Crystal Suncatchers: How They Work and Where to Hang Them

A crystal suncatcher is a faceted prism hung in a window. When direct sunlight passes through it, the prism refracts the light into its component colours and throws rainbows across the room. There is no glasswork, no soldering and nothing to assemble — which is why it is the easiest thing in the shop to give as a gift.

How they actually work

White light is a mix of wavelengths. When it enters a denser material at an angle, each wavelength bends by a slightly different amount — red least, violet most. A faceted crystal is cut so light enters, bends, bounces internally and exits at a spread of angles, arriving on your wall as separated bands of colour.

Two things follow from that. First, you need direct sunlight; diffuse light on an overcast day will not do it. Second, the effect moves as the sun moves, so the rainbows travel across a room over the course of a morning.

Where to hang one

The window matters most

East-facing windows give you rainbows in the morning, west-facing in the late afternoon and evening. South-facing (in the northern hemisphere) gives the longest run of direct light. North-facing windows almost never work.

Hang it high in the glass

The higher the crystal, the further down and across the room the rainbows land. A crystal at the bottom of a window mostly lights up the windowsill.

Leave it room to turn

Suncatchers on a cord rotate slowly in air currents, which makes the rainbows drift. Hard-mounting one flat against the glass loses that.

Consider the wall opposite

A pale, plain wall shows the colours dramatically. A dark or busy wall swallows them.

Crystal or stained glass?

They do different things and it is worth being clear about which you want.

Crystal suncatchers project rainbows into the room. The suncatcher itself is fairly plain; the effect is what you are buying, and it only appears in direct sun.

Stained glass suncatchers are the opposite — the piece itself is the object, glowing with colour whenever there is any daylight at all. They do not throw rainbows, but they never look dull either.

Many people hang both in the same window. Browse crystal suncatchers or stained glass suncatchers.

Making your own

Stained glass suncatchers are the standard first glass project: small, few pieces, and no framing required. They are the fastest way to practise scoring, foiling and soldering in one short sitting. See suncatcher patterns, or take our free five-piece suncatcher pattern and try it.

Care

Dust dulls a crystal quickly because it scatters the light before it can refract. Wipe with a soft dry cloth every few weeks. Avoid ammonia glass cleaners on any suncatcher with metal fittings — it attacks solder and plating.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my crystal suncatcher not making rainbows?

Almost always not enough direct sunlight. Check the window faces the sun at some point in the day, and that the crystal is not shaded by a blind or a tree.

What size crystal makes the best rainbows?

Larger crystals throw larger, brighter rainbows. Anything from 30mm upwards produces a clear effect; below 20mm it is subtle.

Do crystal suncatchers work on cloudy days?

No. Diffuse light does not refract into separated colours. The crystal will still catch the light attractively, but there will be no rainbows.

Where is the best place to hang a suncatcher?

High in an east, south or west-facing window, with a pale wall opposite and room to rotate freely.

Will a suncatcher fade my furniture?

No more than the window already does. A suncatcher redirects a small amount of light; it does not concentrate it.