Copper Roof Shingles
The world is full of copper lovers, and lovers of the copper roof are by no means an exception. There are essentially two different types of copper roof you can buy. There is the solid copper roof that consists solely of sheet copper on your roof. It is resilient to weathering and will protect your house for decades but it is incredibly costly. On the other hand, copper roof shingles are made by attached sheets of copper around standard asphalt shingles. All in all, the cost is likely to work out less than a slate roof but once the copper roof shingles have aged and been weathered they will take on the magnificent green look that only copper can create.
Can I use copper roof shingles?
One of the advantages that copper roof shingles offer over other forms of long lasting roofs, especially the solid copper roof, is that the shingles are surprisingly light and most roofs and structures can easily cope with the load. As long as you are prepared to pay approximately $4 per square foot (compared to $1 for standard asphalt but up to $15 for solid copper) there is unlikely to be any good reason why you can not use copper roof shingles on your roof.
What kind of life can I expect from copper roof shingles?
This is something of a confusing issue. Asphalt roof shingles will normally only last 20 years, but covered in copper sheeting the life of the asphalt shingles can easily be extended to between 30 and 40 years. However, the copper sheet itself will last an average of about 150 years. Obviously the copper roof shingles themselves will only last as long as the asphalt roof shingles that are underneath the copper.
The cost of copper roof shingles
Copper roof shingles are by no means a cheap alternative to other styles of roofing but if you like the look of copper and you want a longer life than asphalt shingles can offer then copper roof shingles are a good option. The copper sheet protects the asphalt shingles underneath effectively giving them an extended life of 30 to 40 years. The copper sheeting also protects the shingles from most general wear and tear meaning that with good, regular maintenance you won't need to have repairs done too often. On a yearly basis copper roof shingles do work out cheap but not overall and not for the initial installation.
Standard asphalt roof shingles usually cost around $1 per square foot, whereas solid copper roofing will set you back around $15 per square foot. Copper roof shingles are available at approximately $4 to $5 per square foot so they are 4 times more expensive than asphalt but considerably cheaper than a full solid copper roof. However, you are undoubtedly paying for the attractive looks of a copper roof but for less money than covering the entire roof in an expensive metal.
December, 2005
Copyright 2005 Roofer 911.com. All Rights Reserved
by Steven Briesemeister. Reprinted courtesy of Roofer 911.com, roofing contractor serving Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn, NY and northern Virginia.