An example of the limitless possibilities with Zinc Roofing
I recently attended a training for an upcoming project; my clients chose VM Zinc for their roof. I have worked with copper, tin, lead, aluminum and steel for years but this was my first exposure to Zinc.
It tools almost identically to copper, it’s a little bit easier to form. Zinc stretches very nicely and when you are forming it with a hammer it’s as if it knows where you want it to go.
Here are some mock ups that were made over the three day course:
Zinc solders beautifully, it is very demanding (temps, fluxes, cleanliness ,etc) but once you have the technique down there is nothing you can’t do.
The round dots you see centered on the joint give the joint strength during expansion and contraction. I have soldered miles of tin and copper, but soldering zinc was almost like painting with molten lead.
This is a mock up of a skylight or chimney flashing in a standing seam roof. This flashing detail is very clean and simple and will last for an easy 100 years.
Zinc roofing when installed properly offers some of the same benefits as a copper roof. Both will last for at least 100 years with very little maintenance. However if you are looking for longevity but don’t want the green patina on your project then Zinc might be perfect for you.
Zinc will develop a light gray patina within about 18 months with average exposure to rain and moisture. The patina is self healing; if its ever scratched or worn off it will re develop in a matter of months.
Were all looking forward to the Zinc project and I’ll put up some pics when it starts.
If you’d like more information feel free to call or email tom@lyonscontracting.com
or www.vmzinc.com
