Copper Roof, Its Structure And Main Elements, As Well As Features Of Installation And Operation

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Copper roof - what color is the prestige

The attitude to copper in Russia has always been special. It seems like a metal and not precious, but still noble. The domes of Orthodox churches have been covered with copper from ancient times and the roofs of old noble estates that have survived the cataclysms of more than one era have been covered with copper. In the days of developed socialism, copper was mainly used for defense purposes, and multi-storey buildings were covered with unpretentious simple galvanizing. Today, a lot has changed, and copper is again often used by individual developers, and thanks to its rarest properties, it has become extremely popular.

Content

• 1 Copper roof

  • 1.1 Classification and merits of a copper roof
  • 1.2 Copper accessories

  • 1.3 Best copper roofing manufacturers

    1.3.1 Video: Installation of Prefa seam roof

• 2 Copper roofing

  • 2.1 Copper standing seam roofing

    • 2.1.1 Video: making roofing pictures by hand bending machine
    • 2.1.2 Video: Making a Copper Trough
    • 2.1.3 Video: copper plating of the chimney
    • 2.1.4 Material consumption for copper seam roofing
    • 2.1.5 How to reduce the cost of installing a seam copper roof

  • 2.2 Copper tile roofing

    • 2.2.1 Material consumption for copper tile roofing
    • 2.2.2 Is it possible to reduce the cost of a copper tile roof
    • 2.2.3 Video: making copper rhombuses on the Edelweiss machine
    • 2.2.4 Video: metal tile checker, laying process

• 3 Installation of a copper roof

  3.1 Video: mounting a copper curtain rod on the rail from the inside

• 4 Features of the operation of a copper roof

  • 4.1 Copper roof repair

    4.1.1 Video: Soldering Copper

  • 4.2 How to avoid copper roof repair
• 5 Reviews about copper roofs

Copper roof

Seriously about copper as a democratic roofing flooring started talking about 10 years ago. Of course, its cost, like any other high-quality material, remains quite high to this day - from $ 28 for 1 m² of classic copper to $ 68 for 1 m² of tinned copper, covered with a thin layer of tin. However, such a price is fully justified by its numerous advantages, the main of which is the service life of more than a hundred years. In addition, copper cladding is not much more expensive than ceramic tiles that are attractive to many homeowners.

Classification and advantages of a copper roof

Copper roofing is a group of covering roofing materials based on copper alloys. Manufactured in a factory way or by hand from copper sheet or tape 0.5–0.8 mm thick. Copper roofs and the elements forming them differ in the processing method and appearance.

According to the method of creation, a copper roof can be folded or tiled:

1. Seam roofing is an absolutely airtight coating due to the unusual connection of copper paintings (panels) and the construction of a longitudinal lock. The lack of lateral engagement eliminates any leakage. The seam structure is best suited for roofs with a low slope - up to 12-15º.

   

   The seam roof consists of copper plates laid in parallel, connected along the long sides with a special sealed lock

2. Copper tiled flooring - single fragments of a small format, connected with an overlap, which makes the joints waterproof.

   

   Copper tile roofing is made up of small overlapping elements and blends very well with the exterior of a red brick home

Types of roofing copper:

1. Classical - shiny copper of a reddish-golden color, which fades over time, then darkens, turning first into brown, and after 10–20 years into a greenish color due to the green rust formed on the surface, called patina.

   

   The roof of the house is made of classic reddish-golden copper, which has already begun to change its color to brown in places

2. Oxidized - covered with a special film that initially gives the material a brown color.

   

   The seam roofing of a house made of oxidized copper Tecu Oxid KME (Germany) has a beautiful chocolate hue, which, when oxidized, acquires saturation and depth

3. Patinated - a famous type of copper, artificially aged due to specially designed compositions. Currently available in a variety of shades of green and blue. However, in the end, the patinated copper roof will still turn green.

