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Close-up of the flat seam copper dome on the New Palace at Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany.

Copper Roofing: Useful Information Guide

By Roof Online Staff • Last updated September 29, 2022

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Section of a standing seam copper roof.
Section of a standing seam copper roof.
Close-up of the flat seam copper dome on the New Palace at Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany.
Close-up of the flat seam copper dome on the New Palace at Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany.

Copper roofs are great. They look good, they’re lightweight, they can last well over 100 years, and you don’t have to worry about a coating eventually flaking off.

Copper has natural properties that make it an exceptional roofing material.

It is highly resistant to corrosion and can withstand harsh weather conditions better than almost any other roofing material. It performs better and lasts longer than steel and aluminum, the most common metals used for roofing.

The main drawbacks of copper roofing are the price of the material and the scarcity of qualified roofers who install copper roofs. A copper roof installation is relatively quite expensive.

1. General: The Copper Development Association has a top-notch website with tons of useful information.

2. General: The Copper Technical Reference Library is a searchable database of “the world’s literature on copper, copper alloys and copper technology since 1965″. Highly recommended.

3. General: “RICOWI Best Practices Guides for Roofing – Copper” is available on the website of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. (“RICOWI” stands for the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues).

4. Chemical Compatibility of Copper: “1.3. Architectural Considerations – Weathering, Corrosion, Staining, Substrate, Solder, Sealants” is a great page on the Copper Development Association website. Well-written and very informative.

5. Historic Roofing: Copper Roofings – A Manual – Information for Architects and Roofing Contractors – Copper and Brass Research Association – (published in 1925, 25 pages).

6. Maintenance and Cleaning: “Removing Black Stains from Exterior Copper“. Available on the website of the US General Services Administration. 

7. Safety: See this material safety data sheet for health and safety information about copper at the Revere Copper Products website. This is only an example and other products and brands may be different.

8. Technical: Copper In Architecture (321 pages) – A comprehensive compilation of designs, details and specifications by the Copper Development Association.

9. Technical: Find architectural details for various styles of copper roof systems on the Copper Development Association’s website. Click on the type of system you’re interested in at the top of the page. The drawings are done well and give you an idea of what is going on in a copper roof system.

10. Technical: “Fully Soldered Metal Roofing: More Complicated Than You Think” is an excellent article on the IIBEC website. Gives you a good idea of just how important expert quality workmanship is when it comes to copper roofing. From 2016.

11. Technical: See this product data sheet for the technical characteristics of copper at the Revere Copper Products website. This is only an example and other products and brands may be different.