1. A blue-grey element that is very heavy, soft, malleable and impenetrable–a highly toxic material, its use is closely regulated (for example, it is no longer a component of commercial paint).
2. Lead paint offers a silky smooth finish and looks very lovely, and it is still made for authentic restoration purposes only.
3. In building its easy-to-handle and waterproof qualities make it the choice roofing material for gutters and valleys, etc. Lead arrives in beaten form in rolls that are laid out and seamed, sweated, and finished in situ. It is used in construction generally, for radiation shields, soundproofing, waterproofing and as a binder; for interiors, it is found in sash window weights and usually constitutes the core of curtain weights.
4. As external statues, lanterns and planters lead has a beauty all its own; its beaten surface is never exactly smooth, and over time the black material ages to a soft silvery grey, a colouration that never argues with the landscape.
5. Indoors, lead bowls and plant pots look especially good stone, terracotta and with greenery in hallways, open loggias, garden rooms, and orangeries.