Guide to copper shingle roofs: choices, installation, inspection, troubleshooting & metal roof repair procedures.

This article series describes types of metal roofing products and metals: metal roof choices, installation, inspection, metal roof defects, roofing repairs, and metal roof product sources.

Page top photo, a soldered copper shingle roof, courtesy of home inspector Dovber Kahn cited below.

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 to form a very durable roof covering - a system that has been in use for hundreds of years.

Usually we find these installed on flat or low-slope roofs such as at dormer insets on homes constructed in the U.S. before 1900, often in the mid to later 1800s.

But copper roofing in both sheet and copper shingle form are still produced and installed both in restoration projects and in new construction as we will cite below.

Why don't we see more copper roofs? After all it's beautiful and durable.

The answer, provided by the USDA Forest Service and other sources is its cost.

Copper roofing is expensive, as much as $1000. per square. (A roofing square covers 100 sq.ft.).

Watch out: large expanses of metal roofing with soldered connections may flex and break open the soldered joints due to thermal movement.

As you'll read in our citations below, historically thermal expansion or movement in soldered or large panel metal roofing was one of the most-common concerns and a source of common roof system failure.

Inspection Points for Low-Slope Soldered Copper Roofs

Photo above courtesy of home inspector Dovber Kahn. [Click to enlarge any image]

I [DF] have walked on such roofs (quite a few were in Newburgh NY) but would stay off if the roof looked questionable or if I could see damage in the first place, so as not to risk causing further damage.

Soldered Flat Copper Roof Inspection Points

The roof above may be in excellent condition and not leaking at all. But I have marked a few areas where a closer look would be in order to be sure there is no damage, corrosion, or an edge flashing problem.

First identify the copper shingle roof type. Copper panel and copper shingle roofs have been and continue to be manufactured in several forms including standing seam copper roofs (discussed separately at COPPER ROOFING), as well as soldered copper shingles (shown here) and as crimped or seamed interlocking copper shingles that are installed by nailing and without soldering (shown below courtesy of Zappone manufacturing).

Inspect a soldered flat copper "shingle" roof for the following warning signs:

• Broken copper shingle solder seams -
  
  this can happen on some roofs due to thermal expansion/contraction, particularly on large-area soldered metal roofs if the installation did not provide for thermal movement.
  
  Historically this was the number-one problem with soldered shingle or panel metal roofing.
• Evidence of leaks
  
  seen from below
• Corrosion damage
  
  at abutments to other metals or to building walls, chimneys, plumbing flashings, etc.
• Accumulated debris
  
  (keep cleaned off to reduce corrosion)
• Evidence of prior, improper repairs
  
  that shorten the roof's life (more on this below); also any prior repair will give information about the roof's leak history and can provide points deserving further inspection.
• Mechanical damage
  
  (rare) but possible, such as a cut or tear from a falling tool or falling tree limb.
• Through-corrosion of the copper -
  
  i.e. leaks and worn out copper sections or shingles (rare, but occurs if improperly patched or if the copper is in contact with other metals like an iron railing)
• Leaks at any penetrations
  
  (railings, plumbing vents)
• Damaged, missing,
  
  leaky edge flashing

Watch out: DO NOT "patch" a roof like this with asphalt or tar or roofing mastic.

Those "repairs" will work just in the short term. In the longer term they will, in my experience, cause a speed-up in corrosion and failure of both the copper and the leaded seams.

Watch out: DO NOT let an asphalt shingle roofer work on this roof.

A roofer who is not familiar with the material may recommend its replacement when only minor repairs are needed, or might take an roll roofing or other approach that will destroy a durable and lovely material, replacing a 100-200 year life material with a 2-7 year life material.

Copper-Shingle Roofs: Sources, Patent History & Contributors

Photo: a new copper shingle roof, crimp connected, not soldered, from Zappone Manufacturing, a Spokane Washington copper roofing manufacturer cited in detail just below.

• Cohen, A.J., "Metallic Roofing Plate", U.S. Patent 622,417, issued 04 April 1899, including roof covering by making use of tiles, slates, shingles or other small roofing elements. This invention relates to metallic roofing plates.
  Patent excerpt:
  
  The general use of copper, zinc, aluminium, and kindred metals (which are comparatively non-corrodible or unaffected by atmospheric conditions) for roofing purposes is not possible, owing to the expensiveness of the metals, although such plates are used to a limited extent.
• Rodgers, A.D., "Snow-Guard for Roofs", U.S. Patent 250,850, issued December 06, 1881, illustrates that flat shingle metal roofs were already in wide use in the U.S.
• Perry, John Henry. "Sheet-metal roof." U.S. Patent 1,240,773, issued September 18, 1917.
  Patent excerpt describes a NO-SOLDER metal shingle roof covering:
  
  JOHN H. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident .of Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented anew and improved Sheet-Metal Roof, of which the following is a full, clear, and .exact description.
  
  The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sheet metal roof arranged to enable a tinsmith or other person to readily join the metal sheets for. forming the roof sides and the ridge without the use of solder,.and to render the joints rainproof and thereby prevent leakage
• Hodgeson, Joshua [spelling estimated], "Improvement in Roofing", U.S. Patent 56,751, Issued July 31, 1866
  
  Excerpt:
  This invention relates to a new and improved mode of applying copper to roofs, whereby the expansion and contraction of the sheets of copper by extremes of temperature will not have a tendency to tear open the joints and cause the roof to leak.
  
