What is a Copper Roof?

Copper roofs, which have adorned the tops of buildings all over the world for centuries, have a long list of advantages. They are durable and lightweight, and you may have a weakness for that striking green patina that sets in after a few years. They stand tall against high winds and are even fire-resistant. Moreover, they can be measured to fit exactly over the roof, eliminating time-consuming and potentially wasteful cutting and trimming onsite.

There is, however, one disadvantage that generally trumps all the other pluses -- cost. The price of copper has remained high because of its general scarcity, which means that a solid copper roof will probably cost somewhere around $15 US Dollars (USD) a square foot. When compared to $1 USD a square foot for standard asphalt shingles, that green patina can lose its charm in a hurry. Copper shingles are an option, but even they cost four times as much as asphalt.

To counter this, the manufacturers and installers of copper roofs often refer to their product as "the least expensive roof option over time." In other words, they say, the initial financial jolt will be softened by the fact that the roof won't need to be replaced in 20 years, or even 120 years. Moreover, the reliable recyclability of copper has become a compelling "green" argument for its use on roofs.

This has given rise to a brisk copper roof trade in used materials. Often, a copper roof will outlast the structure it covers, and that roof is often purchased by salvage companies who will re-sell it to homebuilders or individuals. As with most roofing materials, the installation of a copper roof requires a certain degree of skill and training. Roof installers like copper, though, because it weighs much less than asphalt when in shingle form.

There are basically three ways of getting copper onto your roof -- as a pre-measured continuous covering; as a "standing seam" copper roof formed from smaller copper panels, and as shingles. Copper can also imitate tiles or slate. The green patina that develops on copper comes from copper carbonate and is known as "verdigris." The leading manufacturers of copper roofing in the U.S. are Zappone Manufacturing of Spokane, WA; Revere Copper Products of Rome, NY, and Absolute Steel of Tempe, AZ.