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Manchester Slate & Lead Flat Roof Repair

Lead Pannel Flat Roof

Repair and refurbishment of an extensive Victorian office building in Deansgate, Manchester city centre.

• The commercial roof repair and refurbishment contract was to 640 metres square of slate roof and ridge tiles and lead flat roof.
• Deansgate in central Manchester.

Roofing contractor required to:

• Replace flat roof lead panels and guttering.
• Reslate the pitched roof.
• Replace all defective slates.
• Apply lead cladding and roof panels to the dormer windows.

City Centre works preparation

• Obtain all permits for Manchester City Centre
• Provide full scaffolding

Existing Roof

The existing roof systems had both a pitched slate roof and a lead flat roof. Both roofs required attention and renovation to prevent roof weakness and ensure their maximum potential life span was not compromised. As the roofing contractors K-Roofing were contracted to:

• Repair the flat roof structure and relead.
• Refurbish the slate roof using reclaimed Welsh slate.

Flat Roof Areas

• The flat roof system sits atop a large semi-circular stairwell.
• Upon inspection the roof timbers underneath the lead were found to be rotten.
• The rot was caused by exposure to moisure and water saturation caused by water ingress.
• The exisiting timbers were removed and disposed of.
• A new timber structure was installed to marine ply specification.
• All falls were formed to adhere to LDA regulations.
• Code 6 lead was supplied and installed to the flat roof areas, inc of all rolled lead joints, upstands, flashing pieces and outlets.

Bespoke Lead Roofing

• The lead roofing system was custom made from elevations of lead panels using wood core roll joints.
• Wood cored rolls are suitable for roofing and cladding applications but must be used only in the direction of the fall of the roof or cladding.
• The undercloak of lead was shaped around a solid wooden core and then nailed using copper or stainless steel nails.
• Lead panels were designed in such a way to remove water from the roof and prevent significant ponding. Channelled water drains into the lead lined gutters and into the lead gutters. The top of the brickwork has lead covering using welted joints.

Re-Slating of the Roof

Reclaimed Welsh slates rather than new slates provided considerable cost savings.

• Reclaimed Welsh slates was specifically acquired for the roof area to ensure there were minimum variations of colour/shade, grade, thichness and steps.
• A licence was required to use the mobile crane lifting equipment on the public highway so slates could be easily raised to the roof.
• Slates were graded then mechanically fixed to the roof battons with the smaller slates towards the top of the roof.
• Code 4 lead was installed to all chimneys to form the bossed apron, side flashings and back gutter.
• Code 4 lead was installed to all roof gutters and hip ends.

Ridge Tiles

• Ridge tiles were mecanically fixed to match the requirements of the environmental conditions.
• The sides and collars were skimmed in cement to ensure a watertight hold.