UK Manufactured Lead Came — Stained Glass & Leaded Light Profiles
Heaps, Arnold & Heaps Ltd manufactures lead came and decorative lead profiles at our Rotherham facility for the stained glass, leaded light, conservation and decorative glazing trades. With over 250 years of lead extrusion and casting experience, we supply professional stained glass studios, conservation contractors, heritage glaziers and hobbyist artists across the UK and internationally.
Our lead came is extruded from refined lead to consistent profile dimensions, with the surface finish and dimensional accuracy required for both new commissions and conservation-grade restoration work.
Why Choose Heaps, Arnold & Heaps Lead Came?
- UK manufactured at our Rotherham facility — full traceability
- Standard H, U and round profiles available in a range of widths
- Bespoke decorative profiles for conservation matching
- Consistent extrusion quality for predictable soldering and stretching
- Coiled lengths for studio use, plus straight lengths for larger panels
- Conservation-appropriate for Listed building and heritage glazing
- Over 250 years of expertise — established 1770
Standard Lead Came Profiles
Stained glass and leaded light construction uses two primary came profiles, each suited to different glazing applications:
H-Section Lead Came
H-section lead came — sometimes called “H lead” — has channels on both sides of the central web, allowing it to hold a pane of glass on each side. This is the workhorse profile for stained glass panels where multiple pieces of glass meet within a single panel.
- Channel widths typically 3mm (1/8″) to 16mm (5/8″) to suit standard glass thicknesses
- Face widths from 3mm (1/8″) up to 25mm (1″) or more for heavier decorative work
- Supplied in coiled lengths suitable for studio stretching and shaping
- Available with rounded, flat or shaped face profiles for different aesthetic effects
U-Section Lead Came
U-section lead came — or “U lead” — has a single channel and is used at the perimeter of a stained glass panel, holding the outer edge of glass and providing the frame edge that fits into the window rebate.
- Single channel widths to match glass thickness
- Face widths from 4mm upwards
- Provides the structural perimeter of the finished panel
- Soldered to internal H-came at the panel corners
Round Lead Came
Round-profile lead came is used for decorative effects, particularly in Victorian and Edwardian-style leaded light designs where the curved face profile creates distinctive light-and-shadow patterns. We supply round came in various face widths to match historical references and conservation requirements.
Decorative Lead Profiles & Bespoke Came
Beyond standard H and U sections, we manufacture decorative lead profiles for specialist applications:
- Patterned face came — surface-textured profiles for decorative panels
- Heavy-section structural came — for large architectural panels needing extra rigidity
- Conservation-matched profiles — extruded to match existing historic came on Listed building restorations
- Bespoke channel dimensions — for non-standard glass thicknesses (e.g. handmade or imported glass)
- For conservation projects requiring exact replication of historic came profiles, we can manufacture from samples or detailed measurements. Send us a sample with your enquiry for accurate quotation.
Lead Came for Stained Glass Restoration
Stained glass restoration — particularly of Victorian church windows, Edwardian domestic panels and Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs — requires lead came that’s appropriate to the period of the original work. Modern thin-faced came often looks visually wrong in historic settings.
What Restoration Specialists Need from Lead Came
- Heavier face profiles matching Victorian and Edwardian visual proportions
- Period-appropriate channel dimensions for the original glass thickness
- Consistent extrusion quality for clean soldering at junctions
- UK-manufactured traceability for conservation case files
- Pure lead composition — not lead-alloy substitutes
We work with conservation specialists across the UK on church window restoration, heritage hotel and pub glazing repairs, and Listed building stained glass replacement. Our came is approved for use on Listed building work and supplied with documentation suitable for inclusion in conservation reports.
Lead Came for New Stained Glass Work
For contemporary stained glass design, professional studios and individual artists alike use our lead came as their standard supply:
- Studio supply — coiled came delivered in working quantities
- Workshop supply — straight lengths for production-line panel making
- Hobbyist quantities — small orders for individual projects
- Course supply — bulk supply to stained glass teaching workshops and colleges
European & International Distribution
Our lead came is supplied to international stained glass markets through established distribution arrangements. We hold a long-standing relationship with our international distributors for lead came supplying European and international markets.
For overseas trade enquiries, including container-load supply and project-specific extrusion, contact our export team directly.
Who We Supply
Our lead came and decorative profiles are used across the UK and international stained glass and leaded light sectors:
- Professional stained glass studios — contemporary commissions
- Conservation glaziers — Listed building and heritage restoration
- Church window restoration specialists
- Heritage building glazing contractors
- Architectural glass design studios
- Independent stained glass artists
- Stained glass teaching workshops and adult education centres
- Building conservation trusts
- National Trust and English Heritage property maintenance teams
- International stained glass distributors — Europe and worldwide
Material Quality & Conservation Compliance
Lead came performance — both structural and aesthetic — depends on consistent material quality. All our came is:
- Extruded at our UK facility from refined source material
- Pure lead composition (not lead-alloy substitutes that can compromise solderability and durability)
- Manufactured to consistent profile dimensions
- Supplied with material traceability documentation
- Suitable for inclusion in Listed building conservation reports
For conservation projects subject to Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw or local conservation officer scrutiny, our UK manufacturing and material documentation simplifies the case file build.
How to Order Lead Came
Lead came orders are processed on a quote-led basis to ensure profile and length specifications are met:
- Submit a quote request with your profile (H, U, round, decorative), channel width, face width and quantity (in kg or metres)
- We respond within 1 working day with availability and lead time
- For bespoke or conservation-matched profiles, send samples or detailed measurements
- Standard profiles typically dispatched within 1 week; bespoke profiles 2-3 weeks
For trade accounts and ongoing studio supply arrangements, contact our team directly to discuss credit terms and BACS payment.
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