Stained Glass Types & Terms Explained

Stained Glass Types & Terms — AmeriGlas Stained Glass supplies and information: Glass Types & Terms. Classic AmeriGlas catalog, updated for the modern web.

Glass Types & Terms

Clears, Whites	Blues	Greens	Red,Yellow,Orange	Iridescent	Artique	Glass Terms
Black, Gray	Baroque	Purple, Pink	Brown, Amber	Glue Chip	Mirror	Boxing Charges

Glass Types

The two main types of glass are Cathedral and Opalescent.

Cathedral Glass - Transparent Glass, generally in a single color. Named for the original 'tinted glass' first used in 10th century Eurpoean cathedrals. Normal house window glass would be considered 'clear cathedral'. Cathedral glass comes in a very wide variety of colors and surface textures.

Opalescent Glass - Semi-opaque, with a milky appearance. Opalescent glass can be one solid color, but it is generally a mixture of two or more colors with streaks and swirls. True opalescent glass transmits very little light.

E Bs wa nP cL g Stained Glass Types & Terms

Panel uses clear cathedral waterglass
around the center engraved bevel,
with a row of clear bevels and
clear cathedral gluechip glass on the outside.

This Lily panel uses solid white opalescent glass
for an outside border. The left background is a translucent streaky glass while the right
background is pale purple cathedral waterglass.

Translucent Glass - Transmitting light but with diffusion so as to eliminate the perception of distinct images. If you place your hand behind translucent glass, you can see it's shadow but can't see any of the distince features. Used in panels and windows. Almost always the primary glass used in lamps.

Streaky Glass - Made from stirring together two colors of glass, generally both opalescent type glass. The streaks produce another dimension to the artistic impression of the glass. For example, 'trees' made of a one color opalescent glass would look 'one dimensional' but when made with streaky glass they give the perception of having leaves and branches.

Wispy Glass - Made from stirring together two colors of glass, generally one opalescent and one cathedral type glass. Similar to streaky glass, but to a lesser degree since cathedral glass is generally the 'background' glass. An example is light blue glass and wispy white glass used for the sky in a panel. The impression is of 'wispy' clouds.

Textures - The surface texture of a type of glass. Most glass is generally smooth. While surface textures can be applied to either cathedral or opalescent glass, textures are generally used mostly on cathedral glass. The most common surface textures are waterglass and gluechip. More exotic textures are Baroque or seedy.

Hot Air Balloons

This foiled balloon panel uses many types of glass. Translucent single color and streaky glasses were used in the balloon, so that the colors are more vibrant when light shines through the panel. The barn, fields and trees were made of streaky opalescent glasses. A light blue and white wispy glass was used for the sky. Finally, a very dark streaky glass was used for a border.

The pattern for this panel is available in the pattern section of the website.
Go to Patterns

	Glass Textures
Clear Artique Glass	Artique - Often called 'semi-antique' this is a machine-made glass which resembles very expensive, hand-made 'antique' glass. Artique glass has a surface texture used mostly on cathedral glass which has very distinctive fine lines that lightly distorts the optical clarity. Artique glass is most often used as a background glass where some distortion is desired, such as in external house windows. Artique is a Registered Trademark of Spectrum Glass Company.
Blue on Clear Baroque Glass	Baroque - Unique textured glass with heavy surface texture and lots of swirls. Most often made of light colored cathedral glass or a combination of a darker opalescent color swirled into a light cathedral background glass. Artique glass is generally used as a background glass where some distortion is desired, such as in external house windows. Also used where a special effect is desired. Baroque is a Registered Trademark of Spectrum Glass Company.
Pale Blue Glue Chip	Glue Chip - Texture created by applying glue to surface of cathedral glass. As the glue drys, the glue shrinks and bits of glass are chipped away, producing a 'fern-like affect. Used most often for background glass where medium optical distortion is desired. Clear glue chip glass is often used with bevels in windows.
Clear Hammered Glass	Hammered - A surface texture similar to hammered brass or copper. Small, round, smooth bumps applied to one surface of cathedral glass. Used most often as a background glass where a very heavy texture with significant optical distortion is desired. Also used in bathroom windows where significant optical distortion is desired.
Clear Iridized Waterglass	Iridescent - Not a surface texture, but a special surface finish. Finish produces a metalic sheen creating a rainbow affect. Affect varies depending upon the color of the glass it is applied to. Darker glass colors produce the most distinct rainbow colors. Much more subtle affect on lighter colored glass. See clear glass at left and black glass below. Generally used where a very special effect is desired, such as for angel wings or candle holders.
Black Iridized Waterglass	Iridescent - Darker glass colors produce the most distinct rainbow colors from idirized glass. The rainbow affect is much more subtle on lighter colored glass. See black glass at left and clear glass above.
Clear Seedy Glass	Seedy - A surface texture used on cathedral glass, which also runs through the interior of the glass. Small, air bubbles are trapped in the glass. Used most often for background glass where a very light texture with only slight optical distortion is desired.
Pale Purple Waterglass	Waterglass - By far the most popular surface texture. Surface resembles the rippling effect of water in light wind. Used most often for background glass where a very light texture and medium optical distortion is desired. Waterglass is a Registered Trademark of Spectrum Glass Company.

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Stained Glass Types & Terms

Glass Types & Terms

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