Jump to content

Roof Flashing - Lead Alternative or Lead?


wozza

Recommended Posts

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 by wozza
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 by Carrerahill
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 

 

 

 

4CFFBB52-DF60-4D6A-8732-2A9240DA69A5.jpeg

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...