Grand Light’s In-Factory & On-Site Processes
American Artisans At Work Preserving History Since 1929
Grand Light has restored, replicated, and manufactured lighting fixtures of every scale and design. Our trusted restoration experts have years of experience recreating and caring for all materials–metals, wood, plaster, resin, tin, glass and more–while maintaining a keen eye for historical accuracy. We are capable of reproducing components, shapes and finishes down to the smallest detail. From professional diagrams and plans for your project to rewiring fixtures to UL standards, our specialists have proven their reputation as exceptional lighting manufacturers and restorers.
Our lighting restoration and custom lighting capabilities include research for historic accuracy, drawings, mock-ups, metal fabrication, polishing, painting, hot and cold patina application, welding, abrasive blasting, refinishing metal components, glass fabrication, replacing all electrical components, rewiring and testing in accordance with UL standards.
For assistance in preparing a specification for a historic lighting restoration or custom lighting project, please download our Historic Lighting Restoration & Custom Lighting Resource Book. This 50+ page book provides important information critical to the restoration and custom lighting process including Grand Light’s capabilities and services, company overview, executive profiles, and corporate experience.
Additionally, use our Contact Form or call us at 1-800-922-1469 to discuss your needs further.
Our Company Capabilities Include:
Engineering
Our process begins with reviewing existing documentation including sketches, architectural drawings, historical photographs, and an on-site inspection to gather the full scope of the project requirements. From there, Grand Light will develop a detailed proposal. As required Grand Light conducts research to assure the historical accuracy of all historic projects.
The creation of custom drawings is an important part of the process when it comes to the production of custom lighting. Whether it be a replication or modification of an existing lighting fixture, the client’s design, or a creation by Grand Light’s design team, a drawing will serve as the blue print for our production process.
Our drawings and subsequent mock-ups address the smallest of detail, allowing our clients to fully visualize the fixture before it goes into production, which reduces the possibility of error, and allows Grand Light to fulfill its commitment of delivering high quality lighting fixtures on schedule.
Our Engineering Capabilities Include:
• Customer Consultation | • Survey | • Evaluation Reports |
• Concept Sketches | • Drawings | • Mock-Ups |
Mechanical Overview
Grand Light’s mechanical capabilities are an essential part of the restoration & custom lighting process. Utilizing only the best materials, Grand Light strives to ensure only the highest quality of standards go into crafting each lighting fixture; from minor components to the complete fabrication of full sized lanterns or other custom lighting fixtures.
Using the explicit instructions provided by custom drawings, our factory staff then transform concepts into finished products incorporating the highest regard for accuracy.
Grand Light’s technicians inspect and document any mechanical flaws or damage on every lighting fixture prior to any mechanical repair, replacement, or modification. Our metalsmiths can fabricate a variety of materials by hand forging or producing components utilizing the lost wax and sand casting processes. Our custom cast metal fixtures offer complex design, quality, and durability. Grand Light craftsmen have years of experience utilizing various metal bonding techniques, resulting in the highest quality custom lighting fabrications, historic lighting repairs and modifications.
Our Mechanical Capabilities Include:
• Inspection/Documentation | • Metal Fabrication | • Glass Fabrication | • Welding |
Finishing Processes
As a part of the restoration process, our artisans explore the intricate details of preserving the historical integrity of lighting fixtures including color matching and sheen of the original finish.
Custom lighting finishes are available in custom painted colors, sheen, and textures as well as custom patina colors on bronze, copper, and brass components.
Each surface is cleaned and inspected to determine the optimal surface profile to achieve the desired finish. Our processes involve a wide range of capabilities including metal polishing as well as media blasting to remove old finishes and foreign material in preparation for a refinish.
Our artisans can match any color or finish utilizing a variety of processes involving powder coat, spray, hot or cold patina custom recipes and color blending an existing finish.
Grand Light exercises meticulous techniques that are unparalleled in the application of protective coatings including UV resistant protective lacquer with various customized sheens and tints.
Our Finishing Capabilities Include:
• Cleaning | • Surface Preparation | • Painting | • Polishing/Buffing | • Patina Application | • Protective Coatings |
Electrical Overview
Grand Light’s electrical capabilities are often an essential part of the restoration & custom lighting process. Utilizing only UL listed products, Grand Light strives to ensure only the highest quality of standards go into finalizing each lighting fixture; from the rewiring of luminaires, to the installation of modern lamp technology, and the custom conversion of gas powered fixtures to electric.
