Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1883 — Copper Roofing. [ARTICLE]

Copper Roofing.

The Scientijic , American mentions the decline in the price of copper as likely to lead to the increased use of that metal for building. At present the material for a copper roof costs at the outset only about twice as much as 'tin, and, as the latter must be repaired and'paintad about once in tiiree years, and in fifteen or twenty years must be renewed altogether, the copper, which never needs painting and is practically indestructible, is much the cheaper material in the end. There are in Boston many copper roofs, put on about forty years ago, which show no signs of deterioration; and the metal is still much employed in that city for cornices, gutters and rain-water pipes, as well as for covering bay-windows, and in many other v. ays, in place of galvanized iron, which is mueh inferior in beauty and durability, and not very much cheaper. The copper has the additional advantage of needing no paint, so that the delicate lines of artistic work are in no danger of being filled up, and the metal increases rather than diminishes in beauty,, by the slow formation of blueish-green patiga over it. For flashings, as well as other portions of roof-work, copper is much superior to zinc or tin, and with the aid of a certain amount of lead the most difficult problem in roofing can be successfully and permanently solved.—7 American Architect.