Restoration Glass® FAQs

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Many times you can't tell the difference between our glass and the original antique glass. For historic record keeping, we suggest you make a drawing of the window notating where the original antique panes are placed, then file it in a safe place.

Bubbles, also known as "seeds", occur randomly in Restoration Glass® and are characteristic of authentic, mouth-blown glass. Some pieces may show bubbles; some may show very few to almost none.

The terms "Full" and "Light" refer to the thickness and relative level of slight distortion in the glass ("Full" being slightly more distorting than "Light"), not the amount of bubbles in the glass. Bubbles and other "imperfections" are characteristic of authentic mouth-blown glass, and may appear randomly in both Full and Light Restoration Glass®.

Minor surface scratches, bubbles (also known as "seeds") and other "imperfections" are characteristic of authentic mouth-blown glass and considered an integral part of the character and charm of the glass. These "imperfections" point to the authenticity of the glass and make it the perfect choice for historically accurate restorations. Customers requiring glass free of such characteristics are welcome to contact us to discuss our machine-made glass varieties: (800) 221-7379, Option 6 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST).

There are several good reasons to choose Restoration Glass® over salvage glass, including:

  1. Restoration Glass® offers a continuity of look, whereas glass salvaged from different windows can look different from piece to piece.
  2. Your time has value. Finding old windows, removing the glass, cutting it, and cleaning it - all without cutting yourself or breaking the glass - can be a very time consuming and frustrating task.
  3. Larger sizes can be difficult to find in salvage glass
  4. Salvage glass can be extremely difficult to cut to size.

Slight scratches and other surface imperfections are characteristic of authentic mouth-blown glass and are not considered defects. These "imperfections" point to the authenticity of our restoration glass varieties, and make them the perfect choice for historically accurate restorations. They are part of the unique character and charm of original mouth-blown glass, not a reason to reject it.

Deep surface scratches that can easily be felt with a fingernail are not acceptable and may be cause for rejection. Please contact us immediately if you receive a pane with this problem and be assured, we check every piece for quality before packing.

Small glass samples are cut from various areas of a Restoration Glass® sheet. Your sample may be cut from an area of the sheet that exhibits the slightest level of distortion, visible only if viewing the glass from a distance. The visual properties of Restoration Glass® become more evident as the size and/or the number of panes increases. This is true for Light Restoration Glass® as well as Full Restoration Glass®.

We guarantee your glass to be within a cutting tolerance of +/- 1/16" of the size submitted on your order. This cutting tolerance is standard in the glass industry, and should not be an issue if our measuring instructions have been carefully followed. If a third-party, such as your contractor or window manufacturer, is providing you with the sizes, please confirm they are taking the +/- 1/16" cutting tolerance into consideration. If your glass exceeds this tolerance, please take a photo of the glass with a measuring tape showing the size of the glass received and forward to us. We will re-cut or replace the glass in question at no charge.

We suggest cleaning the glass with warm water and a lint free (terry) cloth. Conventional non-abrasive glass cleaners may also be used.

We take great care to ship our glass safely and securely. Please inspect your glass for damage at time of delivery.

In case of damage to orders delivered by FedEx Ground, please leave the package as-is and call us at (800) 221-7379, Option 6 (9:00 am - 5:00 pm EST) or email us at info@bendheim.com within two business days of receipt. We will process a damage claim with the shipping company and remake your glass at no cost.

For orders shipping via commercial truck, the crate must be inspected at time of delivery. Be sure to note any damage on all copies of the trucker's Bill of Lading before signing. Truck companies require the recipient to contact them directly for inspection, return, or reimbursement instructions.

Orders of cases and full sheets of Restoration Glass® generally ship within 2-3 business days from our New Jersey facility.

Standard (non-safety) cut-to-size Restoration Glass® and Restoration Mirror™ orders generally ship via FedEx Ground within 1-2 weeks from receipt of order.

Laminated cut-to-size Restoration Glass® orders generally ship via FedEx Ground within 3-4 weeks from receipt of order. Tracking information is automatically emailed to you at time of shipping. If for any reason your order is delayed, we will notify you immediately.

