Before this Mullica Hill, NJ, owner made changes, this home disappeared into the large, tree-filled lot, thereby obscuring the residence from view. Reason: the roof was dominated by the trees.
Cynthia emailed to ask, "I am wondering if you know anyone that would be interested in the old tin shingles on my house. We are putting on a new roof and I would love to see them recycled."
The owner of this turn-of-the-previous-century home located outside NYC has converted their vintage metal surface to a cool roof. According to the NY Times article on 7/30 they will save over 20% during the summer months plus contribute to the movement to save our planet.
The new and old shingles are quite distinct in this photo of a church in Mt. Harmony, MD. But from a distance, the roof's appearance is quite compatible.
After the Civil War to before World War II, a roofing style called "embossed tin shingles" evolved. Sometimes called stamped shingles, many owners of residences with this unique roofing style want to keep them.
To see the "Before" image, just check the June 17th blog entry. More about this project to come.
If you work on old houses, one has to be prepared for the project in a haunted house. Thus far, we have worked in two structures with ghostly reputations.
This copper roof in Fredericksburg, VA, has been repaired with new panels. The copper aging process is decades apart. One alternative is to apply copper liquid paint to improve appearance. Just a suggestion.
Working in Virginia means encountering our history up close--such as this pre-Civil War structure for the workers on this plantation near the Shanandoah Valley. We cleaned, primed and coated the old panels with black acrylic.
On the Eastern Shore, these owners found an old photo of their home on Federal Street in Snow Hill, MD. On this link to Eastern Shore tin roofs, take a look at the modern restoration the recent owners have accomplished.
Tin shingle porch roofs are commonly in worse condition compared to upper roofs. The reasons are simple--more traffic by workmen, children, window cleaners and elopers. Over the years, customers have used four approaches to improving appearances and eliminating leaks. See this page entitled Front porch tin shingles for photos of these solutions.
"Patina" is a difficult color to work with. Copper liquid and copper sheets take a decade or more before the patina starts to appear. If you push the aging process along with an acidic wash, then the result depends on the composition of the acidic wash, the humidity in the air--in short, the result is difficult to predict.
In every trade, shorten phrases evolve that are understood only by a few people. For example, Lester, the crew chief who has performed all the field work on this blog and website, rarely refers to the last coating of a project as "final coat" or "top coat".
Ad and illustration dated 1902 from Cortright Metal Roofing, located in Philadelphia and Chicago: ...designed to avoid the heaviness, the expense and fragility of slate roofs; to avoid the lack of wearing qualities in the wood shingle, and provide a substitute for the "buckling", rattling and expensive economy of the tin roof and to increase the beauty of a roof."
To control condensation drips, the roof is not an issue!
Which roof still has the original panels? Which roof is made of plywood and fake standing seams? Some customers ask for our creativity in resolving problems.
Any roofing work is expensive. If you are evaluating whether to keep your existing metal roof or replace, this article notes four reasons to save your metal panels.
This roof was installed in 1992. Within five years, heavy rust was breaking through due to a glitch at the manufacturing company. To insure the long term life of the roof, the fully reinforced system resolves the pre-mature rusting with a 10 year warranty against leakage.
Colored metal roofs can come with a sheen....and a caveat. Any shiny finish highlights a metal roof's imperfections whereas acrylic (with its matted finish) tends to mute irregularities.
If you are seeking a tin roof contractor in the mid-Atlantic states, my crew and I are seeking owners of tin roofs who want to restore their existing metal roofs.
In 1821, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "..it is the lightest, and most durable cover in the world. We know that it will last 100 years, and how much more we do not know"
The earliest tin roofing came in sections of approximately 10" x 14". By the 1830s, the length of the sections had increased about twofold. As the years passed, the section lengths continued to lengthen--improved transportation, such as train service, influenced this trend.
Tin roof colors before the Civil War were usually a mixture of iron oxide and linseed oil. The appearance of the soldered panels was a rusty red, thereby any rust spots were muted. Every few years, the roofs were repainted with the same mixture.
The Windover Inn near Asheville is example of one of our embossed tin shingle projects. Besides being a lovely B&B, the design of the shingles suggests a local connection. Only in the mountains near here have I seen this design. This green tint in the acrylic we used is called "Artic Green".
If your metal roof flakes....and you want a guaranteed no-flake application....the fully reinforced system will resolve flaking problems. Above porch roof is located in Cherry Hill, NJ.
The above roll of mesh with "thin red lines" looks so innocent.
If you lived under this roof, would you save it? See photos of this Washington DC cottage for the homeowner's decision and her results.
The grey roof color is available in both a light version and a dark tint. This cottage in Chesapeake City, MD, illustrates the lighter color. Common names are "colonial grey", "aluminum grey" or just plain "light grey". Besides being a traditional color of a metal roof, this choice reflects more sunlight than the darker colors. On this project, the upper roof was restored with the preservation system; the lower back roof required the "fully reinforced" approach. See my crew at work on this Chesapeake City metal roof.
An example of a dark green tint that makes the residence "sit well" on the property. For additional photos, click green tin roof link here
Tin roof color choice is always the most lasting decision an owner of a metal roof must make. There are several reasons why roof color becomes more important than leaks and rusting.
Whenever a phone caller starts with, "I'm looking at your site and have a question about my tin roof....", I wonder if I am in for another adventure.
Owners of tin roof homes always have a story to tell.
