Lead vs felt vs anything else?

[noob2diy]

Hello

My lovely ground floor bay window is leaking, its flat roof is lead, and it looks very tired, looking at neighbours windows they have either been replaced with lead (and looking damn fine) or felt. I think mine may be the original lead from 1900

Now question is, do I replace with lead? or not? I dont mind paying for lead but am concerned about thieves (although they havent thieved the current one) and the environment, but I do want a more period look than felt. Ultimately waterproofing it is the main priority tho. So as I'm new to DIY, would like to know what you would choose....

 

[Blagard]

I would use lead. It is fair to say that lead roofing is generally not a DIY job. Dressing, bossing and perhaps lead burning are all skills not picked up in one DIY project. You would probably end up spliting it and otherwise damaging it. If done properly it will last another 100 years unless nicked

 

[hardmetalking]

Copper, zinc or stainless steel. Will last longer than lead, it won't be stolen and it'll be cheaper too.

 

[jabuzzard]

Copper, zinc or stainless steel. Will last longer than lead, it won't be stolen and it'll be cheaper too.

Given prices for scrap metals I would have thought a copper roof was much more likely to be stolen than a lead one.

 

[hardmetalking]

There isn't a lot of weight to a copper roof compared to a lead one, it's also a million times harder to remove!

 

[Possel]

If the OP's house is listed then he MUST legally use lead to replace lead unless he gets Listed Building Consent.

And if all the neighbouring houses have lead, then lead will look right and if theirs hasn't been nicked, why should his?

I agree he should get a specialist to do it - I know a brilliant one near Oxford...

 

[^woody^]

The OP can DIY the roof in EPDM, and it wont look any different to lead from the ground below