Samples ship within 1-2 business days, via US Postal Service first-class mail, from our New Jersey facility.

At "Checkout", you may select Expedited Processing on standard (non-safety) cut-to-size Restoration Glass® and Restoration Mirror™ orders for an additional $65.00. With Expedited Processing, your order will ship within three business days from receipt of order. We do not offer Expedited Processing on laminated Restoration Glass® orders.

At present, our website handles shipping to the United States and Canada only. Please contact us through info@bendheim.com for export orders. Please note that additional terms and conditions, including a $500.00 minimum order requirement may apply.

Because each glass sheet is meticulously hand-made, there aren't any economies of scale that allow us to offer discounts beyond our "By the Case Standard Non-Safety" prices.

We take great care to ship our glass safely and securely.

Orders of cases and full sheets of Restoration Glass® are carefully packed in sturdy wood crates and delivered by truck.

Orders of cut-to-size Restoration Glass® and Mirror orders containing glass sizes up to 20" X 36" are shipped via FedEx Ground. They are packed with injection foam, forming a custom cushion around the glass, in high-quality 200 lb. test corrugated boxes. FedEx bases shipping rates on distance, weight, and dimensions, and includes insurance for in-transit damage. Please note, most glass orders require larger boxes, which FedEx charges at a higher rate than standard size boxes (commonly referred to as "dimensional weight"). The website will estimate FedEx shipping and boxing charges at time of order.

In cases where your glass exceeds 20" X 36", custom shipping & handling may apply. Oversize orders are carefully packed in sturdy wood crates and delivered by truck. A Bendheim representative will contact you with details and costs before processing your order.

If you must store Restoration Glass® or Mirror for some time, the crate should be kept in a dry place to prevent the packing materials from becoming damp and possibly staining the glass over time. This is true for all sheet glass stored for eventual usage in buildings.

Bendheim strongly recommends laminated Restoration Glass® for all applications where safety and security are desired. Safety glass requirements are determined by your personal needs as well as building codes, which can change over time and can vary by state, county, city, town or borough. You can contact your local building inspection department, office of planning and zoning, or the department of permits, to learn which codes are applicable in your area. Among other applications, safety glass is required for all doors, enclosures, and partitions in or surrounding bathtubs, showers, hot tubs, and saunas, as well as floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, doors, transoms, and sidelites, regardless of their location. Bendheim's laminated Restoration Glass® meets the requirements of ANSI Z97.1 and the Consumer Products Safety Commission Standard 16 CFR1201. For more information on safety tempered and laminated glass, please click here.

Lamination is the process of bonding two or more pieces of glass together, using a crystal-clear plastic interlayer, which acts as a permanent adhesive. The primary goal of lamination is safety. In the case of breakage, dangerous glass shards are held to the interlayer to prevent severe injury (a car windshield is an example of laminated glass). Our Restoration Glass® is laminated to 1/8" window glass with Uvekol®, a crystal-clear resin interlayer. Laminated Restoration Glass® provides safety and helps block the transmission of sound and UV rays, making it perfect for doors and windows. Lamination has little to no effect on the appearance of Restoration Glass® when looking out through the glass.

No. The small air bubbles, also known as "seeds," found in Restoration Glass® cause the glass to break in tempering. If safety glazing is required, we offer Restoration Glass® in safety laminated form. Laminated Restoration Glass® meets the requirements for ANSI Z97.1 and the Consumer Product Safety Commission Standard 16 CFR 1201.

Restoration Glass® is most often installed facing the exterior of the building, allowing the delicate distortion in the glass to be visible from outside, in reflected light. In this configuration, the slight distorting effects of the glass will be visible from both inside and outside, allowing Restoration Glass® to blend with any existing period glass. Additionally, laminated Restoration Glass® should ideally be dry-glazed with gaskets, but can also be installed with Neutral Cure Silicone Sealants. For more information on recommended installation guidelines, please refer to our warranty.

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