Grand Light’s technicians inspect and document any electrical deficiencies on every lighting fixture prior to any electrical component replacement and rewiring. We also offer comprehensive retrofit kits for upgrading existing historic luminaire to take full advantage of modern induction lamping technology. Grand Light's practice is to perform multiple UL tests on all electrical components and systems to ensure compliance with UL Standards for luminaires.
Our Electrical Capabilities Include:
• Inspection/Documentation | • Luminaire Retrofits | • Wiring Methods | • UL Testing |
Crystal Restoration
Grand Light’s team specializes in the restoration of crystal components of varying sizes, shapes, and cuts. Our artisans have decades of experience restoring crystal components on chandeliers, sconces, ceiling fixtures, and pendants from a variety of clients ranging from private homes, hotels, churches, museums, government, universities, and more.
Grand Light artisans specialize in the cleaning of crystal components by offering both hand cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning technology. Our artisans utilize a proprietary cleaning solution before each component is rinsed and hand polished. We have extensive experience pinning and stringing crystal components on historic and custom lighting fixtures. Utilizing time proven techniques, our artisans install pinning wire, clips, and connecting rings on crystal components in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and designs.
With decades of experience, our artisans dress a variety of crystal components of different shapes, sizes, and quality on historic and custom lighting fixtures. Our specialists will identify and research any missing crystal component on a historic lighting fixture and offer up a similar or exact grade, size, and shape to maintain a fixtures historical integrity.
Our Crystal Restoration Services Include:
• Cleaning | • Repair | • Pinning | • Dressing | • Replacement |
Custom Architectural Glass & Acrylic Solutions
Grand Light offers a wide variety of custom, high quality architectural light diffusers, available in an array of styles, types, and sizes. Our glass capabilities offer you the flexibility to customize your own design or replicate existing designs. These quality shades are available by custom order, and exclusively made to your unique specifications. Explore our custom glass capabilities such as glass blowing, cutting, molding, and more.
Need assistance with your glass project or more information on our glass capabilities, please contact us.
Identifying & Restoring Historic Glass Artifacts
Grand Light’s lighting restoration team specialize in the cleaning, repair, fitting, and replacement of glass components of varying types, sizes, and color. Our artisans have decades of experience restoring glass components on chandeliers, sconces, ceiling fixtures, and pendants from a variety of clients ranging from private homes, hotels, churches, museums, government, universities, and more.
Need assistance with your glass project or more information on our glass capabilities, please contact us.
Our Custom Glass Capabilities Include:
Casting/Blowing
Grand Light custom glass casting process involves our glass specialists directing molten glass into a kiln casting, or casting into sand, graphite or metal molds where it solidifies.
Grand Light is exceptionally proud of its history of creating remarkably unique in design and carefully crafted blown glass pieces. Our hand-blown glass utilizes Italian Empoli, Cognac, Bohemian, Scandinavian, Art Deco, & Opalescent glass
Cutting
Grand Light’s expert artisans have decades of experience with custom glass and acrylic cutting. We frequently cut glass and acrylic of all types, to best fit your specifications.
Our artisans can also bevel edges in any profile, such as flat, double bevel, bull nose and more, to better meet project requirements.
Etching/Frosting
Grand Light’s glass etching adds elegance and visual appeal to any fixture. Grand Light custom frosting and etching procedures involve the use of media-blasting or acid application on uncovered areas of glass, creating an opaque surface.
The patterning process begins with the design stenciled and masked onto the surface of the glass or acrylic. Our artisans then utilize a media or acid application to create a three-dimensional effect that will transform any glass or acrylic component.
Staining, Tint, & Color
Custom stained and colored glass diffusers are a beautiful addition to any space. Utilizing a variety of techniques, our custom colored glass diffusers can be created in unique colors, finishes and styles.
Our artisans have extensive experience with recreating stained glass for of all applications, including replications of famed Art Nouveau artist Louis Comfort Tiffany stained leaded glass diffusers.
