My last post detailed the steps I'd taken to makeover our front door, which included replacing the glass, painting the wood, replacing the seals, and upcycling the hardware (door furniture). The paint made most impactful visual change, but probably my favourite part of the project was the DIY leaded and etched glass feature window I created.
PIN THIS!
This is how the door looked before:
It was already a vast improvement on what had been there previously, but I craved a bit more detail and character. Which is how I came up with the idea of adding a leaded and etched glass feature window.
Note: Acid-etching is permanent. If you prefer a temporary version, using frosted window film is a better option.
Materials
- Template (this can be DIY'd)
- Acid etching cream
- Masking tape (high-quality 'paint-blocking' type)
- Self-adhesive lead tape (I used 6mm 'pewter')
- Boning peg (or any blunt plastic implement)
- Metal snips/cutting pliers
- Timer
- Permanent marker
- Small paintbrush
- Scissors
- Straight edge e.g. metal ruler
- Sharp cutting blade
- Clear plastic sheet (such as a binding cover)
- Lint-free cloth
- Methylated spirits/surgical spirits (to clean glass)
- Rubber gloves
- Cotton pads
- Water
Process
Template
I started by designing the template. I did this on a computer, and then printed out a couple of different options. I cut out the areas that I wanted to be clear glass and left the paper where I planned on etching the glass.
I taped each paper template into the window for a few days. After all, I would be making a permanent change to the window glass, so I wanted to be sure I liked the design before committing. I'm really glad I did that because I ended up really disliking the first design I came up with (shown below).
The second design I made was the winner - I felt it better complimented the new light fitting we'd installed and also the shape of the mirror at the opposite end of the hallway.
Transferring the Template
With the pattern decided, the next step was to transfer it onto the glass. It is crucial that the glass is spotless, so I used methylated spirits to give it a good clean first.
Then I prepared the template. I used a pin to make little holes in the paper at each intersection where the lines met or crossed one another.
I taped the template onto the window and used a permanent marker to mark each of the intersection points through the pinholes in the template. Be careful to minimise any contact with your hands against the window as your hands will transfer oils onto the surface of the glass, which will marr the etching.
I removed the template and used the marker dots on the glass as guidelines. Then I basically joined the dots together using masking tape to cover any areas I didn't want etched and leaving uncovered the areas that I did want etched.
Where necessary, I trimmed the tape using a straight edge (a small metal ruler) and a sharp blade.
I used a lint-free cloth to rub over all the tape to ensure that it was firmly stuck to the glass as it's important to prevent any possibility of the acid etching cream leaking underneath the tape.
Then I final-checked the taped template to ensure that I had duplicated the paper pattern correctly before proceeding with the next step.
Etching
I was now ready to etch my pattern onto the glass. I polished the exposed glass with a lint-free cloth because it is so important that the glass is clean before applying the etching cream.
I wore rubber gloves to protect my hands and used a paintbrush to apply the etching cream to the glass, making sure that every bit of the glass was very well covered.
Then I set the timer for 12 minutes, and waited. When the time was up, I wiped off the etching cream using the cotton pads and water while being very careful not to lift the edges of the masking tape.
I had tested the etching cream on a spare piece of glass before having a go at my window. It worked perfectly in my test but, for some reason and despite my careful preparation, my first attempt at doing the window left some blotches that were less etched than the rest. So I took a chance. I double-checked that the masking tape was still firmly in place, and then reapplied the etching cream for a further 6 minutes. Thankfully, it was perfect the second time around.
I removed the masking tape and gave the window another good clean before starting the leading.
Leading
I wanted to prepare the lead before starting work on the window. I started by creating a work surface: first I first taped my paper template to the tabletop, then I laid a sheet of clear plastic (I used a document binding cover) over the top to protect the paper template from tearing.
It's important to take some time to think about the order of placing the lead strips on the window: the goal is to have as few pieces as possible, and to hide all the cut ends under another strip of lead.
Once I had decided the layout, I cut each lead strip a little longer than needed. The lead is surprisingly soft, and will crimp and mark easily, so it needs to be handled with care.
I taped each strip down to hold it in place while I worked on it. Then I laid a straight edge (a piece of Lego!) next to the lead strip to protect the straight sections while I started bending the corners into shape. Bending the lead created a little crease, so I used a blunt plastic instrument (a chunky marker) to smooth it down.
A boning peg is the ideal tool for this purpose, but I didn't have one at the time. To be honest, I regretted not getting one sooner because the boning peg has a little contour that protects the lead strip while you smooth it out - my improvised tool flattened the lead a bit too much.
Then I laid out all my prepared strips on a tray so that everything was ready to go before I started working on the window.
Before applying the lead, I ensured again that the glass was spotlessly clean. I used methylated spirits to remove any remnants of the permanent marker dots I had made on the glass at the outset.
As I applied the lead tape, I followed the outline of the etched areas. I started by peeling off just a little of the backing strip and made sure my lead strip was perfectly positioned before continuing to slowly remove the backing. It helped to have a straight edge to work off, and I found the easiest way of doing that was to tape a small metal ruler onto the window to act as a guide as I applied the lead.
Then it was just a matter of working my way around the window laying the strips of lead in place. It's important to bear in mind that the goal is to have any loose ends covered by other strips, so lay the shortest strips first. The excess at either end of the strip can be trimmed with a sharp blade against the glass.
I made a couple of mistakes as I worked, but thankfully the lead can be lifted off the glass with a little coaxing. It cannot be reused, however, so I had to cut a couple of new strips to replace those. I had ordered a little extra lead, so I had plenty to work with. In fact, it took almost 4 metres of lead strip to do just this little window!
When all the lead was in place, I went around it all again, rubbing it down to make sure it was firmly adhered to the glass and also to smooth down the areas where the strips crossed over one another. This is where the boning peg was very useful.
While this job was a bit finnicky, it was a lot easier than I had anticipated. It brings so much character to what was a very ordinary door, and it makes me smile every time the sun shines through it.
If you'd like to try adding colour to a project like this, you could use glass paint or coloured window films. Also, the leading strips are surprisingly flexible, so the scope for creating all kinds of amazing patterns is almost limitless. This would work on any window or even cabinet doors. As always, do please tag me on social media if you are inspired by this post as I always love to see your creations.
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