Building a new chimney. Lead flashing question

tootsy70

My sister owns a 1980s bungalow and is having damp problems with her chimney and has asked me to rebuild it seeing as ive worked in construction most my life. I thought id make a thread to ask will i be doing everything properly seeing as most my old work mates are on the other side of the world at the moment and dont know anyone else i can ask for advice.

This chimney would be only 2 block high(at a guess) so theres not much work needing done and thought id take it on myself seeing as my sister couldnt afford to get any builders in for it.

What im wanting to know really is how to do the lead work around it. Ive seen a few pics on-line where you get 6inch lead and just nail it on with masonary nails, run a plastic stop bead along it for 2 coats of sand and cement and finish it on top with a concrete cap with DCP underneath.

Ill be errecting scaffold around this chimney for safety measures and should have be finished in a few days. ! day to take down, build on same day, leave for another day or 2 then nail my lead on, 1 scartch coat and cap it with the concrete cap on top. Next day will float it with a sand and cement coat with water-proofer. Neat day should finish it with finishing of the lead work.

I remember when i was younger working on some chimneys thou these were made out of brick with a lead tray. Im wanting to know do i need to use a lead tray or am i good to go with just hammering the lead flashing straight onto the block.



EDIT... Have read the rules and understand that structural questions arent aloud but dont really knwo would chimneys of this nature be a structural issue so this is why i went ahead with the thread mods.

smellyfinger

tootsy70 wrote: »

My sister owns a 1980s bungalow and is having damp problems with her chimney and has asked me to rebuild it seeing as ive worked in construction most my life. I thought id make a thread to ask will i be doing everything properly seeing as most my old work mates are on the other side of the world at the moment and dont know anyone else i can ask for advice.

This chimney would be only 2 block high(at a guess) so theres not much work needing done and thought id take it on myself seeing as my sister couldnt afford to get any builders in for it.

What im wanting to know really is how to do the lead work around it. Ive seen a few pics on-line where you get 6inch lead and just nail it on with masonary nails, run a plastic stop bead along it for 2 coats of sand and cement and finish it on top with a concrete cap with DCP undern
Ill be errecting scaffold around this chimney for safety measures and should have be finished in a few days. ! day to take down, build on same day, leave for another day or 2 then nail my lead on, 1 scartch coat and cap it with the concrete cap on top. Next day will float it with a sand and cement coat with water-proofer. Neat day should finish it with finishing of the lead work.

I remember when i was younger working on some chimneys thou these were made out of brick with a lead tray. Im wanting to know do i need to use a lead tray or am i good to go with just hammering the lead flashing straight onto the block.



EDIT... Have read the rules and understand that structural questions arent aloud but dont really knwo would chimneys of this nature be a structural issue so this is why i went ahead with the thread mods.

If this is the extent of your knowledge on lead flashings, then I suggest getting in a professional to do the lead work, and maybe you can do the rest yourself. 95% of problems encountered on new houses are chimney related and homebond exclude chimneys from their warranty,

rickmoister

I agree lead work around a chimney is not a job for someone who hasn't done it before as it is costly to repair if it is done wrong it is worth paying the money to have done once and done right.

tootsy70

smellyfinger wrote: »

If this is the extent of your knowledge on lead flashings, then I suggest getting in a professional to do the lead work, and maybe you can do the rest yourself. 95% of problems encountered on new houses are chimney related and homebond exclude chimneys from their warranty,

I agree that my knowledge on lead isnt great but i couldnt see it being that difficult. I know it can be built into the chimney if its a brick built, something that i could do but wanted to know can i just nail the flashing onto the block then float over it with sand and cement.

sinnerboy

tootsy70 wrote: »

I agree that my knowledge on lead isnt great but i couldnt see it being that difficult. I know it can be built into the chimney if its a brick built, something that i could do but wanted to know can i just nail the flashing onto the block then float over it with sand and cement.

STOP!
You need a plumber or other lead work expert. Only experts make things look easy.

smellyfinger

tootsy70 wrote: »

I agree that my knowledge on lead isn't great but I couldnt see it being that difficult. I know it can be built into the chimney if its a brick built, something that i could do but wanted to know can i just nail the flashing onto the block then float over it with sand and cement.

You can nail the counter flashing to the chimney with washered steel nails but the flashing on the roof is not supposed to be nailed to the chimney, this is in case the roof sags and the lead wont tear as it moves independently. I am roofing houses for 25 plus years and I have seen DIY lead flashings that worked OK and others that leaked and cost lots of money to make right. It is a skilled job and not one to be taken on unless you have the correct tools and knowledge.
Good Luck.

tootsy70

smellyfinger wrote: »

You can nail the counter flashing to the chimney with washered steel nails but the flashing on the roof is not supposed to be nailed to the chimney, this is in case the roof sags and the lead wont tear as it moves independently. I am roofing houses for 25 plus years and I have seen DIY lead flashings that worked OK and others that leaked and cost lots of money to make right. It is a skilled job and not one to be taken on unless you have the correct tools and knowledge.
Good Luck.

Yes i know this, it gets tucked up under the flashing nailed to the chimney and the rest is laid on top of the concrete tiles and tapped into place around and bends etc.. Listen, i know its a skilled job but it shouldnt be that difficult. Its not like building a brick wall or even a newbie trying to skim.

How could a few strips of lead cost alot of money to do. This is a very small job remember!

tootsy70

sinnerboy wrote: »

STOP!
You need a plumber or other lead work expert. Only experts make things look easy.

A plumber! , why would you get a plumber to do a roofers job. Im confused!

smellyfinger

tootsy70 wrote: »

Yes i know this, it gets tucked up under the flashing nailed to the chimney and the rest is laid on top of the concrete tiles and tapped into place around and bends etc.. Listen, i know its a skilled job but it shouldnt be that difficult. Its not like building a brick wall or even a newbie trying to skim.

How could a few strips of lead cost alot of money to do. This is a very small job remember!

It cost a lot of money to pull down a ceiling and replaster it etc and fix the flashing after the flashing leaked, cos a diy er did it after watching a how to video on youtube. Thats How.

smellyfinger

tootsy70 wrote: »

A plumber! , why would you get a plumber to do a roofers job. Im confused!

Technically speaking flashing a chimney and even installing gutters is a plumbers job but I've yet to see one doing it. It is a union thing.

rickmoister

Are you sure that rebuilding the chimney will solve the problem could the existing flashings be the problem?

tootsy70

rickmoister wrote: »

Are you sure that rebuilding the chimney will solve the problem could the existing flashings be the problem?

The chimney is cracked and the cap is old sand and cement(or badly mixed concrete) with a few cracks in it so it really needs to be pulled TBH