Slumping
Grand Light artisans are experts at slumping glass, acrylic, and mica to closely replicate historic panels. Our processes involve using a kiln to heat glass/acrylic/mica, which then begins to slump or bend to the shape of a mold.
Slumped glass, acrylic, and mica designs are made uniquely to your specifications, for indoor or outdoor applications.
Our Historic Glass Restoration Capabilities Include:
Cleaning
Grand Light artisans specialize in the cleaning of glass and acrylic diffusers by offering both hand cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning technology.
Ultrasonic cleaning is done using Brulin Aquavantage 815 GD industrial ultrasonic cleaning tanks with patented high performance generators followed with a delicate hand cleaning process. Additionally, our artisans utilize a proprietary cleaning solution before each component is rinsed and hand polished.
Repair
Grand Light artisans have decades of experience repairing broken glass and lead joints. Our restoration methods include lead came and UV Light Curing Adhesive repair. For UV repair, our proprietary resin must be injected into a crack or chip before being cured by our UV curing lamps.
As paneled or stained glass ages, the lead joints can become brittle or oxidizes, leading to broken or damaged joints and/or panels. Repairing this damage requires repurposing and cutting the existing material while soldering the existing lead.
Fitting
Correct glass fitment is essential to providing a secure fit that prevents foreign material from entering the interior of fixture. Additionally, temperature exposure on exterior fixtures can vary greatly, and is taken in great consideration to ensure heating/cooling cycle does not create stresses in the glass or acrylic.
Fixtures that are UL wet-listed are designed to endure wet outdoor conditions and inhibit water on live parts or other electrical components for a safe and long lasting installation. Grand Light standard quality control involves testing and verifying the proper and secure fitment of all existing and/or new diffuser installations on all custom or restored lighting fixtures.
Modification
Some projects require the modification, fabrication, or addition of custom components, lenses, or frames to accommodate project goals.
In these scenarios Grand Light specialists will carefully modify existing or custom glass components without compromising the historical integrity of these glass components.
Replication/Replacement
Whether a lighting restoration project involves the fabrication of custom molded glass pieces or recreating entire diffusers that had been lost or destroyed, Grand Light has been the leading architect and designer’s first choice for the finest historic glass replications and replacements.
By conducting extensive studies of existing glass samples, our glass specialists can determine whether to preserve, replace, or replicate historic glass. Our custom replications invoke characteristics of true antique glass (beautiful, historically accurate, unique in design, and durable), making it ideal for historically accurate restorations and period-style reproductions for a variety of interior and exterior lighting fixtures.
Grand Light recently completed a renowned university renovation project which involved 100+ historic lighting fixtures. The restoration of these historic fixtures involved fabricating 359 new custom glass shades and panels which were replicated and cast to match existing historic shades.
On-Site Services
Grand Light’s on-site capabilities are often an essential part of the restoration & custom lighting process. Grand Light specialists strive to ensure historic lighting fixtures are removed, cleaned, repaired, packed, transported, and installed in the safest and most conscientious methods possible.
Our approach puts our customers first, with flexible on-site service scheduling offered at the clients convenience and without causing any disruption to daily activities. Work areas are left in the same manner it was found prior to leaving a site.
We recommend job-specific handling, labeling and transportation rules to avoid potentially hazardous situations or damage to personnel, property, or equipment. All loose components, damages/deficiencies, and component placement/alignment must be adequately labeled and/or documented prior to removal.
Grand Light’s On-Site Cleaning Specialists utilize leading technology, decades of experience, and an unwavering commitment in providing superior historic lighting restoration results to our clients. Our specialists have a thorough understanding and extensive experience in cleaning a variety of surfaces including metal, wood, marble, plaster, and crystal using proprietary cleaning solutions and advanced ultrasonic technology.
Our On-Site Services Include:
• Cleaning | • Crating | • Installation | • Temporary Fixtures | • Testing | • Removal | • Transportation | • Survey | • Packing |
Experience The Grand Light Difference
Check out award-winning results utilizing our lighting restoration and custom lighting processes for a wide range of projects from around the country. To discuss our in-factory and on-site capabilities in more detail, please call us at 1-800-922-1469 or use our Contact Form.
We’d love to hear about your project. Let us know how we can help.