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What Are the Benefits of Sheet Lead Cladding?

Sheet lead cladding ranks among the most prestigious of the many available roofing and wall-cladding options, and yet, it is also virtually unbeatable in regard to cost-effectiveness and low environmental impact. Sheet lead cladding is commonly used on a wide variety of building types, including churches, government buildings, commercial properties, and even some residential real estate.

Besides the general high quality and extreme versatility of the product, however, there are many more specific benefits of sheet lead cladding to consider, such as the following:

  1. Sheet lead cladding is extremely durable, and depending on the thickness used can last for 100 years or longer before needing replacement, which means that it lasts about three times longer than most other types of sheet metal used in construction like galvanized steel and prefinished steel.
  2. When considering materials, if you compare some sheet metals can be 50% cheaper than sheet lead options, but when you compare life spans lead is actually less expensive due to the fact that lead requires little or no maintenance over its long lifespan.
  3. Sheet lead cladding is rigid and weighty enough to be highly resistant to wind damage.
  4. The multiple thicknesses of the sheet lead cladding can be accommodated to different situations. A thinner sheet is sufficient for sheltered or moderately exposed structures, midrange thicknesses protects severely exposed areas, and the heavier thicker sheets commonly used for historic building restoration.
  5. Sheet lead cladding is 100% recyclable; its carbon footprint is also lower than for other hard metals because of its relatively low melting point. It has also been proven that higher concentrations of lead in run-off water has no negative environmental impact.
  6. Sheet lead cladding can be formed into intricate, decorative patterns that preserve the style of the ornate wood and masonry structures that it is often used to cover. Using this kind of cladding to shield ledges, buttresses, and other erosion-prone areas can preserve complex and historic architectural designs for decades to come.
  7. The deep-toned appearance of sheet lead cladding integrates well into numerous exterior designs, and particularly is this so with masonry.8.
  8. skilled labour is required for performing sheet lead work. The demands of working with lead require years of specialized training and experience, and few contractors have the necessary skills and equipment required to install sheet lead cladding.
  9. If you decide to use sheet lead cladding on your next construction project, you can harness the benefits listed above and render your new or restored building more durable, more attractive, and more environmentally friendly.

To secure top-tier sheet lead cladding installation services, one of the best companies to rely on is Heather and Little Limited. Heather and Little have been in the sheet metal business for over nine decades, and over the years, their master metalsmiths have beautified and protected a wide variety of buildings all across North America. For more information about sheet lead cladding, call us or fill out our online contact form.

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And if you are looking for a second opinion on your project or have a particularly complex issue that needs a fresh eye, we’re here for that too. Tackling tricky challenges is our specialty and we welcome the opportunity to provide consulting advice, with the same exacting attention to detail we bring to all our commissions.

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