   

   The roof of the house and the canopy above the entrance are covered with patinated greenish-emerald copper, aged using a special technology to form a natural patina

4. Tin - classic tinned copper. This is the most expensive type of copper roof. Each series of such a coating is unique in color, which is impossible to repeat. Changes in color over time - from matte silver to gray-green. No other material has such an enchanting effect.

   

   To give the building a particularly prestigious and unusual look, you can use a tinned copper roof of different shades.

5. Copper in bronze, brass or gold are alloys of copper with tin, zinc and aluminum, which are based on centuries-old traditions, but harmoniously fit into modern architecture.

   

   The surface of the seam roof made of copper and aluminum alloy is perfectly cleaned and has increased resistance to mechanical damage

Copper is a living material, due to which it naturally blends with the surrounding space, creating unique inimitable ensembles. Therefore, innovative architects are happy to use it not only for roofing, but also for cladding facades, which, of course, greatly increases the status and value of real estate.

Tecu Patina KME patinated panels undergo artificial oxidation, which allows the patina to mature much faster than in natural conditions

The main advantages of a copper roof:

1. Environmental friendliness. Roofing copper is a natural material that is completely safe for others. There are few other roofing materials that can match copper in this regard. Children under such a roof get sick much less often, and plants, even the most whimsical ones, bloom as if in a greenhouse with the best conditions.
2. Ease of installation and versatility. Copper roofing is suitable for almost all types of roofs - domed, hip-roof, hip and half-hip, broken, multi-gable, conical, combined, etc. It is very plastic, easily bends, therefore, it allows you to embody any design idea. And its installation is practically no different from the installation of composite tiles.
3. Economical and easy to clean. The payback period for a copper roof is about 20-30 years, which, with long-term operation, allows us to speak of an excellent price-quality ratio. If cheaper roofing materials require additional care - replacement or painting, because they will lose their original appearance over time under the influence of the scorching sun, ultraviolet radiation, snow, rain and wind, then painting a copper roof is like “covering up” a masterpiece of painting.
4. Excellent indicators of corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity, thanks to which you can freely mount the anti-icing system on the roof and thus protect it from ice.
5. Beauty and durability. The splendor of the copper roof is eye-catching. Hardly anyone will pass by without admiring its incomparable beauty. It will adequately decorate the most fashionable palace and turn an ordinary modern cottage into a tourist attraction. And even about its durability, they make up legends at all. Scientists examined copper roofs from the 17th-18th centuries and came to the conclusion that roofing copper, under normal conditions, can last more than a thousand years. Under the influence of the environment, it does not collapse, but, on the contrary, grows stronger, like Siberian larch in water. That is why beautiful Venice has been standing on wooden piles for many centuries, and Europe - under natural tiles, straw and copper roofing.

That is, we can say with confidence that the copper roof is the best and most progressive choice of roofing today. The chameleon roof, which was appreciated by modern architects and respectable people. The Novodevichy Convent, the Kazan Cathedral, the Losev Museum on Old Arbat, Gostiny Dvor, elite private and high-rise buildings, the Hermitage Theater are just a small part of the track record of this extraordinary roofing flooring.

The palace under the badge, built in 1730 next to the Royal Palace in Warsaw, got its unusual name due to the copper mansard roof, which was a rarity for Poland in the first half of the 18th century.

Copper accessories

Components and accessories for copper roofing are not cheap, due to the high cost of the source material and production difficulties. However, they are of great importance for the durability of the roof and its correct installation. Moreover, copper extensions will give the roof a unique style and beauty. Copper accessories include:

• roof windows;

  

  Skylights "Velux" with copper flashing are installed on a seam roof and form one whole with it

• spotlights;

  

  The filing of eaves overhangs with copper perforated soffits, highly resistant to temperature changes, provides ventilation of the under-roof space and a spectacular appearance of the entire building

• snow holders and roof ladders;

  

  Copper tubular snow holders cut the snow layer into several parts, thus reducing its weight, therefore they are considered the most reliable

• gutters;

  

  Copper gutters are assembled by soldering, serve up to 150 years and are a real decoration of the house

• weather vane;

  

  Copper weather vane differs in a wide variety - from common products in the form of a "house" to the most incredible design ideas

• drippers, ebb and fences.

