Sheet metal roofing is becoming a popular choice for commercial roofing thanks to its durability, energy efficiency and long life expectancy. Roofing Experts Orlando specializes in sheet metal that’s custom-fabricated to meet the requirements of your commercial property, and we can add roof coping or caps to help protect your building.

What is Roof Coping?

The term roof coping (sometimes called wall coping) refers to pieces of bent sheet metal that make a continuous cap that covers the vertical wall around the roof. Coping provides an extra layer of protection against the elements. The coping is like a protective cover, and it’s usually curved or slanted to help the wall shed water that falls on it. You might also hear coping referred to as a wall cap, wall cover or coping cap.

Is Metal Roof Coping Necessary?

Custom-fabricated metal roof coping can help protect your roof. It’s important to remember that sheet metal is chemical-resistant, can withstand high temperatures and stands up to difficult weather conditions.

Is it Easy to Install Roof Coping?

The right installers can custom-fabricate sheet metal just for your roof – and that makes installation much easier (as well as more affordable for you).

Why Do Some Walls Need Coping?

A coping can prevent water from entering a wall – and if your roof isn’t doing the job, the coping will. If water gets into your building’s walls, it can lead to all kinds of costly problems. Coping can look good, too, which means it’s not only protecting your space; it can add to its aesthetics, as well.

The main reason to install coping is to protect your walls from water incursion. One of the main problems that occurs when water gets into a masonry wall, for example, is called efflorescence. Efflorescence is a whitish discoloration on the outside of a wall, and it happens when water runs through brick and leaves behind deposits of natural salts.

However, a far more serious problem than efflorescence is the expansion of water when it freezes. Water in masonry, like anywhere else, expands when temperatures dip below freezing. That expansion can crack the masonry itself or its joints. That deteriorates the wall’s structural integrity, and that can pose a hazard to the entire building (and everything in it). Water in wood can be even worse, causing mold and mildew build-up, wood rot and more.

How to Tell if Your Building Needs Wall Coping

The simplest (and fastest) way to find out whether your building needs wall coping is to call Roofing Experts Orlando and schedule a free roof inspection with one of our professional inspectors. Each member of our team is highly trained in working with industrial and commercial roofs, and we’ll be able to let you know whether your roof is in great shape, it needs a little work, or it needs to be replaced. We’ll examine every inch of your building’s roof to make sure it’s structurally sound – and we’ll examine the parapet walls to ensure that there’s no water getting in.

Between inspections, you can tell whether your building needs coping by checking for signs of water damage inside and outside. You may see discoloration, wood rot, peeling or blistering paint, or mold and mildew growth, or you might see crumbling brick or other warning signs. If you notice any of these things, it’s important that you get in touch with a roofing expert who’s familiar with coping – that may be the fix you need to prevent further structural damage to your building.

What is Snap-On Metal Coping?

Snap-on metal coping is an option on some jobs, though it’s not right for every building. These snap-on pieces are applied right to a flat parapet wall, and they typically come with a concealed fastening system. If you’re considering snap-on metal coping, talk to your local roof installation experts – Roofing Experts Orlando. We’ll talk to you about your options and help you make the right choice based on your needs and budget.

What is Wall Capping?

Capping is used to cap the top of a parapet wall or free-standing wall, and it’s very similar to coping. The main idea is that something is on top of your wall to help it shed water. Unlike coping, though, a cap sits flush to the wall – it doesn’t project outward like coping does.