  The nature of my invention consists in applying sheets of copper to roofs by bending the edges of the sheets over angular blocks that are applied firmly to the sheathing, and securing said edges permanently in dovetail grooves by means of solder or other fusible metal, which will, when properly applied, form inverted wedges in said grooves and effectually prevent the drawing out of the edges of the copper by the contraction of the sheets, as will be hereinafter described.
• Park, Sharon C., THE USE of SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS on HISTORIC BUILDING EXTERIORS [PDF], Sharon C. Park, AIA, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, web search 9/29/2010 original source: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief16.htm
• Smith, Thomas L., AIA, "Metal Roofing: 'Fixing' for Thermal Movement [ copy on file as /roof/Metal_Roof_Movement_NRCA.pdf ] - ", Thomas L. Smith, AIA, CRC., Professional Roofing, [date pending] p. 72, NRCA http://www.nrca.net/
• USDA, ALTERNATIVE ROOFING MATERIALS: A GUIDE for HISTORIC STRUCTURES [PDF] (2007) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, retrieved 2018/11/15, original source: https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdf/07231812.pdf
• U.S. National Park Service, FROM ASBESTOS to ZINC - TYPES of ROOF SHINGLES & TILES [PDF]
• Walker, William P., Metal Roofing, U.S. Patent No. 230,161 Issued July 20, 1880, describes weather tight joints in sheet metal roofing.
• Zappone Manufacturing, COPPER SHEET INTO COPPER SHINGLES: FRESH APPROACH TO QUALITY ROOFING [PDF] Zappone Manufacturing, 2928 North Pittsburg St., Spokane, WA 99207 USA, Tel: 1-800-285-2677, Website: http://www.zappone.com/
• Zappone Manufacturing, WRIGHT-FOUNDATION DESIGNED HOME FEATURES INNOVATIVE COPPER SHINGLES [PDF] Zappone Manufacturing, Op. Cit.
• Also see additional sources at References or Citations below
  

• Dov Ber Kahn, a home inspector in Rockland County, NY has contributed photographs of various building features. Mr. Kahn is a licensed home inspector in New York and New Jersey, and can be reached at Website: Kahnbhomeinspectors, Tel: 845-445-8234, Email: kdovber@googlemail.com
  

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2023-08-01 by InspectApedia Publisher - McFarlane-Douglas was a Canadian producer of metal roofing, ceilings and similar products

@Norval Campbell,

More about McFarlane-Douglas who produced this copper bearing shingle plate can be read in this company catalog

McFarlane-Douglas Company, Limited
Architectural Sheet Metal Building Materials
250,260 Slater Street, OTTAWA Canada

MCFARLANE-DOUGLAS STEEL CEILINGS & SIDE WALLS CATALOG

On 2023-08-01 by InspectApedia Publisher

@Norval Campbell,

The manufacturer, McFarlane-Douglas, was a Canadian in Ottawa, a producer of metal roofing, ceilings and similar products.

Continuing with images showing how with age the copper plating may first oxidize, and eventually thin:

Here is a third image: you'll see that several online auction vendors frequently list this Special Quality Copper Bearing Shingle Plate and that it appears in various degrees of wear.

On 2023-08-01 by InspectApedia Publisher - Special Quality Copper Bearing Shingle Plate made by McFarlane-Douglas manufacturer

@Norval Campbell,

"Hardware merchandising September-December 1922" Vol. XXXIV. No. 38,
THE MACLEAN PUBLISHING COMPANY. LIMITED, PUBLICATION OFFICE: TORONTO. CANADA

includes notes on "Special Quality Copper Bearing Shingle Plate" that we excerpt below, identifying three brand names.

Excerpting:

An extra 40c. per 100 lbs. is charged for Keystone and Premier brands copper-bearing sheets.

An extra is now charged on galvanized sheets,

[Text lost - we're researching this detail] ...

Will Outlast Them All

... are being used where efficiency in roofing is of the greatest concern. They are absolutely storm and wind proof. Locked together securely on all four sides, they make the strongest roof on the market, ornamental in design; they are easily sold and you have only mention the ease with which ; roof can be laid to make many sales.

Point out that they require no solder, mallets, seamers. toiigs, [sic] etc. Point out that they are made from Special Quality Copper Bearing Shingle Plate, a guarantee of their long life. We will be pleased to give you further details or any advice on sheet metal work — write us.

McFARLANE DOUGLAS CO., LIMITED , Ottawa Canada


You will see that these are copper plated galvanized metal roofing sheets in an embossed shingle pattern. The amount of copper is very small - an electro-plated coating.

On 2023-08-01 by Norval Campbell - who made this 1927 copper barn shingle?

this shingle is off 1927 barn. who might have made it? how much copper might it contain?

 

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Continue reading at LIFE EXPECTANCY of METAL ROOFS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• METAL ROOFING - home
  • COPPER ROOFING
  • COPPER SHINGLE METAL ROOFING
  • CORRUGATED METAL ROOFS
  • METAL ROOFING SOURCES, MANUFACTURERS
  • STAINLESS STEEL ROOFS
  • TERNE METAL ROOFING
  • ZINC METAL ROOFING
• NOISE CONTROL for ROOFS

Suggested citation for this web page

COPPER SHINGLE METAL ROOFING at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ROOFING

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