Gutters and downpipes

[LoveItOrListIt]

We have the original cast iron gutters and downpipes from our 1950s built home which are quite rusty and we have a couple of leaks in the gutters. There’s no denying, they dont add anything to the aesthetic appeal of the house, but individually they are nice pieces of craftsmanship.
can they be reconditioned? Or should we replace…and if so, with what? It would be nice to make a feature of them…is that even possible? Or how do you blend them in so they are not noticeable? Talk to me about your beautiful gutters and downpipes…are they £££ to replace?

They have had good innings but it's best to replace them. They will have rusted and corroded and are unsuitable for reconditioning. Recycle them.

You can still have cast iron installed if you wish. It's heavy and expensive.

An alternative is cast or extruded aluminium. Again quite expensive but both are great options and have the benefit of hidden fixings (optional) and single length runs of guttering. There are traditional or modern options that can be powder coated in a variety of RAL colours. They will last years and continue to look good without much in the way of maintenance.

Plastic is at the lowest end of the food chain, functionally and aesthetically. It is also available in cast iron effect. It's the least expensive.

Thanks @SomethigWentBang , I’ll take a look at Aluminium!