Lead Work In Cornwall
Traditional lead craftsmanship continues to provide unmatched weather protection for Cornwall's buildings, from churches to contemporary properties requiring durable, adaptable roofing solutions. Our experienced roofing contractors shape traditional sheet material using time-honoured techniques, creating bespoke flashings and decorative features that protect vulnerable roof junctions for generations.
Hand Forming Techniques
Lead bossing transforms flat sheet material into complex three-dimensional shapes using wooden tools and mallets, preserving traditional skills passed down through generations of craftspeople.
This cold-working process maintains lead's natural durability whilst creating precise profiles that follow building contours exactly. Skilled manipulation produces seamless corners, curves and transitions impossible to achieve with prefabricated components.
Lead welding joins separate pieces using controlled heat application and compatible filler materials, creating watertight seams for larger installations.
Autogenous welding techniques fuse lead edges without additional materials, producing joints as strong as the parent metal. Both methods require extensive training and experience to achieve reliable, long-lasting results.
Flashing Applications
Step flashings follow roof pitch changes at wall abutments, creating overlapping water sheds that direct moisture away from vulnerable junction points.
Each piece integrates with roofing materials above and below, forming continuous weather barriers that accommodate building movement. Proper installation requires precise measurement and cutting to achieve consistent overlap dimensions.
Secret gutters behind parapet walls collect and channel rainwater whilst remaining completely hidden from view. These installations demand exceptional skill in forming complex profiles that maintain adequate fall gradients within restricted spaces. Lead's malleability allows creation of tight radius bends and transitions impossible with rigid materials.
Valley Construction
Lead-lined valleys handle concentrated water flows from intersecting roof planes, channelling runoff safely toward guttering positions. Welded construction creates seamless water courses that eliminate potential leak points at joints. Proper underlayment prevents lead movement that could cause fatigue cracking at stress concentration points.
Soaker installation beneath individual tiles or slates provides secondary weather protection at wall abutments. These small lead pieces overlap systematically to create continuous moisture barriers, working in conjunction with surface flashings to prevent water penetration.