  

  The simple shape of the copper tints does not in any way diminish the decorative value of these architectural elements and their protective properties.

Top copper roofing manufacturers

There is no particular difference between imported and domestic manufacturers of copper roofing. Imported products are only presented in a wider range of colors, since foreign manufacturers use more artificial aging methods. The most popular and reliable manufacturers are:

1. Concern KME Group (Germany) is the oldest and largest supplier of roofing and facade copper materials under the Tecu brand. The scrupulousness of German producers and the natural characteristics of copper give a truly marvelous result.

   

   Roofing copper Tecu KME (Germany) is a unique material that allows you to make exceptionally high-quality finishing of roofs and facades

2. Concern Aurubis (Finland) has been holding the palm in the copper building materials market for decades. Unusual additives, the composition of which is kept in strict confidence, significantly accelerate the aging process, therefore, you can choose a roofing made of copper for any structure - a modern country house or an old architectural monument.

   

   Copper coatings Nordic Standard produced by the Finnish concern Aurubis are used for roofing and facade cladding as a plastic and corrosion-resistant material that does not require additional processing

3. The VBS industrial complex in Serbia produces copper roofing products of European quality that meet the EN 1172 and ISO 9001 standards. The products of this plant are in great demand in Russia because of the reasonable prices compared to other famous brands with comparable quality.

   

   Roofing copper VBS (Serbia) has many advantages - lightness, flexibility, high quality and affordable price

4. The company GZOTsM (Russia), which specializes in the development of M1f (oxygen-free) roofing copper, produces products that are excellent for soldering and maintained in accordance with the EN 1172 and GOST 1173 standards.

   

   Roofing copper of the domestic manufacturer GZOTsM fits perfectly on any surface, which is why it is readily used on complex roofs

5. The French production association Alcoa is a recognized leader in the production of alternative aluminum coating under the Reynolux brand, which is not inferior in quality and beauty to a copper roof, but is much cheaper.

   

   Aluminum sheets of the Reynolux series are distinguished by the unusual effect of a smooth transition from one tone to another, due to which the roof from such a coating shimmers in different colors

6. The company Prefa (Austria) has been working on the roofing materials market for over fifty years. Its main products are Prefa folded aluminum roofing without holes, which is treated with PP99 polymer coating and saves the owners of the house from expensive repair and roofing works for many years.

   

   Prefa aluminum seam roofing does not need maintenance work, because provided that it is installed correctly, the manufacturer guarantees excellent coating service for many years

Video: installation of the Prefa seam roof

Copper roofing device

Since the copper roof is folded and tiled, we will consider its device separately for each of these types.

Copper seam roofing device

Installation of folded copper roofing begins with the manufacture of paintings (panels) from sheet material. Panels are roofing elements, the width of which is equal to the width of the copper sheet, and the length is equal to the length of the slopes. The edges of the sheets are folded with the letter "G", thus forming a fold - a unique way of joining metal (including copper) sheets. Professional roofers use double seam for fastening, connecting pictures with a special tool - a frame.

Video: making roofing pictures by hand bending machine

A copper roof, equipped with paintings in a similar way, is an absolutely sealed covering, consisting of:

1. Copper panels fixed with copper clamps and nails to the lathing.
2. Longitudinal lathing, consisting of boards, the section of which is determined from tables or by calculation and depends on the total load on the roof, and the step corresponds to the slope angle of the slopes.
3. Waterproofing laid on top of the rising beam.
4. The rising beam itself, stuffed onto the rafters to form a ventilation duct.
5. Insulation, often mineral wool, laid between the rafter legs.

