Lead flashing vs. plastic bonding

thomas.rynne · 2005-11-07T14:13:17+00:00

Hi, I have a single story kitchen extension with a tiled roof which isleaking and causing a significant damp problem in the room. The leak isat the join between the main house and the slooping roof. I think theleak is caused by the lack of lead flashing along this join. I'vepreviously been planning to fit one but because of time pressures atthe moment I got someone round to give me a quote.He suggested using a plastic alternative. I can't remember the name forit but it sounds like a bitumen based product which creates a bondbetween the wall and the tiles and seals the gap -similar to the blacktape you can buy in DIY shops but a bit tougher. He quoted 350 poundsfor this and said doing it in lead would cost 700. He'll guarantee theplastic bonding work for 10 years and although he would fit a leadflashing he can't guarentee it because when the concrete dries it willfall out.I really don't know which option to choose. I feel a bit wary aboutchoosing the plastic option even though its cheaper and has aguarantee. Does anyone have any experience with this alternative tolead flashing?Although the lead flashing could/will fall out eventually I can put itback myself -which isn't too big a job. If the plastic breaks I justhave to start again. However, 10 years is quite a long time and asaving of 350 pounds is quite significant.Also, lead flashing is cut into the brick so I always imagined itcaught some of the falling moisture in the wall which the plasticversion will not do- am I correct?thanks for any adviceThomas

Nov 07, 2005 22 Replies

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thomas.rynne 20 years ago

I did the job last weekend. Thanks for all the advice. It went reasonably well although it did take me most of the weekend. I couldn't get the lead to hug the tiles as much as I'd like but I can improve that later.

I'm please I went with the lead flashing and not the plastic bonding. It cost =A3130 in the end, which included about =A330 on tools so it worked out much cheaper than =A3350 too.

thanks Thomas

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Dave Plowman (News) 20 years ago

Did you enjoy doing it?

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Nick H 20 years ago

The lead will naturally "sag" onto the tiles so just leave well alon now, sods law says if you go back up you'll break a tile or fall an break your neck

-- Nick H

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