Lead Safety in Stained Glass: Facts, Myths, and Smart Habits

Written By Kim Joy

 Lead Safety in Stained Glass: Facts, Myths, and Smart Habits

Lead is a traditional part of stained glass, but it comes with concerns. Many beginners worry unnecessarily about exposure. The reality is simple: if you follow smart habits, lead is safe to work with.

Some tips I always share in class:

  • Wash hands after handling lead came or solder

  • Keep your workspace clean and avoid eating nearby

  • Use proper ventilation when soldering

  • Don’t allow lead scraps to mix with household trash

Common myths? That touching lead once will harm you, or that soldering in a regular room is dangerous. With precautions, students safely work with lead every day in my studio.


I demonstrate safe soldering practices in every class to keep projects both fun and safe.

Kim Joy

Kim Steinmuller Joy has been a stained glass artist and teacher since 1982. Most of her pieces are in the traditional style and starting to experiment to incorporate materials not usually found in the medium. She believes that through her pieces she can grow and learn more about the world around her and where she came from. She hopes that her work will inspire and encourage others in their artistic endeavors. She loves working with commissions that allows her to create one of kind pieces for the commissioner.

She belongs to Stained Glass Association of America and National Capital Art Glass Guild. Her work can be found at the Community Council of the Arts in Kinston NC, Arts Council of Wayne County Goldsboro, NC, and Wilson Arts in Wilson, NC. She teaches Nash Community College Nashville, NC, Wilson Community College Wilson NC. Her works are in private collections worldwide.

Kim Steinmuller Joy was raised in upstate New York and now lives and works in Wilson, NC.

https://www.kimsjoy.com
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Safety First in the Studio and Class