Chimneys & Leadwork
Leadwork
Lead is where roofing becomes craft. Done well, it outlasts the roof around it.
- Family Run
- Local to your village
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About this work
Almost every junction on a pitched roof relies on lead: where the roof meets a chimney, an abutting wall, a valley between two slopes, or a dormer. It's the material that has kept English roofs dry for centuries, and when it's formed and fixed properly it will last for eighty years or more.
We form and dress leadwork by hand, step flashings, aprons, soakers, back gutters, valleys, and small flat lead roofs on bays and porches, using the correct code of lead for each application.
Our approach
How we go about it.
01
Use the right code
Code 4 for most flashings, Code 5 for valleys and gutters, and never lead so thin it will split in a few winters.
02
Form it properly
Correct lengths, laps and expansion allowance so the lead can move with temperature without splitting.
03
Fix it correctly
Chased into brickwork, clipped and wedged, then pointed, not glued on.
04
Patinate and finish
Patination oil applied to prevent staining on the tiles and brickwork below.
Free, no-obligation quotation
Not sure how serious it is?
Send a photo or give us a ring. We'll tell you straight, whether it needs work now, watching, or nothing at all.
Real work
Leadwork we've completed.
Near Tenterden · Date to be confirmed
Kent peg tile re-roof on a timber-framed farmhouse
Biddenden · Date to be confirmed
Chimney stack rebuilt from the roofline
Cranbrook · Date to be confirmed
Nail-sick slate roof stripped and re-slated
Materials & techniques
What we use, and why.
- Code 4, 5 and 6 rolled lead
- Lead wedges and clips
- Lead sealant for chases
- Patination oil
- GRP valley troughs where appropriate
Specific systems and manufacturers listed once confirmed by the company.
Why experience matters
Bad leadwork is the single most common cause of the leaks we're asked to look at. Knowing the right way, and having done it thousands of times, is why ours doesn't come back.
Leadwork across Tenterden, Biddenden, Rolvenden, Sissinghurst, Goudhurst and the surrounding area.
From the trade
Questions we're often asked
Why does lead split?
Usually because it was fixed in lengths too long to allow for expansion, or because it was too thin for the job. Both are avoidable.
Can you replace just the flashing without disturbing the roof?
Often yes, with the tiles around it lifted and re-laid. We'll advise on each case.
Do you fit lead roofs to bay windows and porches?
Yes. Small flat lead roofs are something we regularly form and fit.
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Free, no-obligation quotation
Need something looked at?
Whether it's a leaking roof, an ageing flat roof, a damaged chimney, failing leadwork or a brick wall that needs rebuilding, speak directly to an experienced local contractor.
Just straightforward advice from people who know the trade.