Why Real Lead Still Beats Every Substitute
Rolled lead has been the gold standard waterproofing material on British roofs for hundreds of years, and on properly designed work it still is. It moves with the building, lasts 100 years or more, can be dressed into any shape on site, and develops a self-protecting patina that needs no maintenance. The substitutes — lead-look paint, sealant fillets, GRP flashings, EPDM upstands — all have their place, but on the parts of a roof that really matter (chimneys, valleys, parapet copings, bay roofs) nothing else lasts as long.
All the lead we install is rolled to BS EN 12588 in code 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 thicknesses, sized to the application. The Lead Sheet Training Academy publishes detailed design rules for maximum bay sizes, fixing methods, expansion provision and fall requirements, and we work to those rules on every job. The result is leadwork that's still doing its job in 50+ years.
Common Lead Repair Jobs
Most lead work we do across Leicester falls into a few categories. Stepped flashings around chimneys, where a strip of lead is dressed into a chase cut into the brickwork and over the tiles or slates below, are the single most common application — and the single most common source of leaks when they fail. Standard repair is to strip the old lead off, cut a clean new chase if needed, and dress in new code 4 lead with proper soakers between every course.
Valley gutters, where two roof slopes meet, are another classic lead application. On a Victorian terrace these are often original lead that's lasted 100+ years but has finally cracked at the laps; replacement uses code 5 or code 6 lead in bays no longer than 1.5m, with proper welts at every joint.
Bay roofs — the small lead-covered roofs over Victorian and Edwardian bay windows — are usually the first lead to fail on an older house, because they take direct sun and rain on a small area. Recovering a bay roof in code 6 lead, with proper drips, rolls and fixing, is a one-day job that should last another 80 years.
Lead Theft & Modern Substitutes
Lead theft from churches and commercial buildings has driven the development of lead-look alternatives. Ubiflex (a polymer flashing) and Easy-Lead (an aluminium-cored composite) have a reasonable place on small domestic flashings where appearance isn't critical and replacement cost on a future leak isn't worth the lead-theft risk. They are not a like-for-like substitute on church valleys, ornate parapet copings or anywhere the appearance is part of the building's character.
On private domestic work in Leicestershire, real lead remains the right choice. Theft from domestic properties is rare, the lifespan benefit is enormous, and the upfront cost difference is modest on the scale of a typical roof job.
Lead Welding & Bossing
More complex lead work involves welding (where two pieces of lead are joined with molten lead from a torch) and bossing (where lead is shaped on site by hammering it into curves and corners). Both are skills that take years to develop — we use them on chimney aprons, dormer corners, drip details on parapets, and anywhere a clean shaped finish is needed. There's no substitute for this kind of work on a heritage or listed building.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does lead last?
Rolled lead correctly installed has a service life of 100+ years — many Victorian valleys are still doing their job today. Failure when it does occur is usually at the fixings or laps, not in the lead itself.
What code of lead do I need?
Code 3-4 for soakers and small flashings. Code 4-5 for stepped chimney flashings and aprons. Code 5-6 for valley gutters and bay roofs. Code 7-8 for parapet copings and large rolls. We size every job to the right code.
Do you do listed building leadwork?
Yes. We can supply the bay-sized rolled lead, traditional fixings (copper or stainless clips), and the welded or bossed detailing required on heritage buildings. We're happy to liaise with conservation officers and provide method statements where required.
Will lead damage my brickwork?
No — lead is chemically inert and doesn't react with mortar, brick or stone. The white staining you sometimes see below new lead is harmless calcium carbonate from the patination process, and it weathers off within a year or two.
Can you replace lead with a synthetic alternative?
Yes, where appropriate. Ubiflex and Easy-Lead are reasonable substitutes on small domestic flashings. We won't fit synthetic substitutes on valleys, parapets or anywhere the application demands real lead.