Lead Flashing

Lead Flashing Services

Protect your roof with expert lead flashing installation and repair.

At Roof York, we specialise in the installation, repair, and replacement of lead flashing systems across Yorkshire. With decades of experience working on traditional, heritage, and modern buildings, we offer a complete service that ensures your roof remains watertight, compliant, and built to last.

Whether you’re protecting a dormer, chimney, parapet, or abutment wall, our leadwork is carried out to the highest standards—meeting both BS 6915 and the Lead Sheet Training Academy (LSTA) guidelines.

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Lead Flashings

Lead is an important materials for flashings.

Lead Ridge Saddle

Weathers the interface at an abutment.

Lead Apron

Often used where two areas meet.

Lead Flashings

✅ What Is Lead Flashing?

Lead flashing is a key roofing component designed to seal joints between different materials and create watertight transitions on roof coverings. Due to its durability, flexibility, and malleability, lead remains one of the most reliable materials for protecting vulnerable roof intersections.

Lead flashing is commonly installed at:

Chimney stacks
Roof-to-wall abutments
Dormer cheeks and roof junctions
Parapet walls and coping stones
Valleys and gullies
Skylight and rooflight perimeters
Around bay windows or porch roofs

When installed correctly, lead can last in excess of 80–100 years, offering unmatched longevity and performance.

🛠️ Types of Lead Flashing We Install

Roof York provides a full range of lead flashing solutions, including:

Type of Lead Flashing	Application
Step Flashing	Installed into mortar joints of brick or stonework alongside roof pitches (e.g., on chimney abutments)
Apron Flashing	Seals the base of chimneys, dormers, and parapets where the roof covering meets a vertical face
Cover Flashing	Used to overlap and protect lower flashings or where double-layer protection is needed
Saddle Flashing	Protects the corners of chimney stacks or parapet walls where two pitched surfaces meet
Parapet Flashing	Applied at the top of parapet walls, often in conjunction with a coping system
Lead Soakers	Hidden elements under tiles or slates to divert water away from penetrations
Lead Back Gutter	Runs behind chimney stacks to catch and channel water from pitched sides

We also provide lead cladding, lead box gutters, and lead valleys as part of complete roofing and heritage detailing packages.

Roof York – Yorkshire’s trusted name in professional lead flashing and leadwork services.
Built to standard. Finished to perfection.

📏 Standards and Best Practice – BS 6915 & LSTA

All lead flashing work carried out by Roof York complies with:

🔹 BS 6915:2001 – Design & Installation of Fully Supported Lead Sheet Roofs and Flashings

This British Standard sets out the criteria for:

Correct detailing of flashings, valleys, gutters and soakers
Joint spacing and lap dimensions
Ventilation provisions to reduce underside corrosion
Methods of fixing and support
Material codes and thickness based on application

🔹 Lead Sheet Training Academy (LSTA) Guidelines

The LSTA (formerly the Lead Sheet Association) provides definitive guidance on traditional and modern leadworking practices. We follow their technical recommendations including:

Recommended lead codes (thicknesses) for different applications
Use of fixing clips, underlays, and expansion joints
Avoidance of excessive lengths to prevent thermal cracking
Proper use of patination oil to protect against white lead carbonate staining

We also specify building paper underlay beneath all leadwork to separate it from roof surfaces and reduce corrosion risk.

🧰 Materials and Craftsmanship

We only use Rolled Milled Lead to BS EN 12588, which guarantees uniform thickness and grain structure.

Typical lead codes (thicknesses) used:

Code 3 (1.32mm) – Soakers
Code 4 (1.80mm) – Flashings and abutments
Code 5 (2.24mm) – Gutters and larger flashings
Code 6–8 (2.65–3.55mm) – Box gutters, parapets, and large cladding details

Our work is always finished with correct fixings, expansion joints, and dressed detailing for professional appearance and lasting performance.

🧱 Leadwork for Heritage and Listed Buildings

Lead has been used in roofing for centuries—and remains the material of choice for heritage work due to its longevity and authenticity.

Roof York offers:

Heritage-accurate detailing for listed buildings
Mortar-free joints where required (lime or mechanical fixing methods)
Access to conservation-grade rolled lead
Reclaimed leadwork re-integration when specified
Experience liaising with Conservation Officers and planners

We are proud to help maintain the historic fabric of Yorkshire’s buildings with sensitive and skilled lead repairs and restorations.

🛑 Warning: Common Issues with Poor Lead Flashing

Incorrectly installed or inferior leadwork can result in:

Cracking due to lack of movement allowance
Corrosion from underside contact or water traps
Poor adhesion or fixing into joints
Staining on stone, brick or render
Water ingress behind roof coverings

We frequently rectify poor-quality or unqualified leadwork across Yorkshire. Don’t risk damage to your home—choose certified, experienced tradesmen like those at Roof York.

🧼 Maintenance and Repairs

Leadwork requires minimal maintenance, but we recommend:

Annual inspection for movement, splits, or fatigue
Removal of moss, debris, and leaf build-up
Application of patination oil to prevent staining (especially during the first year)
Prompt repair of cracked, torn or displaced flashings

Roof York offers leadwork condition reports and planned maintenance programmes for commercial and residential clients.

📍 Lead Flashing Services Across Yorkshire

We serve clients throughout the region, including: