Stained Glass Supplies Guide: Tools, Kits, and Materials Every Beginner Needs

If you’re already part of our community or a huge fan of stained glass décor (or both), chances are you caught yourself thinking, “I’d love to make the same kind of artwork!”

Good news, guys!

Getting started with the mysterious and mesmerizing mosaics is easier than you think. With the right stained glass crafting supplies, instruments, a little practice, and a couple of tips from our artisans, you can learn the ancient craft.

In the guide below, we’ll make the big dive into the stained glass tools you’ll need to confidently kickstart your creative journey. And even if you don’t become a guru after the first try, you’ll enjoy the ride. We promise.

Safety Comes First

Before you jump into sun-catching art, take care of the safety stained glass equipment. Unfortunately, even a tiny piece of a sharp fragment can hurt, so the items below should be in your home arsenal:

• Gloves. An essential element of every stained glass starter kit! Get a pair of cut-resistant gloves to protect your hands when dealing with sharp fragments or acidic flux.
• Eye protection. Comfortable goggles protect your eyes from tiny shards and other pieces.
• Dusk mask. It protects your lungs from hazardous fumes and dust while you work.
• Finger protectors. These rubber accessories save your fingers from rough edges while you grind and smooth your masterpiece. 

Now that you know how to stay 100% safe while working, let’s check the basic stained glass DIY supplies beginners need to work on their art.

• Masking tape. Cover areas you want to protect from scratches.
• Scissors. It’s hard to imagine a stained glass beginner essentials pack without double-bladed scissors. They save precious grinding time a lot!
• Pencil. If you’re about to create your own patterns, a pencil helps to draw them.
• Tracing semi-transparent paper. It helps to get your designs onto glass to cut ‘em later.

Meet the Must-Haves

Since we’re talking about the minimal kit, the artisans of our atelier recommend you have these:

• Stained glass cutting tools. The number one instrument to buy! It clearly and precisely cuts fragments out of your material. Pick an instrument with a comfortable handle and a self-oiling tip to make smoother cuts.
• Stained glass foil and solder. Copper foil is just tape with a copper side and a sticky side. It helps wrap the edges of your glass. There are tons of different styles, colors, and sizes to find what matches your unique vision. When it comes to solder, you melt it using stained glass soldering tools. It helps connect your foiled glass pieces.    
• Running pliers. Once you’ve scored the glass, this instrument breaks it exactly along the line.
• Patina. Apply this paint on the solder to change its color to brass, silver, or copper hues. 
• Grozing pliers. Trim tiny bits and smooth out rough edges so every cut is as precise as possible.
• Glass sheets. If you’re a frequent visitor to the atelier’s stained glass blog and shop, you already know the variety of glass types is pretty impressive. The easiest option for starters is cathedral panels.

And One More Thing

Before getting into the handmade stained glass art, remember the simple philosophy. 

First, you will start small. It is totally fine. Even our talented artisans were once amateurs. And look at us now! We craft every piece fully packed with rampant imagination and quality as it is. With premium stained glass materials at hand, you’ll create sun catchers and geometric shapes with ease. As you go, practice cutting. Use scrap glass to get a feel for scoring and breaking. Oh, and do not skip cleaning the material. Unfortunately, oil or dust can ruin soldering.

We know the process may look quite messy now, but hang in there! Any art takes time, but the results are totally worth it.