Lead Roofs
Lead sheet, a versatile material, has proven to be a long lasting choice for roof covering, cladding, and weathering in Europe and the far east for centuries. The malleability of lead sheet allows it to be worked into many intricate designs. These weatherings protect stone and timber without detracting from other architectural features. The majority of lead sheet used is acquired in milled form - a process ensuring guaranteed tolerances and uniformity - to achieve a long and trouble free lifespan of the material. Full understanding of its properties and correct detailing is essential. El Dorado’s Master lead craftsmen possess traditional, centuries old training in technical lead-roof work. We offer the premier lead roofing service in America. We will handle any project from the smallest repair to complete re-roofing of large buildings.


Parapets & Cornice Walls
Lead is ideally suited for the protection of cornices and parapet walls. These projections are vulnerable to water penetration due to the joints in brick and stonework. Masonry that holds water or remains damp from moisture penetration can be severely damaged when subject to freezing conditions. Lead installed on cornice and parapet walls should use fixings comprised of copper or stainless steel clips. They should be incorporated into the welted joints and along the free edges. An underlay should be used when using lead over concrete or masonry, preventing damage to the lead caused by “green” concrete. Other types of potential damage to the lead could result from projections, or unevenness in the surface of the masonry. Properly installed, detailed, and fixed cornice and parapet wall weatherings will provide ideal protection for new and historic buildings with an unmatched life span.


Waterproofing
Lead membranes and pans, when properly installed, provide an impermeable moisture barrier. As a lining for reflecting pools, plant boxes, fountains, plazas, and landscaped areas, sheet lead provides waterproofing of the highest quality. Waterproofing today usually means ‘membrane” which includes built-up or laminated coverings made up of large, unbroken surfaces depending upon continuous integrity of the barrier for water-tightness. Generally speaking, such installations in lead should employ lead “burning” to join sheets as large as can be conveniently handled. Gauge of the metal varies with the purpose to which the membrane is to be put, but 6 (3/32”) or 8 (1/8”) lb. per square foot is minimum for burning. In all cases where lead will be in contact with concrete materials, it should be protected against potential lime corrosion by a cold applied brush coat of black asphaltum. Free lime, which occurs in “green” cement, can corrode lead with disastrous consequences. To protect lead against this form of corrosion, it should be painted with a heavy coat of cold applied black asphaltum meeting Federal Specification TT-C-494, Type II and/or MIL-C-18480.


Gutters
Lead lined gutters are employed where a parapet wall is designed with the roof. Examples of roofs where lead lined gutters are applicable are: A slated or tiled roof; a lead covered flat roof; flat or pitched roof abuts a vertical wall, or where two pitched roofs join by a horizontal valley. Thermal expansion should always be taken into consideration during the design. All lead gutter linings must be divided into separate bays.__ T-Pren is available for installation on lead gutters. T-Pren is a waterproof expansion joint system. The daily and seasonal thermal cycling causes metal gutter linings to expand and contract, and if expansion joints are not provided this movement will cause the metal to crack and so the gutter to leak.


Ornamental Lead
Lead is an ideal material for garden planters. Due to their robust construction, Lead Planters do not rust, rot, weather, or split. No special care is needed. Lead planters will naturally oxidize to a mellow light gray color. They are frost resistant and can be used outside all year round. Also, Plants thrive in lead planters. Lead planters have been used in English Gardens for Centuries, and add to the look of gardens large and small. Planters can be produced in square, rectangular, round, half round, corner, and trough configurations. We offer over two dozen design choices for these types of configurations. Special designs can be cast into the lead per customer specifications. Rainwater Heads are generally built per customer’s specifications. Refurbishing existing heads on historical buildings is also available. Common names for these boxes are: conductor boxes, leader heads, leader boxes, leaders and scupper boxes. Rainwater heads enhance the beauty and architectural style on a building. They can be placed under a valley area to drain collected water to the next level or to a ground drain. The most common installation would be where the roof drain runs through the wall scupper where water is dumping into a conductor head. They can also be used to drain small gutters into one large common drain in an attractive manner. This allows for no wall clutter with numerous drains.