Metal, copper & zinc roofing
A living surface that improves with every winter
Copper and zinc are the great architectural metals: they seal themselves, shed snow, defeat ice dams and turn from bright to bronze to verdigris over decades. We form every panel on site with our own brakes and seamers, so the roof fits the house, not the other way round.
Overview
Metal work, not "metal roofing"
There is a world of difference between screw-down barn panel and a double-lock standing-seam roof. Our crew forms metal on site: panels roll off the machine at the exact length of your slope, seams are mechanically double-locked, and every flashing, finial and dormer wrap is bent and soldered by hand.
Beyond copper we install titanium-zinc, lead-coated copper for heritage matches, and 24-gauge Kynar 500 (PVDF) coated steel in more than thirty colours for modern houses, additions and outbuildings.
Toronto fit
Why metal is the engineer's choice for Ontario winters
Snow slides, ice can't grip
Smooth, warm-on-sunny-days metal releases snow before it can compact into ice. Where a roof discharges over a walkway we add architectural snow guards.
Thermal movement built in
Copper moves 1.7 mm per metre across Toronto's –25 °C to +70 °C surface range. Floating clips and expansion joints let the roof breathe without stressing a single fastener.
Hail & wind
Double-lock seams and concealed clips give a UL 580 Class 90 wind-uplift rating; 20-oz copper and 24-gauge steel resist hail far better than asphalt.
Materials
Metals we form
| Metal | Finish over time | Expected life | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper, 16–20 oz | Salmon → bronze → verdigris green (25–40 yrs in Toronto) | 80–100+ yrs | Self-healing patina; the reference material |
| Lead-coated copper | Soft matte grey from day one | 80+ yrs | Heritage matches; no green run-off onto stone |
| Titanium-zinc | Blue-grey, matte, uniform | 80–100 yrs | Pre-weathered options; no maintenance at all |
| Kynar 500 steel, 24 ga | Colour-stable 30+ yrs (chalk/fade warranty) | 50–70 yrs | 30+ colours; Galvalume substrate |
| Aluminum, .032" | Colour-stable | 50+ yrs | Lakefront and coastal exposure |
Scope
What a Ross the Roofer metal roof includes
- Site-formed panels: 1", 1.5" or 2" double-lock standing seam, or flat-lock for curves and low slopes
- High-temperature self-adhered underlayment across the entire deck; slip sheet under copper and zinc
- Floating stainless clips, expansion details on runs over 9 m
- Hand-formed and soldered flashings, dormers, chimneys and finials
- Matching half-round eavestroughs and downpipes in the same metal
- Architectural snow guards where roofs discharge onto entrances and paths
- Ventilated ridge detail, calculated to Ontario Building Code
Questions
Metal, answered
Is a metal roof loud in rain?
Not when installed over a solid deck with underlayment and a properly insulated attic, as ours always are. Rain on a residential standing-seam roof is quieter than on a skylight.
Will copper stain my stone or brick?
Bright copper can leave green run-off during its first years. Where copper drains over limestone or pale brick we specify lead-coated copper or zinc, or design the drainage so run-off never touches masonry.
Can metal go over my existing roof?
We do not recommend it. Toronto's freeze-thaw cycle traps moisture between layers, and hidden deck damage goes undiscovered. We remove to the deck, inspect, and rebuild properly.
Begin
Let's talk about your roof
A consultation with a project director is complimentary and without obligation. We'll walk the property, survey the roof by drone and tell you honestly what it needs.