6. A vapor barrier film or membrane fixed with slats from the side of the under-roof space.

   

   From the side of the attic, the insulation is closed with a vapor barrier membrane, which is attached with a construction stapler, and then with additional slats

7. Interior decoration of the attic or attic.

8. Ridge and end strips.

   

   The composition of the roofing cake for a warm copper seam roof differs from other similar structures in that the waterproofing film is laid over the counter-lattice

Additional parts are made from the copper remaining after the manufacture of the main covering flooring - gutters, drainpipes and funnels, aprons for abutments, valleys, ebb tides, weather vans, etc.

Video: making a copper gutter

Of course, all these roof-forming components can be bought along with the copper sheets, but they cost a lot, and the waste when cutting the sheet material still remains. We must try to keep such waste as little as possible, but not to the detriment of the appearance of the roof and its exceptional connection, which serves as a guarantee of reliability and longevity.

Video: plating the chimney with copper

Material consumption for copper seam roofing

To calculate the required amount of copper, you need to determine the area of the roof, which is calculated using the finished rafter system after checking the geometry of the slopes. When calculating the roofing material, you need to consider:

1. What kind of fold the pictures will be joined. If, for example, double standing, then about 15% of the stock should be added to the roof area. If you plan to use an industrial folded lock, then the stock will have to be made more.

   

   The most reliable type of connecting copper paintings is a double standing seam

2. The width and length of the panels - the smaller they are, the more stock will be required.
3. The complexity of the roof. Everything is clear here - a more complex structure has a greater number of different components - decorative strips, connection nodes, and so on. For seam roofs, as a rule, 5-10% of the margin is added to the complexity.
4. Scraps that will definitely come out in the manufacture of paintings, fitting, assembly and installation. Some of the scraps will be used for the manufacture of additional elements, but still, for folded copper roofs, an additional 5-10% should be included in the estimate for this particular expense item.

As a result, the roof area should be corrected by 35–40% when purchasing sheet copper. And this, you see, is very, very noticeable. But this must be done, especially when choosing tin copper, which, as noted above, has an individual color and shade in each batch. And it will be impossible to buy similar material with an incorrect calculation.

How to reduce the cost of installing a seam copper roof

To reduce copper consumption will help:

• initial roof design;
• optimal layout of pictures;
• custom order for the manufacture of copper sheets or panels, since the use of standard sizes usually leads to losses.

Copper tile roofing

The internal structure of the roof frame for copper shingles is slightly different from the seam structure - a solid decking made of waterproof plywood or chipboard is added and an underlay carpet to protect the deck. The roofing cake looks like this:

1. Copper tile topcoat.
2. Lining insulating carpet made of rolled materials, laid parallel to the ridge with overlapping strips of at least 80 mm.

3. Solid flooring made of OSB boards or moisture resistant plywood.

   

   Copper shingles are laid on a backing material fixed to a solid sheathing

4. Sparse lathing and counterbeam.
5. Waterproofing laid on top of the rising beam.
6. Heat-insulating mineral wool slabs fixed with 50x50 mm bars.
7. Vapor barrier membrane, fixed with a 20x100 mm board.

8. The inner lining of the roofing cake in the form of a continuous sheathing with minimal ventilation gaps.

   

   The structure of the roofing cake under the insulated tiled roof made of copper piece fragments differs from the case with a seam roof by the presence of a continuous sheathing and a lining carpet

Material consumption for copper tile roofing

Copper shingles are more commonly used on complex roofs with a pitch of more than 12º. Its use minimizes the waste that is inevitable when arranging complex roof structures, bringing them to almost zero. Moreover, now large-sized and small-sized tile fragments of various geometric shapes are being made. Therefore, it will not be difficult to find the right copper tile.

The main landmark is the roof area. It is divided by the area of one fragment, the dimensions of which are usually indicated by the manufacturer, and, as always, 10-15% is added to the stock, since the copper tiles are mounted with overlaps.

