Stained Glass 

Studios, Inc.

     Sometime between 1959 to 1963, Organ Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC had stained glass windows made of hand-blown cathedral glass installed into their new sanctuary.  These side sanctuary windows are unique in that the steel frame divides the window into small pieces.  Some of the lights have just one piece of glass (hand-blown cathedral glass) glazed into it while other sections have leaded panels.  Each large side window had five operable vents.  While all the other windows have a steel frame, the large front window has a frame made of wood.

     In 1975, Laws Stained Glass Studios repaired the windows.  For the large front window, a large steel frame was placed on the outside to hold 1/4" Plexiglass acrylic which covered the whole window.  For the ten large sanctuary windows (76" wide x 243" high) and four smaller windows (size 51" wide x 193" high), Laws replaced broken glass, chipped off loose putty, re-glazed the windows, and painted and re-caulked the frames.

     In 2015, Laws Stained Glass Studios returned to restore the windows and install new protective covering.  Laws began the work in phases.  They started by restoring the three front windows which consisted of two smaller windows and the large front window.  Sometime between 1975 and 2015, the protective covering and steel frame was removed from the large front window (size 144" wide x 231" high).  Laws replaced five pieces of broken glass on it and install new 1/4" Lucite protective covering.

     In two other phases, Laws restored all of the windows and covered them with new 1/4" Lucite protective covering.  Below is the scope of the work for the re-glazing and painting of the steel framed windows:

          -Chip off all glazing and re-glazing the paint-able polyurethane glazing.

          -Replace any copper clips that are found to be missing.

          -Paint all of the new glazing.

          -Sand the rust off of the exterior of the steel frames.

          -Paint steel frames with one primer coat and one finish coat of Rustoleum paint.

          -The color of the paint to be used to paint the caulking and the steel frames is "Almond" to match the color of the external protective covering aluminum frames.

          -Caulk and paint between the steel frames and rock.

          -Clean the stained glass windows on both the outside and inside.

          -Permanently fasten ventilators closed with screws.

     Below is the scope of work for the protection of the windows:

          -Furnish and install 1/4" clear Lucite acrylic protective covering over the outside.

          -The Lucite protective covering will be held in place using an aluminum T-bar frame with stops.

          -The aluminum frame color chosen for all of the steel framed windows is "Almond".

          -The Lucite panels will be caulked using a clear silicone caulk.

          -The Lucite panels will be joined together using aluminum T-bars.

          -Since the current center pivot ventilator sections located within each stained glass window are not air tight, even when permanently fastened with screws, no aluminum vent buttons will be installed within the Lucite for the steel framed windows.  These will be added later on an "as needed" basis if a condensation problem were to manifest itself.

     In addition to the above work, Laws replaced broken glass as needed and approved by the church.