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Clarke Roofing replaced the flat roof of an orangery, installing the Sika Decothane Ultra 20 liquid plastic system as an alternative to traditional leadwork. The project included removing and reinstating the rooflight, patio doors, and air conditioning unit, along with new Code 5 and Code 4 leadwork to the abutments and outlets.
Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd were appointed to replace the flat roof of an orangery, moving away from a traditional lead covering to the Sika Decothane Ultra 20 liquid plastic system. Access scaffolding went up around the perimeter of the roof for the full duration of the works, and an aluminium tower scaffold was used internally so the rooflight could be safely removed and refitted.
The orangery roof carried several features that needed to come out cleanly and go back in without damage. The rooflight's internal patterned glass panels, the air conditioning unit, the patio door and frame, and the external rooflight glazing all had to be removed and stored safely for re-use once the new roof covering was in place. The existing lead bays, timber rolls, and parapet wall cavity trays also needed lifting and clearing before any new waterproofing could go in.
Work began with an external access scaffold erected around the perimeter of the flat roof, which stayed in place for the whole project. Internally, an aluminium tower scaffold gave the team safe access to remove and refit the rooflight.
The parapet wall cavity trays were lifted and the key components dismantled. The rooflight's internal patterned glass panels were removed and stored, along with the air conditioning unit, the patio door and frame, and the external rooflight glazing, all set aside for re-use. The old lead bays and timber rolls were stripped out and cleared away.
With the roof clear, a new Code 5 lead tray was installed to the patio door and a Code 5 lead chute directed to the parapet outlet. The deck was then prepared with a self-adhesive underlay ahead of applying the Decothane Ultra 20 system, which was dressed securely up to the abutment and rooflight upstands. New Code 4 lead flashing went in along the abutment walls, and the existing abutment lead trays were re-dressed to match.
To finish the job, the stored rooflight glazing and glazing bars were reinstalled, the patio doors and frame refitted, and the air conditioning unit put back in place.
The orangery now has a fully bonded roof covering in place of the original lead detailing on the main roof area, with new Code 5 and Code 4 leadwork retained at the patio door, parapet outlet, and abutments. Decothane Ultra 20 was used here as an alternative to a fully leaded roof, giving the same weathertight performance with a different build-up.
Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd is a third-generation, family-run roofing, construction, and heritage restoration company based in Eastbourne, East Sussex. With over 75 years of experience, we work across the South East for a wide range of clients including homeowners, schools, local authorities, architects, and The National Trust.
Clarke Roofing are accredited by the NFRC, and Constructionline Gold, CHAS, TrustMark, the Liquid Roofing and Waterproofing Association (LRWA), and the Lead Contractors Association, among others. We are also approved contractors for Langley, Sika, Bauder, BMI, IKO, and Garland. All new projects and re-roofs carry a minimum 10-year guarantee.
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