Is it possible to reduce the cost of copper tile roofing

Copper tile roofing is expensive. This is due to the production of piece goods. Therefore, before proceeding with the installation of copper tiles, it is advisable to make a roof project with all the junctions. Installation of a copper roof is a high-tech process that requires compliance with construction standards when implementing design solutions that are reflected in the working documentation. This is the only way to achieve the maximum longevity of the roof.

Although copper shingles are easy to install - in a hook, thanks to the presence of two locks, still do not try to install them yourself on complex and large roofs. Experienced craftsmen know how to trim and fit to minimize waste. And with ignorance and even more inability, instead of the expected savings, you can spoil the material and doom yourself to much more serious costs than the cost of the work of qualified roofers.

Video: making copper rhombuses on the Edelweiss machine

In addition, copper tiles have installation restrictions related to the shape of the roof and the angle of inclination:

• when laying protective grids at the inlet and outlet ducts, the width of the ventilation slots should be increased by 45%;
• the height of the ventilation duct above the insulation must be at least 5 cm;
• on long ventilation ducts, to eliminate stagnant zones with a difference in the slope and length of the rafters in a specific area, it is necessary to increase the ventilation gap.

Only professionals with experience in working with copper can know about these and other similar nuances. They can correctly assess the entire volume of work to be done, assist in choosing copper tiles in order to minimize the cost of purchasing and installing them.

Video: metal tile checker, laying process

Copper roof installation

Consider the process of arranging a seam copper roof, consisting of a number of sequential steps:

1. The construction of a rafter system, all elements of which must be treated with antiseptics.

   

   The rafter system determines the shape of the future roof and is its supporting frame

2. Laying the roofing cake.

   

   The peculiarity of laying the layers of the roofing pie under the folded copper roof is that the waterproofing layer is not laid along the rafters, but over the raising beam

3. Installation of forming elements mounted under the roof - anti-icing systems, brackets for gutters, lower valleys, eaves, hoods, roof penetrations, antenna outputs, etc.

   

   The lower valley can be made from scraps of sheet or rolled copper, and it must be installed before laying the topcoat

4. Installation of copper paintings, starting from the center or corner symmetrically to the skylights and the surface of the slope. The pictures are fastened using double standing folds and a special folding machine.

   

   Installation and fastening of copper panels is carried out on movable clamps, after which the seams are sealed with a seaming machine

5. Installation of roof accessories and safety elements.

   

   Snow holders are attached to each rebate using special brackets tightened with bolts

Experienced roofers advise to maintain a step depending on the steepness of the roof when constructing the sheathing. If the angle of inclination is more than 25 °, then the step should be at least 20 cm. When covering more shallow roofs with copper decking, it is recommended to fill in a continuous lathing instead of a thin one, and lay waterproofing materials with sagging.

When installing a metal seam roofing, the step of the lathing is selected depending on the slope of the slopes, and in the lower part of the eaves it is always made solid

Copper roofing works are practically the same as roofing with any other metal coating. The difference is only in a few details:

1. The presence of a raising bar. It is on it that waterproofing is laid, and not along the rafters, as usual.
2. Painting stacking technology. Copper sheets have almost twice the coefficient of linear expansion compared to other types of sheet metal. Therefore, to attach them, you need to use sliding clamps along the entire length of the slopes. For the same reason, the maximum length of the roof slope under the copper coating should not exceed 10 meters, otherwise it is necessary to provide expansion (expansion) joints.

The arrangement of the insulating layers on the copper roof is also standard and depends on the arrangement of the under-roof space.

1. On unheated roofs, insulation and vapor barrier are laid along the base of the roof, which is the attic floor, and waterproofing is mounted over the entire surface of the slopes.
2. When arranging an attic on even slopes, all layers of the roofing cake are laid in the usual order along the length of the slopes.

3. In the case of erecting a sloping roof, a heater with a vapor barrier is placed along the length of the slopes only to the point of the break, and then laid horizontally along the upper floor beams.

