Lead Bricks, Leaded Drywall, Lead-Lined Doors and More

MarShield Building Products

Leaded Drywall
Lead-lined sheetrock is manufactured by applying and bonding a single unpierced sheet of lead to the appropriate length of gypsum board. Since sheet lead has very little inherent structural strength, most medical and industrial x-ray installations require that it be supported in this fashion. Alternatively, sheet lead may be laminated to provide a more rigid building material.

Leaded drywall sheets are available in sizes from 4' x 8' to a maximum 4' x 10' x minimum 5/8" thickness. Thinner drywall (1/2") is available, but not recommended. The lead lining on sheetrock or lead-lined gypsum boards ranges from 1/32" to 1/16" lead thickness. Drywall can be lined with 1/8" lead, although the heavy weight makes it inadvisable.

MarShield recommends the use of lead-lined gypsum board or leaded drywall (sheet lead that is factory bonded to a material) for wall covering applications. This allows the lead to remain rigid and flat during installation and insures a continuous meeting edge when installed correctly.

Due to the extreme weight of lead lined drywall, extra care must be taken during handling, storage and installation. Install the leaded side of the sheetrock against wooden or metal studs ensuring that you match the joints of the lead lining. A minimum lead overlap of one inch is required at all drywall joints and corners. Extend the lead overhang at least one inch into all frames or openings. Sheet lead over 1/16" thick should have a minimum 2" overhang. MarShield recommends the use of drywall screws wherever possible. If using lead-headed nails (on wood studs only), then ensure that you drive them to the proper depth and cover them with drywall compound.

Lead Bricks
When sheet lead is impractical or not available in the size or thickness you require, straight or interlocking lead bricks are ideal for adding shielding to existing rooms or to reduce wall or ceiling thickness in new construction. Lead brick shielding also provides the best choice for construction where temporary or permanent shields or storage areas are required, offering flexibility in your design and construction choices.

For information on using lead bricks as counterweights, please refer to our Mars Metal Specialty Casting division.

Interlocking lead bricks offer maximum protection where the highest level of shielding is required for x-ray beta and gamma shielding. The unique interlocking "V" shape prevents radiation leakage. Our bricks can be easily erected, modified, disassembled and relocated in the field to create protective wall systems and cells to suit your application.

Straight (non-interlocking) bricks can be cut on site in any direction and used for walls, glove-boxes, hot cells or partitions, for transporting radioactive materials, nuclear shielding or simply as test weight. Stacking a second row behind the first in a staggered pattern can combat loss of radiation.

Lead-Lined Doors
MarShield designs and constructs premium lead-lined doors with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship to have an appearance equal to architecturally-designed products. Lead-lined doors of metal & veneer, hollow metal or wood are designed to support the heavy weight that sheet lead imposes on them without detracting from their appearance or radiation protective properties. Fire labels are available if required by the application.

MarShield offers a lead-lining thickness on hollow metal doors up to a maximum of 1/8", as determined by the intended application. The lead sheet is applied to the inside of the skin of the door on the "pull" side and to the face, rabbet, stop, and part of the soffit of the frame. Standard construction lead-lined wood doors from MarShield are manufactured with lead under the door skins on both sides of the core (CoreClad™). When shielding levels require more than 1/4" thick lead, bolted center lead construction is used. Center lead designs with an adhesive bonded assembly are an extra cost option at 1/4" lead thickness and below.

The door frames are also specially designed, to support the lead lined doors and to provide a leaded interface between the door and the adjacent walls. The correct specification of finishing hardware is critical to the success of the complete closure. Adequate hinging is required to carry the heavy loads imposed by the lead lining. Hardware that fits into openings in the door and frame must maintain the integrity of the closure. Extreme care must be taken when applying any item to a lead-lined door or frame that the fasteners do not penetrate the lead lining.

11/21/2008