wozza Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 (edited) Hi All, Will soon need to start fitting the roof flashing (got a lots to do), should we go with an alternative to lead or real lead. It seems that the alternatives are a bit cheaper, but are they as good? Thanks, Wozza. Edited October 19, 2019 by wozza
Cpd Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 Personally if I can afford lead I would always use it, looks great and lasts a very long time. My property is rural and very traditional so lead works well. On a new modern build I expect there is a good argument for alternative materials. Would be good to see some photos from people on this forum who have used alternatives to lead. 1
Russell griffiths Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 Depends how confident you are with lead, it’s not as forgiving as the alternatives, and as you said more expensive if you mess a bit up. 1
nod Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 34 minutes ago, wozza said: Hi All, Will soon need to start fitting the roof flashing (got a lots to do), should we go with and alternative to lead or real lead. It seems that the alternatives are a bit cheaper, but are they as good? Thanks, Wozza. Lead all day long The alternatives are cheaper But won’t last as long 1
Carrerahill Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 (edited) 55 minutes ago, wozza said: Hi All, Will soon need to start fitting the roof flashing (got a lots to do), should we go with and alternative to lead or real lead. It seems that the alternatives are a bit cheaper, but are they as good? Thanks, Wozza. Lead every time. I had never used rolled lead in my life until earlier this year. To be honest, there are a lot of good instructional videos on YouTube and if you have a good knack for making things and working with your hands you should be grand. The trick is also to work in about 4-5' lengths max, for several reasons, however, the most important being expansion and contraction, big long pieces of lead will crack or split. Long pieces are also difficult to work with and are heavy to work into place and get up onto the roof! I actually found lead nice stuff to work with, I enjoyed it's malleability and it's compliance to be worked into some odd shapes. I scored it with a sharp Stanley knife and used tin-snips to cut it. I used pieces of 2x8 and 2x4 as formers and a piece of 1.5x1.5 and a foot long as a sort of press. Keeping the lead indoors and warm before working it will help no end or outside in the sun (too late in the year now). I dressed our lead down over the profile of the roof tile on warm days and you could almost do it with your fingers although I found that the shaft of a hammer was good to gently tap it down (lead beater was too big) the result is a row of nice little dressed down sections tight to the tile. I used diesel as patination oil. Edited October 18, 2019 by Carrerahill 1
Russell griffiths Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 If you go with lead, there used to be a little booklet issued by somebody like the lead workers guild or something very useful tells you a lot of boundaries to work within to save expensive mistakes. I think it was free. 1
PeterW Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 36 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: If you go with lead, there used to be a little booklet issued by somebody like the lead workers guild or something very useful tells you a lot of boundaries to work within to save expensive mistakes. I think it was free. it used to be free but has now been updated and you have to buy it. this is still free http://slateroofers.org/downloads/lead_flashing_guide.pdf 1
dpmiller Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 Didn't like the zinc/butyl stuff, but Leadax is superb stuff, very nice to work with... 1
nod Posted October 19, 2019 Posted October 19, 2019 I needed a lead saddle and a tray for the top of the chimney with a 200 mil upstand I found a chap in Cornwall who made and braised these to order and posted them out to me For not a lot more than what it would have cost me to buy the lead 1
nod Posted October 19, 2019 Posted October 19, 2019 Just now, nod said: I needed a lead saddle and a tray for the top of the chimney with a 200 mil upstand I found a chap in Cornwall who made and braised these to order and posted them out to me For not a lot more than what it would have cost me to buy the lead 1
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