The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Too Shiny Copper Roof

Q. I'm a building contractor and have installed a factory made copper shingle system. The county authorities have told me that the copper roof is too reflective and that I must do something to mitigate its reflectivity or I will be cited for violation of a LDR (Land development Reg) and I will be issued a stop work order. The Company who made the copper shingle has stated that any chemical, cleaning agent or alteration of the shingle will void the 50 year warrantee. Is water the only solution that can be put on the shingle to keep the warrantee. Is there something that may void the warrantee but not compromise the integrity of the copper roof? Help!

Respectfully,

Paul D [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Jackson, Wyoming
2002

A. Hi, Paul. Please encourage your county authorities to send us a photo of Jackson's proudest piece of architecture; We'd like to post it on this page and see how it fares against Hoboken NJ's once "too shiny" Erie-Lackawanna RR Station and Asbury Park's Carousel building, another of the world's graceful pieces of "too shiny" copper :-)

 . The copper shingle roof of the Naval Academy's Bancroft Hall is one of the most revered and photographed roofs in the world.

I am thankful that our great-grandparents had far fewer bureaucrats than we, and I shiver at the thought of what today's towns & cities would look like if small minds had been in control back then.

You can consult "The Colouring, Bronzing, and Patination of Metals", but it's tough when the shingles are already in place and you're not allowed to treat them. There may be nothing you can do but paint the darned thing and hope that when nature strips the paint, the surface left behind will still be capable of growing a proper patina. Good luck, and thank you for your efforts toward build with sustainability in mind.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. I found several solutions that will help the copper turn. In my case, it only took about 14 days to dull the shine to the extent needed. I used a dilute solution of either soda pop, instant coffee, or tea. I mopped down the area to be turned and did not rinse it off, using approximately two washings in two days. Copper, if bare, will turn brown in approximately six weeks anyway, this technique just shortened the time. Zappone offers a tinting solution that oxidizes shingles quickly, a selenium acid solution. It is unpleasant to work with, and should only be used under controlled conditions where the residual materials can be turned in to a hazardous waste site afterward. I used this material for approximately 1/3 of my roof, but found that the home-made solution was much more cost and time effective. bmc

Bill McCown
- Alta Loma, California
2006