Midland Lead heritage projects

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Heritage projects

Preserving the past with Midland Lead heritage projects

When you’re working on heritage projects, there’s a real responsibility to use the right material, achieve that flawless finish and preserve history for generations to come. 

With over 40 years’ experience providing lead for castles, cathedrals and other historic buildings around the world, we’ve also got a bit of ‘heritage’ here at Midland Lead! And we’re happy to share this expertise with our customers. We’re used to working with national bodies like English Heritage and the National Trust, plus church authorities, homeowners, architects and planners to ensure every heritage project gets the specialist attention it deserves.

sandcast lead

Why sandcast lead?

Sandcast lead is suitable for any roofing application – just like machine cast lead. But it’s a more specialised, hand-made product and is particularly common in heritage applications. Sandcast lead has a distinctive, slightly grainy texture and is often produced in thicker codes.

We can produce sandcast lead at various codes:

Code 6 - 2.65mm thickness

Code 7 - 3.15mm thickness

Code 8 - 3.55mm thickness

Code 9 – this is a very specialised procedure. Contact us to discuss your requirements in detail.

Note: The commonest length requirement for sandcast lead is around 3.0m and under, with a typical width of around 1.2m – the size of the roof bay.

Expert tip from Team Midland Lead

"Sandcast lead is effectively a hand-made product, which comes with a higher price tag. Speak to your local heritage authority to see if they recommend you use sandcast lead. If they don’t, machine cast lead will do the job just as well. It’s more efficient to produce – hence, quicker to you at a lower cost – but with no compromise to the quality and craftsmanship required for application."

skilled craftspeople

How we make your sandcast lead

Our authentic sandcast lead combines traditional manufacturing methods with a purpose-built, modern production environment. For example, we still use a casting table filled with sand, but we heat the lead in a huge kettle – only releasing the molten lead when it hits just the right temperature. Our skilled craftspeople ensure the sandcast lead has the correct thickness, tensile strength and wonderfully authentic appearance. 

case studies

Midland Lead heritage projects

  • Scampston Hall

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  • Swanwick Hall Grade II Listed Building Re-roofing

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  • Belmont Park Mansion House, Australia

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  • Extensive roof repair of a Grade II listed property (Bridge Buildings)

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  • Grade II listed Victorian Market Hall - Derby Market Hall Re-roofing Project

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  • Heritage Project at St Stephens Church, Cornwall

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Background
passion for heritage and restoration

"Working with Midland Lead has been fantastic. They share the same passion for heritage and restoration as I do and their attention to every detail has made such a big difference. It's great to work with suppliers who care as much about the project as you do"

Geo Gargan, Project Manager, Glenbuild

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frequently asked questions

Your questions, answered

We make it our business to understand your material requirements, sequencing of deliveries and to answer any heritage related questions you may have

Heritage

Yes, and it’s a really sustainable approach which also protects the authentic appearance of the building! We take the existing lead from the property, put it back through one of our kettles and then re-mould it for you. We don’t add anything, nor do we take anything away. This way, the building maintains its traditional look and the lead is given a new lease of life for many years to come.
The main difference is the distinctive, slightly grainy texture of sandcast lead which has a more authentic finish for older heritage applications. It’s also supplied in thicker codes. Other than that, there’s very little difference in terms of product quality and durability. That’s why we’d also recommend machine cast lead as an alternative where sandcast lead isn’t specified – it’s a great cost-effective alternative.
Every batch of sandcast lead is made to order. Generally, you should allow around 10 days for a 5 tonne order, but contact us for a more accurate delivery estimate for your specific order.