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3.1
3.1 Structure & Fabric :
Roofing
Copper Sheet
Roofing
Jonathan Goode
W
ith its
natural tendency to form
a protective green patina, copper
roofing provides a prominent
visual accent in our built environment. It is
particularly distinctive against the occluded
skies of our temperate climate. Copper is
relatively expensive but it does have beneficial
characteristics. This has meant that its use,
historically, has typically been reserved for
high profile buildings. During the 19th and
20th centuries the price of copper fluctuated
dramatically, making it periodically available
for use on a wider range of building types.
Large-scale use of copper roofing
developed during the 19th century and
examples or accounts of its use in England
prior to this are rare. The use of copper as a
roofing material became increasingly viable
through increasing mechanisation and
standardisation in the production of copper
sheet. The use of copper in the first half of
the 20th century fluctuated with its price,
peaking around the 1920s and 1930s.
After the Second World War many
churches were in poor condition. Some
had suffered bomb damage and many
more had been deprived of general repairs
and maintenance because of the enforced
postponement of such work between 1939
and 1949. Even then, shortages in materials,
labour and funds, coupled with the need
to obtain a Ministry of Works licence,
hampered repair works. One of the worst
cases was Chichester Cathedral where nearly
all the roofs were in need of re-covering
(illustrated overleaf ).
The benefits of copper sheet
The use of sheet metal in general as a roofing
material allows a near continuous water-
resistant covering with a minimum of joints
between sheets. It enables roof slopes to
be covered at lower pitches than would be
possible using other roof coverings and it
can be used to provide a smooth surface
over curved architectural forms. In this
respect copper is not unique and a number of
alternatives are available including lead, zinc,
tin, aluminium and galvanised and stainless
steel. However, certain properties of copper
provide benefits over these other metals.
The density of copper is less than that of
The copper dome of West Register House, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh (Photo: Charles Strang)