How to Make Resin Stained Glass with a 3D Printed Frame
7 Mar 2026(Updated 21 May 2026)
A 3D printed stained glass panel made with resin as an alternative to traditional glass. Designed in Affinity, printed on a Bambu X1C, and filled with colored UV resin to create translucent stained glass effects without any actual glass cutting.
Real stained glass looks amazing, but cutting glass and soldering lead frames takes serious skill and specialized tools. This resin stained glass technique is an easy alternative that anyone can try at home. Using a 3D printer, textured window film, and coloured epoxy resin, you can create stained glass art that looks surprisingly close to the real thing. No glass cutting, no soldering, no special workshop.
The technique is simple and avoids the biggest problem beginners run into: colors bleeding into each other.
Some photos in this guide come from two different sessions of the print I made but the process and results are exactly the same.
Why resin stained glass is a good alternative to traditional glass#
Traditional stained glass requires cutting glass pieces by hand, grinding edges to fit, wrapping each piece in copper foil or lead came, and soldering everything together. It takes practice, patience, and a workshop full of specialized tools.
Resin stained glass skips all of that. You design your pattern digitally, print the frame on a 3D printer, and fill the sections with colored resin. The result is lightweight, shatter-proof, and can be made on a kitchen table in a weekend.
Here is how the two techniques compare:
| Traditional stained glass | Resin stained glass (this method) | |
|---|---|---|
| Skill level | Advanced | Beginner-friendly |
| Tools needed | Glass cutter, grinder, soldering iron | 3D printer, mixing cups, pipette |
| Materials cost | High (glass sheets, solder, flux) | Low (resin, pigments, filament) |
| Time to finish | Days to weeks | 1-2 days (mostly curing time) |
| Weight | Heavy, fragile | Lightweight, shatter-proof |
Materials#
You don’t need much, but having the right materials helps a lot.
Core materials
- 3D printed frame (download a model or make your own)
- Plastic sheet (smooth base layer)
- Window texture sheet / window sticker film (This gives the final piece the real stained glass texture)
- Epoxy resin (preferably UV resistant epoxy resin so the colors don’t yellow over time).
- Transparent resin pigments or oil colors
- Mixing cups
- Pipette / dropper (A small pipette makes it much easier to fill the chambers without spilling resin)
Assembly
- 3M spray adhesive (temporary adhesive)
or - Hot glue gun
Safety
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Garbage bag or table protection
(I’ll link the exact materials I use below if you want to copy the setup.)
Step 1: Preparing your stained glass design#
You can find many drawings online that work for this technique, but I decided to make my own using a photo of my dog.
- Grab a photo of your subject.
- Open it in a photo editor.
- Trace the shapes to create an outline drawing.
You can use almost any software for this. I personally used Affinity, but free tools like Inkscape work great too.
Important rule: all lines must connect.
Each enclosed space becomes a resin chamber later.
If parts are floating (for example eyes or small shapes), they will not stay in place during pouring. If that happens you’ll need to glue them manually afterwards.
Once you are happy with the design:
- export it as SVG
- expand the paths if needed
- make sure scaling does not break the proportions
Step 2: 3D printing the stained glass frame#
Open the SVG in your slicer.
I use Bambu Studio, but any slicer that supports SVG import should work.
Steps:
- Import the SVG
- Give it a small height
- Slice and print
Recommended settings:
- Height: 0.8 mm
- Color: black filament works best
- No infill needed
This printed frame acts as the lead lines of the stained glass, replacing the traditional metal came or lead strips used in real stained glass windows.
Step 3: Setting up your resin workspace#
Resin is a chemical product, so safety first.
Use:
- gloves
- safety glasses
- good ventilation
I protect my table using:
- A garbage bag as base protection
- A work mat
- A plastic sheet
The plastic sheet is important because it acts as the removable base for the resin piece.
To create the glass texture:
- Place a window texture film on top of the plastic sheet.
- Put the 3D printed frame on top.
Now we need to temporarily fix the frame so it does not float when resin is poured.
I used 3M spray adhesive, which works similar to Post-it glue. It sticks well but can still be removed later.
Alternative:
A hot glue gun also works if you add tiny dots under the frame.
