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MarShield Answers Common Sheet Lead Questions
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Mars Metal Company/MarShield, Burlington, ON
Posted on May 31, 2022
Sheet lead is a common, quick and cost-effective method to efficiently shield radiation in dental offices, vet clinics, health clinics, hospitals and other areas. It can also be used for roof flashing and can be laminated to drywall or plywood depending on your needs. Many customers have questions about sheet lead orders and clarifications about what we offer. We’ve gathered all the important information you need to know about sheet lead to help you complete your order below.
About Sheet Lead
What is the difference between a lead roll and lead sheet?
Lead sheets are rolled from 1/32” to 1/8” to save on freight costs by being able to put more lead on a smaller skid. The 1/8” material is quite heavy, so they are put onto 4” coils to make unrolling them easier. The lead in ¼” x 4 x 5 ft is shipped flat due to its weight and thickness.
What are lead strips and discs used for?
When you are shielding from radiation it is mandatory and essential to ensure there is no radiation shine through, or leaking, whatsoever. The ministry of health requests you overlap your sheets by 1”. A strip makes your work easier because you can simply put the lead strip right down the seam where the lead meets. The strip is 2” by the length of your sheet. Typically, 7ft, 8ft, and 10ft long. The strip goes down the seam and overlaps 1” on either side. Strips are also great for getting into the more challenging areas such as around an outlet or a corner. Lead discs will be glued onto the countersunk screw head to again insure there is no way of having a radiation leak. You will always be given enough lead discs based on how many rolls you order. For strips, it is recommended that you order one strip for each sheet of lead.
Is sheet lead heavy?
Sheet lead does start to get heavy after 1/16”. To give you a quick idea of weights simply take how many lbs the sheet weighs per square foot (sft) and multiply that by how many sft are in the sheet. For example, 1/16” x 4 x 10 ft – so 1/16” is approximately 4lbs in weight and there are 40 sft in this sheet, so 4 x 40 = 160 lbs, meaning this sheet will weigh 160 lbs.
What type of lead do you use?
When shielding from radiation it is important to get the right purity level of lead. In Canada ASTM B749 lead which is 99.94% pure is required for the medical and health industry. In the US QQ-L-201f2 or 99.5% pure lead is required. We can provide you with either, but the material that is standard stocked sheet lead is ASTM B749 material.
Do you offer leaded drywall or lead plywood?
Yes, we offer leaded drywall and lead plywood. While this material is not stocked, we can usually turn this material around for you in about 2 weeks depending on volume required and our warehouse schedule. Just ask at the time of quoting and we can give you a better idea. Please note we offer lead drywall in ½” thickness and more commonly in 5/8” thickness and the materials are always fire rated material.
