A650 year old roof? Is that even possible?
Well, not only is it possible, it’s PROVEN.
How do we know this? We come from a heritage of European master craftsmen. We are among a scant handful of German masters board certified in restoration and reconstruction and have seen for ourselves the remarkable permanence proper use of materials, systems and design can make. And guess what? The same systems and materials used in these ultra-permanent historical structures–true architectural treasures– are the same as those we produce for you right here!
Have you ever seen 650 year old roofing copper? It is something. A cross section reveals the initial material placed by masters long ago covered with layer upon layer of patina. Copper protects itself by using the minerals it encounters to build up a protective layer around itself. 650 year old roofing copper is 4-5 times the thickness of the original material! So, essentially copper becomes ever stronger with time as does the entire roof structure.
But great materials alone do not permanence make. It’s systems designed with hidden fasteners, with seamed solutions, with truly interlocking designs which have protected the treasures housed beneath them as they have proved their water-tightness.
No two roofs are the same. In addition to materials and systems, the third component to permanence, as we mentioned, is design. The old masters are no longer around for consultation; and even if by some scientific advancement we were able to bring them back, they would be missing the latest innovations we have learned and developed and the cutting-edge engineered products we have gathered for you. No one else in any time period or any place in the world is better able to assist you to ensure beauty, efficiency and permanence.
Don’t you hate seeing and hearing the phrase “It really works!” in advertising? Just by virtue of the fact something is legally sold should indicate that the item “really works”. But sadly, we’ve all bought products which don’t, which make “It really works!” a comfort in our purchasing decisions. Though, gratefully, in the U.S. we have all manner of regulatory agencies keeping most snake oil peddlers at bay, there are comparatively few resources to turn to when you need real answers to your roofing questions. You’re more likely to encounter spin due to lack of knowledge. Caulk is not a solution. Soldering is not a solution. Exposed fasteners are not a solution. Poor designs touted as engineered are not a solution. Real engineering is the solution.
Whatever it is. Whatever you need. You can rely on us to get real, helpful information and products that “really work”. You can put our German engineering to work for a product everyone on the planet can use and appreciate. Let’s all make a goal of building with permanence and encourage others to do the same.
Just how long ago is 650 years? Look at it this way: Almost a century before Gutenberg invented the printing press, Joan of Arc led the French to victory and Johann Widmann invented the “+” and “-” signs used in contemporary mathematics, artisans had applied the fine metal roofs we have had the fortune of restoring and examining. 650 years ago is about the time Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales. Wow. That’s a long time ago! And yes, we’ve worked on even older roofs, too!
The only restoration projects on centuries-old metal roofs we encountered in Europe, were those due to extreme circumstances like fallen tree limbs or WWII bullet and artillery damage. Properly engineered and installed metal roofs will never fail. Read our article to learn more about how you can achieve this type of permanence in your own projects.
What metals are right for my project?
We have a wide spectrum of metal choices available for you to fit your budget and your design ideals.
Copper, stainless steel and titanium among a few other alloys are permanent materials that will stand the test of time, however ALL our metal offerings have a very long lifespan.
What does that mean exactly? Well, for us, ethics trumps everything else. The metals we offer are those we’d put on our own buildings. They are the metals we recommend from monarchs to our moms.
If you have a special material in mind you don’t see on our website, ask us about it. Often we can make the system for you out of your special material, but if it’s not appropriate or won’t last, we’ll steer you in a better direction.
Beauty and permanence is our promise to you.