Step 4: Preventing resin color bleed (the trick)#
If you look at the design you will see many small chambers. The biggest beginner problem is color bleed between these chambers. Even though the frame is glued down, the patterned plastic sheet is not perfectly flat. Resin can easily sneak underneath.
Instead of fighting this, we solve it in a simple way. We pour the resin in two stages.
First Layer : Transparent Seal
Mix a small amount of clear resin.
Using a pipette or carefully pouring from a cup, add a very thin layer across the design.
Just enough to:
- seal the bottom
- fill tiny gaps
- create a flat base
Do not fill the chambers yet.
Let this cure completely.
Depending on the resin this can take 24–48 hours.
Second Layer : Adding Color
Once the base layer is hardened, the chambers are sealed.
Now you can safely fill them with colored resin.
Use:
- resin pigments
- transparent oil colors
- mica powder
- or other resin colorants
I experimented with:
- oil paint
- fine sand-like pigments
- transparent dyes
The oil colors worked surprisingly well because they stay translucent and keep that authentic stained glass look. Transparent epoxy resin pigments also work great if you want more consistent results.
Using the pipette makes it easy to carefully fill each chamber. Feel free to experiment with color mixes.
Step 5: Curing and finishing your stained glass piece#
Let the piece cure completely.
I usually leave it 48 hours to be safe.
Once cured:
- Carefully peel the piece off the plastic sheet
- Remove any glue residue
- Trim edges if needed
The result is a lightweight stained glass style artwork made from resin and a 3D printed frame.
You can:
- hang it in a window
- place it in a frame
- give it as a custom gift
Final result: 3D printed stained glass with resin#
The effect is surprisingly close to real stained glass, especially when sunlight shines through the coloured resin. As an alternative to traditional glass, it holds up well and looks beautiful in any window. And the best part is that you can turn almost any drawing into a stained glass piece using this method. I already made several versions using different photos and designs, and each one looks unique.
Materials I Used#
The links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them it helps support my projects at no extra cost to you.
- Resin US | EU
- Resin Pigments US | EU
- Pipettes / Droppers US | EU
- Window Texture Film US | EU
- Plastic Sheet US | EU
- 3M Glue Spray US | EU
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is resin stained glass a good alternative to traditional stained glass?
Yes. Resin stained glass gives you a similar translucent, colorful effect without needing to cut real glass. You skip the glass cutter, the grinding, and the soldering. The result looks surprisingly close to traditional stained glass, especially when placed against a window. It's a much more beginner-friendly technique that you can do at home with basic supplies.
- Can you make stained glass with a 3D printer?
You can use a 3D printer to create the frame (the "leading" that holds the glass pieces), then fill the sections with colored resin. The 3D-printed frame replaces the metal came or copper foil used in traditional stained glass. This gives you precise, repeatable designs without any metalwork.
- What do you need to make resin stained glass at home?
The basics are: a 3D printer (or a premade frame), clear epoxy resin, resin pigments or alcohol inks for color, textured window film for the diffused glass look, and mixing supplies. No specialized glass tools are needed, which is what makes this an accessible alternative to traditional techniques.
- How durable is resin stained glass compared to real glass?
Resin stained glass is lighter and more shatter-resistant than real glass. It won't break if dropped. The colors can fade over time with direct UV exposure, so it works best in spots with indirect light or behind a real window. For decorative pieces and gifts, durability is more than enough.
- Can you make resin stained glass without a 3D printer?
Yes. You can use a laser-cut frame, a hand-cut wooden frame, or even thick craft wire shaped into your design. The 3D printer just makes it easier to get clean, consistent lines. The resin technique itself doesn't require one.
- What is the best resin for stained glass projects?
UV-resistant epoxy resin works best for stained glass projects. It cures clear, stays transparent over time, and does not yellow from sunlight. Avoid fast-curing UV resin for larger pieces because it can crack. Standard two-part epoxy resin with a 24-hour cure time gives the best results for this technique.
- How do you prevent resin colours from bleeding in stained glass?
Pour the resin in two layers. First, add a thin layer of clear resin across the entire design and let it cure completely for 24 to 48 hours. This seals the bottom and fills any tiny gaps between the 3D printed frame and the base sheet. Once the clear layer is hardened, you can safely fill each chamber with coloured resin without the colours bleeding into each other.
