STAINED GLASS "MOSAICS"

Dalles Glass

The Dalles stained glass technique was perfected in France in the 1950s and involves the following procedures: preparation of the life-size draft, followed by glass cutting using templates based on the original design.

A tool having a steel wheel is used to mark the fracture line and the glass is then split by placing it over a steel blade mounted on a wooden base by pressing with the hands or delicate tapping.

The resulting workpiece is then faceted with a soft hammer to ensure better light refraction throughout the final stained glass.

All the workpieces processed in this manner are then positioned on a perfectly flat surface, covered by transparent glass, under which the life-size draft of the stained glass itself is placed; once completely cut out, the work is bonded using a special epoxy resin mixed with inert materials and hardening agents that resist temperatures ranging between +70°C and –40°C.

This resin is poured between the various pieces of glass and settles to a thickness of about 18 mm.

Naturally, both the German-made glass and the resin used are absolutely of the highest quality since they have to withstand enormous thermal excursions. It must also be mentioned that many dyes used to colour this type of glass are based on selenium (containing a high percentage of gold particles) to ensure the astonishing brightness that distinguishes them from ordinary coloured glass.

The resin is given a vibrant surface after pouring by spreading a particular inert material over it that is smoothed off before it catalyses.

This type of stained glass is particularly resistant - so much so that even when installed in floors it does not need a protection grille.

This also ensures - unlike other products - better heat insulation of the setting, better insulation against outside noise and an improvement in church acoustics, precisely thanks to installation using sound-proofing panels.