   

   In the construction of a sloping roof, only the attic room is insulated, leaving a cold triangle in the upper part

The main thing to remember when arranging a copper roof is to approach installation work professionally, following the rules and regulations specified in SNiP II-26–76 *, GOST 11539, GOST 1173, SNiP 2.01.07 and other regulatory documents. Violation of these norms, as practice shows, in more than 90% of cases leads to damage to the roof, loss of reliability, beauty, prestige and legendary durability.

Video: installation of a copper eaves on the rail from the inside

Features of the operation of a copper roof

While experts talk about the almost eternal life of a copper roof, which is confirmed by the facts, manufacturers give a guarantee for only 10 years of its uninterrupted service. This is primarily due to the quality of the arrangement of the copper roof - how competently the installation was carried out and whether the relevant standards were met. In addition, the area in which the building is located is an important factor. Let us explain the latter in more detail.

Copper oxidizes over the years, forming a patina. This protective layer prevents and reduces the negative effects of environmental destructive factors on the copper surface. If it is violated, then, naturally, the service life of the copper coating will be noticeably reduced. And here the climatic conditions of the region and the presence of nearby industrial enterprises emitting sulfur and chlorine compounds into the atmosphere play an important role. In addition, frequent dust and sand storms, strong winds passing near the highway affect the upper layer of the roof, causing mechanical damage.

A copper roof, like any other metal, can collapse due to strong winds

Even when a building is located in a mild and environmentally friendly climate zone, a century-long service life of a copper roof without proper maintenance is still not guaranteed. After all, she also has such enemies as strong winds, hail and accumulating debris in places where valleys pass, under end strips and a ridge.

Therefore, the longevity of the copper roof entirely depends on its care, which consists in a preventive inspection of the roof twice a year, cleaning up debris, identifying minor defects and their timely elimination.

Copper roof repair

One of the remarkable advantages of a copper roof is its excellent maintainability and the fact that the repair itself is required only in exceptional cases. For example:

• when a tree falls or mistakes made during installation;
• in case of blockage of ventilation ducts due to their untimely cleaning, which leads to wetting of the insulation and rotting of the rafter system;
• due to the lack of ventilation gaps and the appearance of leaks in the area of cornices, abutments, valleys;
• due to careless or unaesthetic copper roofing, which negatively affects the appearance of the house and leads to smudges on the walls, cracking and premature aging of the facade cladding.

Professionals, experienced roofers and tinsmiths should eliminate serious problems so as not to aggravate the situation. For this they have the necessary modern equipment and tools. Otherwise, subsequently, the cost of repair work will skyrocket several times.

You can make minor repairs, for example, you can apply a small patch yourself, since copper lends itself well to soldering. For this:

1. The place of damage is cleaned of dust and debris.
2. If the damaged area has bulges, then it is sanded.
3. A piece of copper tape is applied to the section prepared for repair and it is soldered.
4. The place of soldering is plastered.

A fresh patch, of course, will differ in shade from the entire roof, but the appearance of a patina will even out the color over time.

Video: brazing copper

How to avoid copper roof repair

To prevent breakage and destruction of copper roof elements, you must follow a few simple guidelines:

1. Copper roofing does not tolerate negligence, therefore, adhere to all standards during installation and require this from the installation team.
2. Use only original copper fasteners during the installation process.
3. Avoid rigid fixation of the copper roof, especially for renovated paintings, which are fixed only with movable clamps.
4. Conduct regular inspections, and if leaks appear, then immediately, without waiting for a scheduled inspection, check the condition of the drainage system and the correctness of its installation.
5. Clean the roof regularly from snow and only use soft shoes to walk on it.

If all the conditions for installation and operation are fulfilled, the copper roof will delight more than one generation of your family.

Copper roofing reviews

Copper roofing is surprisingly luxurious and prestigious. This is an indicator of respectability, solidity and a rational approach to building a house or renovating. It is chosen by those who care about the aesthetics of their home and want to be sure of the quality and reliability of the roof for many years.