Modern developers use various newfangled coatings when arranging the roof, and such a thing as a copper roof is becoming irrelevant these days. If you look at the characteristics of this material, it becomes clear that this trend is completely wrong.
Evidence of this is the ancient monuments of architecture, covered precisely with copper sheets. After several decades, the roofing material has not lost its presentability and reliability, which indicates its durability. What else is a good copper roof, what features it has and whether it has disadvantages, we will tell in this article.
General characteristics of the material
Copper is a unique and durable material. The duration of its operation is due to the special properties of the metal. During use, copper sheets gradually oxidize, becoming covered with a non-toxic protective layer - patina. It does not allow metal to come into contact with oxygen, so that the roof is not exposed to its negativeexposed.
A copper roof can last for more than a hundred years, while the first two decades it only begins to oxidize. This process can be divided into 3 main steps:
- 1 stage - the surface of the roofing material has a shiny appearance;
- 2 stage - the roof begins to oxidize, becomes dull;
- 3 stage - patina begins to form on the metal.
Oxidation of the material is observed in the period from the first to the third year of operation. Patina begins to form only after 4 years, and this entire period takes about 20 years.
What types of copper are roofing materials made of
Before we turn to the question of how much copper costs, it must be said that this metal comes in several types, which are characterized by different costs. Their main difference is the color that changes artificially.
In order not to wait until copper acquires its unique qualities, modern manufacturers have learned to "age" it, exposing the metal to various chemical compositions. As a result, we have a roof of four types. Namely:
- Classic copper. It is a soft, pliable material with a charming luster and a reddish-yellow tint. During use, it will change its color. The cost of this variety is 1500-1700 rubles per m².
- Oxidized copper. This is a metal that has been artificially aged to 2 stages of oxidation. sheet copper for roofingbe brownish and black. It has a price tag of 2500 rubles per m².
- Patinated copper. Such roofing material is brought to the state of a 20-year-old metal, which is completely covered with a greenish protective layer. This variety is considered the most expensive. Its price tag starts from 3,500 rubles per m².
- Tinned copper. Roofing materials of this group are covered with tin on both sides. As a result, the manufacturer receives a metal of a light gray hue, which has a beautiful metallic sheen. The cost of such material is about 3,000 rubles per m².
Types of copper roofing materials
To the question "how much does copper cost for a roof?" directly affects the appearance of the roofing material. Today there are about a dozen different types of coatings, but we will consider the main 4 groups. This is:
- folded materials;
- tile varieties;
- checkered covers.
The most common today is a folded copper roof. This variety is copper sheets that are laid on a crate and fastened to each other by folding. The sheet material guarantees the maximum impermeability of the coating, even if it is laid on the base with a slight slope.
For roofs of complex geometry, tiled roofs are more often used. It is made up of small and flexible overlapping pieces that form a simple and attractive pattern.
Checker coveringspresented in the form of small plates having the shape of a rhombus, square or trapezoid. On both sides of these figures there are fixing locks that ensure the integrity and tightness of the entire coating. Such material can be used on both flat and complex roofs.
Advantages of copper roofing
Despite the high cost of the material, copper roofing is a fairly profitable investment. Spending once, the owner of the premises protects himself from the hassle of the roof for many years. In addition, the advantages of such coatings include:
- Sustainability. Copper is an absolutely pure and safe material that does not emit harmful substances when heated in the sun. Indisputable evidence of this property is the use of metal in the manufacture of dishes and water pipes.
- Flexibility. The good ductility of the metal allows it to be used even on roofs of very complex geometry.
- Light weight. Despite the fact that copper is a rather heavy material, the roof made of it does not give a large load to the building. This is due to the fact that the plates and sheets have a minimum thickness, so their installation does not require strengthening the foundation.
- Easy to repair. If holes appear in the copper roof, they are soldered without dismantling the material. So that the repaired area does not spoil the appearance of the roof, it is treated with impregnations that create the effect of antiquity.
Additionally, the fire safety of the material, its resistance toenvironmentally friendly and easy to install.
