aesthetic preferences. We produce a scaled design drawing for your approval before any glass is cut or lead is bent. Nothing is produced until you’re satisfied with the design.

Glass Selection

Art glass comes in hundreds of colors, textures, and opacities. Cathedral glass is clear-colored and transparent. Opalescent glass is semi-opaque. Textured glass — hammered, seedy, or rippled — refracts light in distinctive ways. We carry samples from specialist art glass manufacturers and help you select glass that achieves the light quality and privacy level you want for your specific application.

Production

Each piece of glass is cut to the pattern, the lead came is bent and fitted around every piece, and the panel is built up section by section. Every intersection is soldered on both faces. The completed panel is treated with came compound, polished, and inspected before installation. Production time for a custom panel depends on complexity — a simple geometric design in a standard sidelight size typically takes 2–3 weeks. A detailed pictorial or architectural design for a large feature window takes 6–10 weeks.

Common Custom Stained Glass Applications on Long Island:

Entry door sidelights and transoms — adding architectural character to new construction or renovation

Bathroom windows — full privacy combined with colored light and decorative character

Kitchen cabinet glass inserts — a popular renovation request in Roslyn Heights and Port Washington where period-appropriate kitchen renovation is common

Interior room dividers and feature panels

Stair landing windows — large statement pieces in full-height stair windows

Religious and institutional installations

Stained Glass Installation

Whether installing a newly produced custom panel or re-installing an original panel following repair, correct installation is critical. A leaded glass panel installed without proper support will bow under its own weight within years. We install all stained glass panels with:

Correctly sized frame channels that support the panel at its perimeter without pinching the lead came

Horizontal re-bar support soldered across the panel back for any panel over 18 inches in height

Protective exterior glazing where weather exposure is a concern

Proper bedding compound or glazing tape sealing the panel into its frame

For new installations into existing window openings, we assess the opening dimensions, frame condition, and structural support before beginning. See our side light glass replacement service for related entry door glazing work, and our historic window restoration service for broader preservation-standard window work on older Long Island properties.

Stained Glass and Leaded Glass in Long Island’s Historic Homes

Long Island has one of the highest concentrations of pre-war residential architecture in the United States. The Gold Coast estates of Nassau County’s North Shore, the Victorian and Colonial Revival homes of Oyster Bay, Cold Spring Harbor, and Huntington, the early 20th century neighborhoods of Garden City and Hempstead — all of these communities contain homes with original leaded glass that is now 80–120 years old and in need of specialist attention.

Original leaded glass in these homes typically appears in:

Entry door panels and sidelights — geometric or floral bordered designs with clear or lightly colored glass

Transom windows above entry doors and interior doorways

Stair landing windows — often the most elaborate single piece of decorative glass in the house

Dining room and living room windows — particularly the upper fixed lights above double-hung windows

Interior cabinet glass in butler’s pantries and built-in cabinetry

We treat every original panel as the irreplaceable artifact it is. We never recommend replacement where repair is feasible, and we document the work we do so homeowners have a record of what repairs were performed and when.

How Our Stained Glass Process Works

Step 1 — On-site assessment and consultation

We visit your property, inspect existing panels in detail, and discuss your goals — whether that’s repair of an original panel, a protective glazing installation, or a custom commission. We give you an honest assessment of the panel’s condition and a clear explanation of the options before any work is proposed.

Step 2 — Detailed written quote

Every job is quoted in writing before work begins. For repairs, we itemize what needs to be done. For custom commissions, we quote design, glass materials, production, and installation separately so you understand exactly what you’re paying for.

Step 3 — Design approval (custom work)

For new custom panels, we produce a scaled design drawing and glass sample selection for your approval. No glass is cut until you sign off on the design.

Step 4 — Production or repair

Repair work is performed either on-site for minor repairs or in our workshop for re-leading and major restoration work. Custom panels are produced in our workshop. We give you a realistic timeline at the outset and keep you informed of progress.

Step 5 — Installation and finishing

We install the completed or repaired panel, verify correct fit and support, apply sealing compound, and clean the panel to a finished condition. You inspect the completed work before we leave.

Stained Glass Services Across Long Island, NY

We provide stained glass production, installation, and repair throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County, serving residential and commercial clients from our offices in Manhasset and Hauppauge.

Nassau County — including Old Westbury, Cove Neck, Laurel Hollow, Mill Neck, Matinecock, Oyster Bay

Suffolk County — including Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington, Northport, Centerport, Eatons Neck, Spring Harbor

Call 516-908-8005 to discuss your stained glass project.

Explore Related Services

Side Light Glass Replacement — for entry sidelights needing standard glass rather than leaded art glass

Historic Window Restoration — broader preservation-standard window work on older Long Island properties

Glass Replacement — standard residential glass replacement for non-decorative applications

Window Reglazing — reseating glass in wood frames alongside leaded glass panel work

Wood Window Repair — wood frame repair often needed alongside leaded glass restoration

Window Recaulking — perimeter sealing around reinstalled or protective-glazed panels

Get a Free Consultation for Stained Glass Work in Long Island, NY

Whether you need a broken leaded glass panel repaired, a deteriorated window re-leaded, or a custom stained glass panel designed and produced for a new installation — call 516-908-8005 or fill out the form below to arrange a free on-site consultation.

We serve all of Nassau County and Suffolk County from our offices in Manhasset and Hauppauge. Available Monday–Friday 9am–9pm and Saturday–Sunday 9am–7pm.