How to Properly Foil Stained Glass

The process of foiling stained glass begins with washing the individual cut pieces for your design. Fill a small basin with water with a couple tablespoons of ammonia. Dip the pieces in the solution then dry thoroughly with a clean lint-free towel. Be sure to clean all edges and surfaces of each piece. Once the glass is completely dry, wrap the edges of each piece with copper foil and burnish the foil to the glass. This insures proper adhesion of the foil to the glass.

There are a variety of copper foils to choose from. The most common width of copper foil used is 7/32”. The types of backing on the copper foil you use depends on the glass in the design and if patina will be used. If your glass is opaque, the copper foil backing is not a factor. When using transparent glass and/or bevels, choose a copper foil backing that will match your solder lines. If you plan to leave your solder lines silver, choose silver backed foil. If you are using copper patina, use copper backed foil. If black patina is your choice, then use black backed foil.

Steps for Applying Copper Foil
• Either by hand or with a table foiler, center the foil on the edge of the glass. The amount of foil that hangs over the edge will dictate the width of your finished solder lines. For more delicate lines on small pieces, use 5/32” copper foil.
• Once all the edges of the glass are covered, then crimp or press the foil around the glass edges.
• Next, you will need to burnish the foil to the glass. This can be done using a burnisher or tongue depressor to press the foil down along the edges, top and bottom surfaces of the glass. Be sure the foil is firmly pressed to all edges and surfaces of each class piece. This is extremely important for the structural integrity of your stained glass piece.

Copper foiling can be done in conjunction with cutting. As each piece is cut and fitted to the pattern, it is wrapped in foil. This method eliminates gaps cause by misjudging the thickness of copper foil.

How to Avoid Common Copper Foiling Problems
• Copper foil splits when doing inside curves – start and end foiling at the deepest part of the curve
• Foil doesn’t stick – Be sure glass is clean and dry
• How to get decorative solder lines – use scalloped copper foil

Areas of Concern:

I like to allow the pre-foiled just dipped in water pieces of glass to really dry before attempting to apply foil. I accomplish by building up a small inventory of cut pieces, usually about 4 – 5 in number, which allows all of them to air-dry in addition to drying with the lent-free towel.

Sometimes, stained glass pieces include the use of mirror glass. The reflection seen in the mirror should be considered as you decide which color copper foil to use. I frequently use copper foil with black on the back. You may want to use silver backed copper foil.

When applying pressure to the edge or surface of a little glass piece with a burnisher, be careful to not push too hard. Small pieces, as well as some larger ones may break and you won’t be happy. Also make sure if you lay your foiled piece down on the table top in order that you may properly burnish it, that there is nothing under the piece that flat table top. Even a small fragment piece of scrap glass is enough to make your piece crack when pressure is applied.

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