Flaws
Speaking of the disadvantages of a copper roof, you should pay attention to the fact that it is only one - high cost. Yes, this is true, but given that such a roof fully pays off the owner in 30 years, and its service life is 4 times longer, then there are simply no questions about the appropriateness of using such a material.
For such a long period of time, the owners of cheap coatings manage to completely replace the roofing material more than 5 times, spending much more money on repairs. Based on this, it can be argued that this shortcoming is very relative.
Preparation for installation
We have considered the advantages and disadvantages of a copper roof. Now let's move on to laying the roof. This is an extremely responsible event. Here one cannot make mistakes and even the slightest errors, since the material is quite expensive.
If the house is under construction, then roofing work begins with the installation of a truss system. At this stage, it is very important to treat all its elements with antiseptics and fire retardants, since if the rafters rot ahead of time, the roofing material will also have to be dismantled.
No less attention is required to the arrangement of ventilation (in the space under the roof). If the house has an attic floor, it is insulated and equipped with a supply and exhaust system. The insulation itself is protected by vapor barrier materials.
So that on the inside of the roof is not formedcondensate, do not forget about the arrangement of vapor barrier. For this purpose, a membrane material is used, which is laid parallel to the ridge, starting from the lower edge of the roof (overlapping by 10 cm).
Next, the crate is being arranged. Please note that the copper roof is laid only on a solid base, which is assembled from sheets of moisture-resistant plywood or OPS boards.
Installation of copper checker
Installing a copper roof (using checkered material) is the most time-consuming and time-consuming process. For this reason, this coating is only chosen when it comes to protecting oval, round and elliptical structures.
In order to save money, a copper checker can be made independently (at the work site) by cutting shapes of the desired shape from sheet metal. Most often, the elements have dimensions of 21 x 21 cm or 33 x 33 cm. Such parameters allow you to cut the sheet with the least amount of waste. You can also purchase ready-made material.
Roofing from checkers is mounted using two types of locks (direct and reverse), which are located above and below each element. By engaging them, the entire coating is collected, while the upper checker should cover the junction of the lower elements.
Installation of tiles
Tile copper roofing is laid on roofs of a simple configuration, the slope of which is at least 35 degrees. Works are carried out in accordance with the following rules:
- The tile is fixed on a solid base whenusing stainless steel screws and fasteners (cleats).
- A special lining material is laid in the valleys, which is placed with an overlap of 20 cm.
- Roofing starts from the roof ridge. The tiles are positioned offset so that the top plates cover the joints of the bottom row.
- Each element of the coating is fixed at the base with 4 self-tapping screws. If the installation of the roof is carried out in areas where strong wind prevails, then the number of fasteners is increased to 6 pieces.
- After completion of work, ventilated skates and snow retaining elements are installed.
Installation of seam roof
The seam-type copper roof is considered the most reliable, since it completely lacks holes from fasteners. To create such a roof, sheet or rolled metal is used. Clamps and double folds are purchased as fasteners.
Before installation, a vertical marking is made over the entire surface of the crate, the step of which corresponds to the width of the copper sheet.
Clamps, for fixing the canvases at the base, are installed along the marking lines, every 40 cm (that is, 4 pieces per 1 m²). Along the perimeter of the cornices, junction strips and skates, the step of their installation is reduced to 35 cm.
Further, prepared copper sheets (pictures) 0.8 mm thick are laid on the crate. They are put on clamps and folded at the seams with the help of a special tool. The height of the fold after crimping should not exceed 3 cm. Thus, the edges of the sheets are securely hidden under the fasteners, which guarantees the absolute tightness of the roof.
Copper Roof Maintenance
As mentioned earlier, a copper roof does not need much maintenance. If for some reason she needed repairs, it is done without dismantling the material. If the laying work is done well, then the use of sealants and re-installation of the roof will not be required for many years.
The same goes for dyeing copper. Since its service life exceeds the life of any paint and varnish coatings, you do not even need to think about whether it is worth painting a copper roof. The applied additional layer will fall off much earlier than the coating itself needs to be repaired.
