This article describes types of copper roofing materials, choices, installations, inspection, defects, roofing repairs, and product sources.
InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at
InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.
The standing seam copper roof shown at the top of this page protects Ely Hall, originally the Alumnae Gymnasium, William M. Tubby, architect, 1889, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie NY. Copper metal roofing systems involve copper sheets of varying thickness and alloy, soldered or mechanically crimped seams, used on steep, standard, low-slope, and some flat building roofs. Life expectancy of a properly-installed copper roof is 50+ years.
Copper as a durable roofing material has been in use for hundreds of years, in both hot and cold climates and on a wide range of building types.
Our copper roof photograph (left) shows a brand new copper standing seam metal roof (left) and an older standing seam copper metal roof (right) on a Vassar College building in Poughkeepsie, NY.
The new copper ridge atop the right-hand slope was installed during re-roofing of the opposing slope that is not visible in this photograph.
At left in our photo you'll also notice a custom-constructed copper-clad skylight over an area intended for use by art students and artists. More about skylights is found at SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR and at SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS.
You will also notice that both the older copper roof and the new copper roof installation included continuous snow guards along the building eaves.
The mechanically fastened steep-slope copper roof shown in our photograph (below left) is on a building in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while the steep sloped copper roof in our second photograph (below right) is on a building in Oslo, Norway. (Photographs by DF).
Examples of fastening details for the installation of copper roofs to the building roof deck or structure are discussed under metal and standing seam roofing below.
As our photograph of this tower roof on a building on the Vassar College Campus, Poughkeepsie, NY USA, copper roofing is used for
Aesthetic reasons, beauty, color of the weathered verdigris green copper
Durability
Weatherproofing complex surfaces where metal flashing is needed
Weatherproofing building components that are difficult and thus expensive to access for maintenance or re-roofing.
Soldered Flat Shingle and Flat Copper Metal Roofs
Flat metal shingles with interlocking edges were produced in both steel and copper, then soldered when in place. Usually we find these installed on flat or low-slope roofs such as at dormer insets on homes constructed in the U.S. before 1920.
Carson Dunlop's standing seam metal roof sketch (below) includes a sketch of soldering used to connect flat metal roofing panels.
Watch out: large expanses of metal roofing with soldered connections may flex and break open the soldered joints due to thermal movement.
Modern Copper Shingled Roofs
Zappone Manufacturing is a current producer of copper roof shingles, including copper scallop shingles and snap-together copper roof shingles. In appearance these contemporary copper roof shingle products resemble older soldered-copper shingles (shown in our photo above) and also older steel roof shingle products that we show at Metal Shingle Roofs.
The producer cites the long life of copper roof materials and higher-speed installation that using non-copper roofing shingles as compensating for the higher installed-cost than other more conventional roof coverings (such as asphalt roof shingles).
[Photos of modern copper shingles wanted: CONTACT us]
For examples of Zappone-produced copper roof shingles see that company's two marketing articles:
Below we have adapted and added to the Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction list of producers and sources of metal roofing, metal roof fastening systems, and related metal roofing products
Classic Products, website:
www.classicroof.com
Modular metal shingle panels and standing seam panels
Copper Development Association, Tel: 212-251-7200, http://www.copper.org/
Decra Roofing Systems, website:
www.decra.com
Modular metal shingle, tile, and shake panels
Dura-Lok Roofing Systems, website:
www.duraloc.com
Modular metal roofing shingles with granular coating
Fabral, website:
www.fabral.com
Exposed fastener and concealed clip metal roofing
panels
Gerard Roofing Technologies, website:
www.gerardusa.com
Modular metal shake and tile panels with granular
coating
Met-Tile, website:
www.met-tile.com
Modular metal roof-tile panels
Atas International, website:
www.atas.com
Modular metal shingle, tile, and standing-seam panels
Custom-Bilt Metals, website:
www.custombiltmetals.com
Modular metal shakes and standing seam panels
Zappone Manufacturing, website www.zappone.com/
Zappone Manufacturing, 2928 North Pittsburg St. Spokane, WA 99207
1-800-285-2677, Washington State Copper Roofing Supplier of Copper scallop shingles, copper shingles, copper bay windows, vertical walls, aluminum roof shingles
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
"Choosing Roofing," Jefferson Kolle, January 1995, No. 92, Fine Homebuilding, Taunton Press, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newton CT 06470 - 800-888-8286 - see http://www.taunton.com/FineHomebuilding/ for the magazine's website and for subscription information.
CDA: Copper Development Association, Inc., website: www.copper.org
Copper.org provides a free Copper in Architecture - Design Handbook at http://apps.copper.org/applications/architecture/arch_dhb/air/homepage.html
Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Grapevine Design Guidelines - Web Search 07/12/2010
"Wright-Foundation Designed Home Features Innovative Copper Shingles", Zappone Manufacturing, 2928 North Pittsburg St. Spokane, WA 99207
1-800-285-2677, Washington Copper Roofing Supplier, web search ca 2009, original source: www.zappone.com/ImageSource/pdf/News/article2.pdf [Permission requested 9/27/10]
"Copper Sheet into Copper Shingles: Fresh Approach to Quality Roofing", Zappone Manufacturing, 2928 North Pittsburg St. Spokane, WA 99207
1-800-285-2677, Washington Copper Roofing Supplier, web search ca 2009, original source: www.zappone.com/ImageSource/pdf/News/article3.pdf [Permission requested 9/27/10]
"Copy on file as - /roof/Roofing_Historic_NPS.pdf">Roofing for Historic buildings - ", Sarah M. Sweetser, Preservation Brief 4, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9./29.10, original source:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief04.htm
"Copy on file as - /roof/Asbestos-to-Zinc_Metal_Roofing_NPS.pdf - From Asbestos to Zinc, Roofing for Historic buildings, Metals - ", Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9./29.10, original source:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/roofingexhibit/metals2.htm
"Copy on file as - /exterior/NPS_Preserv_Brief_16_Subs_Mtls.pdf">The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors - ",
Sharon C. Park, AIA, Preservation Brief 16, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9./29.10, original source:
http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief16.htm
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.
Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design
Construction methods for new and existing buildings
Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection
Details on optimal soil formulation
Illustrations featuring various stages of construction
Best practices for green roof maintenance
A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality
Tips on the LEED design and certification process
Considerations for assessing return on investment
Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs
Useful checklists, tables, and charts
Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977
by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It
has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com,
143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Mobile View
