THE LEAD LADS® / PROJECT ARCHIVE
Complete reconstruction of a traditional flat entrance canopy near Tadcaster, incorporating a new timber substrate, integral lead gutter, timber core-roll details, Code 5 rolled lead sheet, perimeter drips and masonry flashings.
TADCASTER · NORTH YORKSHIRE · CODE 5 LEAD · ENTRANCE CANOPY
Explore the Project01 — THE PROJECT
This project near Tadcaster involved the complete renewal of a lead-covered canopy positioned above the principal entrance to the property.
The canopy is compact, but combines several separate weathering functions within one architectural feature: a fully supported lead roof, raised roll details, perimeter drips, an integral gutter and flashings where the canopy meets the masonry elevation.
Rather than replacing only the visible sheet, the detail was reconstructed from the supporting timber upwards so that the finished Code 5 leadwork could be formed over a controlled substrate and drainage arrangement.
LEADWORK TADCASTER + YORK →
LEAD BAYS + CANOPIES →
LEADWORK STANDARDS →
LOCATION
PROGRAMME
LEAD CODE
DETAIL
02 — THE CANOPY
This canopy performs more than a decorative role above the entrance.
Its upper surface collects rainwater, the lead bays direct that water across the roof and the gutter detail then has to receive and discharge it without allowing water to reach the timber construction or doorway below.
The perimeter edges also need to terminate cleanly and throw water clear, while the rear of the canopy has to connect back into the masonry elevation through separate flashing details.
03 — TECHNICAL APPROACH
The timber construction beneath the sheet determines both the geometry and the path taken by rainwater.
The canopy was therefore reconstructed to provide suitable support, defined edges and a formed gutter before the new lead covering was installed.
The Code 5 lead was then divided into manageable sections using traditional roll details, allowing the roof to be weathered without creating one oversized and unnecessarily restrained sheet.
The lead code and sheet arrangement are specific to this project. Other canopies should be specified according to their dimensions, geometry, exposure and supporting construction.
The existing entrance canopy before the previous covering and supporting details were removed.
New timber construction established the canopy geometry, gutter and supporting background.
The completed Code 5 covering integrates roof bays, gutter, rolls, flashings and drip edges.
04 — INTEGRAL GUTTER
The gutter is one of the features that distinguishes this project from a simple sheet-covered hood.
Its supporting timber was formed as part of the canopy reconstruction before being lined with Code 5 lead.
The roof covering, roll arrangement and gutter then operate together, moving water from the upper surface towards a defined collection point rather than relying on uncontrolled runoff around the entrance.
That relationship between roof and gutter is central to the finished detail.
05 — DRIPS + EDGES
The external edges of the canopy need to do more than simply finish the sheet neatly.
Properly formed drips encourage water to separate from the underside of the lead and discharge clear of the timber and decorative surfaces below.
The edges also remain visually prominent from ground level, making accuracy of dressing and restraint important to both weathering performance and architectural appearance.
Compatible clips and fixings were used where appropriate to secure the edge details while respecting normal sheet movement.
06 — SIGNATURE DETAIL
The strength of this canopy lies in the way several traditional lead details are compressed into one small architectural feature.
The timber rolls divide the roof covering. The bays shed water across the canopy. The gutter receives that water, while perimeter drips and masonry flashings deal with the remaining boundaries.
Each element has a different function, but none works particularly well in isolation.
The finished canopy is therefore best understood as a complete weathering system rather than simply a decorative sheet of lead above a doorway.
07 — PREPARATION + SUPPORT
Establishing the gutter, edges and roll positions before the sheet is installed gives the finished leadwork a controlled geometry to follow.
08 — LEADWORK INSTALLATION
09 — MATERIALS
CODE 5 LEAD →
18MM PLYWOOD →
WOOD CORE ROLL →
LEAD UNDERLAY →
LEADWORK FIXINGS →
LEAD MATE →
PATINATION OIL →
10 — THE CRAFT
The canopy demonstrates how compact architectural details can require a surprisingly broad range of leadworking skills.
11 — PROJECT RECORD
The Tadcaster project record documents the canopy before renewal, the timber reconstruction beneath the sheet and the finished Code 5 weathering system.
The sequence shows why successful leadwork is determined long before the final sheet is dressed into place.
12 — LEAD CANOPIES
Traditional lead canopies contain many of the same principles as substantially larger lead roofs.
They require sound support, appropriate sheet dimensions, controlled movement, reliable abutment details and an obvious route for water.
The smaller scale simply concentrates those decisions into a more compact area.
This Tadcaster canopy is particularly useful because the integral gutter adds another layer to that weathering system.
Lead Bays + Canopies →
BS 6915 →
LSTA Guidelines →
The Lead Handbook →
13 — TADCASTER LEADWORK
Tadcaster falls naturally within The Lead Lads® wider York and North Yorkshire operating area.
This project gives that location coverage a real technical example: a completed canopy combining structural renewal, lead roofing, gutter lining, roll details and masonry flashings.
Leadwork York + Tadcaster →
Leadwork Services →
Request a Leadwork Quote →
14 — WHAT THIS PROJECT SHOWS
The defining lesson from the Tadcaster canopy is that the outer sheet cannot correct poor geometry beneath it.
The timber substrate establishes the roof surface. The formed gutter determines where collected water goes. The roll layout controls the sheet arrangement, while the drips and flashings manage the exposed boundaries.
Only once those components are resolved does the Code 5 covering become the final weathering layer.
That makes the project a particularly good example of why traditional leadwork is as much about construction and setting out as it is about dressing sheet metal.
PROJECT TAKEAWAYS
15 — FREQUENTLY ASKED
Code 5 rolled lead sheet was used on the Tadcaster project. The correct code for another canopy depends on its dimensions, sheet arrangement, exposure and geometry.
The roll creates a raised weathering joint between adjacent sections of lead and allows the canopy covering to be divided into manageable bays.
The gutter gives collected rainwater a defined route away from the roof surface rather than allowing runoff to discharge unpredictably around the entrance.
Fully supported leadwork generally requires a suitable separation layer appropriate to the substrate and specification. The exact product should be chosen for the particular build-up rather than assumed from the detail name alone.
Local defects may sometimes be repairable. Where the covering, gutter, substrate or several junctions are defective, more comprehensive renewal can allow the whole weathering system to be reconstructed properly.
Compatible non-ferrous fixings help avoid inappropriate material combinations and can restrain leadwork at suitable points without unnecessarily restricting movement.
16 — MATERIALS + RESOURCES
Lead Roofing Project Archive →
Lead Bays + Canopies →
Leadwork Standards →
Code 5 Rolled Lead →
18mm Plywood →
Wood Core Roll →
Lead Underlay →
Leadwork Fixings →
Lead Mate Sealant →
Patination Oil →
Lead Sizing + Ordering Chart →
THE LEAD LADS® / PROJECT ARCHIVE
The Tadcaster entrance canopy forms part of The Lead Lads® archive documenting real applications of sheet lead across bays, roofs, gutters, dormers, flashings, canopies and specialist architectural details.
Its defining feature is the integration of several traditional details within one compact roof: fully supported Code 5 lead bays, timber rolls, a lead-lined gutter, perimeter drips and masonry flashings.
