THE LEAD LADS® / PROJECT ARCHIVE
Renewal of the lead covering to the entrance balcony at Grade II listed Rathbone House in York, incorporating Code 5 lead bays, gutters, timber core rolls, T-Pren expansion joints, perimeter cappings, cornice details and new rainwater outlets.
RATHBONE HOUSE · YORK · GRADE II LISTED · ARCHITECTURAL LEADWORK
Explore the Project01 — THE PROJECT
Rathbone House, formerly Moorlyn, is a Grade II listed property at 292 Tadcaster Road in York. Its front elevation incorporates projecting bays, a central entrance and a decorative stone balcony forming an important part of the architectural composition.
The Lead Lads® renewed the lead covering above the entrance, creating a coordinated weathering system designed to protect the balcony structure, masonry and building fabric beneath.
The work combined fully supported Code 5 lead bays with gutters, timber core rolls, expansion joints, perimeter cappings, cornice details, abutment flashings and dedicated rainwater outlets.
LOCATION
PROGRAMME
LEAD CODE
DESIGNATION
02 — THE CHALLENGE
A lead-covered balcony is more than a flat sheet of metal. It has to collect rainfall, accommodate changes in level, weather the surrounding masonry and discharge water safely beyond the architectural stonework.
At Rathbone House, the balcony sits prominently above the principal entrance. Failure of the covering or drainage details therefore has the potential to affect not only the balcony itself but also the stone façade, entrance and building fabric below.
The replacement was approached as a complete water-management system rather than a collection of isolated lead details.
03 — TECHNICAL APPROACH
The balcony contains several different leadwork functions within a relatively compact area.
Code 5 lead bays form the principal weathering surface. Timber core rolls divide the covering into manageable sections, while separate gutter linings collect water and direct it towards purpose-formed outlets.
T-Pren expansion joints were incorporated into the gutter runs to accommodate movement where continuous gutter lengths would otherwise place excessive stress on the sheet.
At the perimeter, welted cappings and cornice leadwork protect the exposed edges of the stone balcony and create clean drip details so water is discharged away from the façade.
BS 6915 Leadwork →
The Lead Handbook →
Lead Roofing Guides →
Code 5 lead sheet forms the principal weathering surface over the balcony.
Core rolls, gutter linings and movement details organise the lead into a complete system.
Perimeter cappings and drip details discharge rainwater clear of the historic masonry.
04 — FALLS + GUTTERS
One of the central principles of the new covering was establishing how water would move across and leave the structure.
The lead surfaces and gutter linings were formed with deliberate falls towards the outlets rather than allowing rainfall to remain on the covering or migrate towards the stone perimeter.
05 — MOVEMENT
Lead sheet changes dimension as its temperature rises and falls. Long continuous sheets or gutter runs therefore need to be designed so this movement does not become concentrated into vulnerable points.
Timber core rolls divide the principal covering into individual bays, while T-Pren expansion joints provide a dedicated movement detail within the gutter system.
The combination allows the various parts of the balcony covering to respond to thermal movement without unnecessarily restraining the lead.
06 — SIGNATURE DETAIL
The perimeter is where the technical leadwork becomes part of the architecture.
The balcony edge is not simply terminated at the stonework. Lead cappings and cornice details continue the weathering system around the exposed perimeter.
The finished edge incorporates a defined drip so water breaks away from the lead rather than tracking back across the underside or down the stone façade.
On historic masonry this seemingly small detail is important. Repeated saturation can cause staining and contribute to deterioration of vulnerable stone surfaces.
07 — PREPARATION + SUPPORT
08 — LEADWORK INSTALLATION
09 — MATERIALS
CODE 5 LEAD →
WOOD CORE ROLLS →
T-PREN EXPANSION JOINTS →
LEADWORK FIXINGS →
10 — LEADWORK SKILLS
The project brings together roofing, drainage and architectural leadwork skills within one relatively compact area.
11 — PROJECT RECORD
The completed photographs show how the lead bays, rolls, gutters and perimeter details become one coherent architectural covering.
Look beyond the surface finish and the important details are the routes created for both water and thermal movement — two principles fundamental to durable leadwork.
12 — THE BUILDING
Rathbone House, formerly Moorlyn, is a Grade II listed property on Tadcaster Road in York.
The principal elevation incorporates a central entrance, stone balcony and projecting curved bays, creating a façade in which the roof and leadwork details are highly visible architectural elements.
The balcony covering therefore performs two roles: providing a durable weathering layer over the stone construction while sitting discreetly within the historic architecture.
13 — TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
The project demonstrates several principles that apply across fully supported lead sheet roofing and architectural leadwork.
Leadwork Standards →
BS EN 12588 →
The Lead Handbook →
Lead Roofing Guides →
Lead Sizing + Ordering Chart →
Lead Weight Calculator →
14 — WHAT THIS PROJECT SHOWS
The visible lead sheet is only one part of the finished construction.
Long-term performance depends upon the relationship between the substrate, lead bay sizes, core rolls, gutter falls, movement joints, outlets, abutment flashings and perimeter drips.
When those components are considered as a complete system, rainfall has a controlled route from the surface of the balcony to the rainwater pipe while the lead remains free to respond to temperature change.
PROPERTY OWNER TAKEAWAYS
15 — FREQUENTLY ASKED
Lead can be formed around complex architectural geometry while providing a durable weathering layer over vulnerable construction beneath.
The gutters collect rainfall from the individual lead bays and direct it towards defined outlets rather than allowing water to discharge unpredictably across the stonework.
It provides a flexible movement detail within a lead-lined gutter, allowing sections of the gutter to respond to thermal movement without relying on one long continuous sheet.
Core rolls form raised joints between lead bays, helping divide the covering into appropriately sized sections while creating a traditional architectural detail.
A properly formed drip encourages water to break clear of the edge rather than track back onto the face or underside of the masonry.
16 — MATERIALS + RESOURCES
Lead Roofing Project Archive →
Leadwork Services →
Code 5 Rolled Lead →
Lead Wood Rolls →
T-Pren Expansion Joints →
Copper Leadwork Nails →
Patination Oil →
Lead Lads Shop →
THE LEAD LADS® / PROJECT ARCHIVE
The Rathbone House balcony forms part of The Lead Lads® project archive documenting traditional lead roofs, gutters, bays, canopies, flashings and architectural leadwork across the UK.
Together with our separate curved bay project at Rathbone House, it demonstrates how different lead systems can be integrated into one historic elevation while responding to very different technical requirements.
