Copper is the roof people slow down to look at. It has a warmth no other material has, it works on everything from a turret to a full standing seam roof, and it ages instead of wearing out. On the right mountain home, nothing else comes close.

Copper also comes with its own rules, especially up here. Here’s what to know about how copper ages in our climate, how to keep snow on it, and what it took to build an award-winning copper roof in Vail.

Why choose copper?

When homeowners ask me why copper, this is what I tell them:

• It’s distinctive. A copper roof or copper accent changes the character of a house, and it adds value.
• It lasts. Installed right, copper resists weather and needs very little maintenance.
• It holds up to fire. Copper is a noncombustible metal, which matters in wildfire country.
• It’s recyclable. Copper never really leaves the supply chain.
• It’s versatile. Copper shingles, standing seam, flat seam, gutters, chimney caps, and accents can all work together on one house.

Copper roof patina: why it turns bronze here, not green

Most people picture an old copper roof as that bright blue-green, like the Statue of Liberty. That color, verdigris, comes from years of moisture, salt air, and pollutants. You see it on the coasts and in wet, industrial cities.

Our mountain climate is dry, with low humidity and clean air. So copper here ages differently. New copper starts out bright, shiny penny. Over time it darkens through browns into a deep bronze. You might see a hint of green in spots that stay damp, but in the Colorado mountains, don’t expect a green roof.

For a lot of our clients, that’s the appeal. A dark bronze copper roof fits the stone, timber, and landscape of a mountain home better than green ever would.

One of my favorite projects is a copper re-roof in Vail that earned a Runner Up award in Rocky Mountain Snow Guards’ 2024 national contest. It’s a good example of everything copper can do, and everything a mountain job site can throw at you.

The roof: about 100 squares (roughly 10,000 square feet) at around 8,500 feet. We combined copper metal shingles from Vail Metal (now Principio) with 1.5-inch mechanical lock standing seam, a copper turret, and radius copper gutters built to follow the curves of the house.

The site: access only from the front of the house, and the roof sat 250 steps up from the driveway. A lot of that material went up by hand. We were sharing three parking spots with about 20 different trades, so every delivery had to be planned. This is the kind of project where running our own full-time crews and our own sheet metal shop makes all the difference.

How we kept snow on a copper roof

Copper is slick. Like any metal roof, it will shed snow fast, and on a home like this, that snow lands on decks, entries, and anyone standing below. So the snow retention was designed in from the start, not added later.

We sent the roof plans to Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, and their team designed a system around the snow load at that elevation. It used two approaches, matched to the two roof types:

• On the copper shingles: a bolt-through Drift III snow fence, with supplemental rows of RG10 guards above it installed in [soldier rows].
• On the standing seam: a SnowCap II clamp-to-seam fence that grips the seams with no holes through the panels.

That second point matters a lot on metal. Standing seam panels expand and contract with our big daily temperature swings. Clamping to the seam lets them move freely, and it keeps the roof’s watertight surface intact. Screwing through the panels works against both.

Copper snow guards and the metals you pair with copper

If you’re putting snow retention on a copper roof, match the metal. Copper snow guards and fences age right along with the roof, so they blend in as the patina develops.

Just as important: copper doesn’t play well with every metal. When copper touches aluminum or galvanized steel with moisture present, the other metal corrodes. Copper runoff can also stain and eat away at aluminum or galvanized gutters, flashing, and fixtures below it. On a copper roof, the snow guards, fasteners, flashing, and gutters all need to be compatible. That’s one reason we like to build the whole system, top to bottom, ourselves.

Copper shingles or standing seam?

Both are beautiful, and many of our copper roofs use both. Copper shingles give you texture and a traditional look, and they work well on complex shapes like turrets and curved sections. Standing seam gives clean vertical lines and a more contemporary feel, with fewer exposed seams. The right choice depends on your home’s architecture, pitch, and how the roof sheds snow and water. We’ll usually mock up options with you before anything gets ordered.

Hear the full story

I talked about this Vail project, copper’s appeal on mountain homes, and the snow retention design on RoofersCoffeeShop’s Roofing Road Trips podcast.

Q: Does a copper roof turn green in Colorado?
A: Usually not. Our dry, clean mountain air ages copper to a deep brown or dark bronze rather than the green verdigris you see near the coast. 

Q: How long does a copper roof last?
A: A properly installed copper roof is one of the longest-lasting roofs you can buy, and it needs very little maintenance. Installation details, especially flashing, fasteners, and snow retention, are what protect that lifespan. 

Q: Can you put snow guards on a copper roof?
A: Yes, and on most mountain homes, you should. Use copper guards or fences so they age with the roof, and on standing seam, use clamp-to-seam systems that don't penetrate the panels. 

Q: Can copper be combined with other roofing?
A: Yes. Copper accents, turrets, and gutters pair well with composite shake and slate. Just make sure the metals that touch or sit below the copper are compatible. 

Thinking about copper? 

Whether it's a full copper roof, a turret, or custom gutters, our in-house sheet metal shop builds it. Call our Eagle office at 970.704.9130, or learn more about our snow retention systems for metal roofs. 

As featured in 

• RoofersCoffeeShop, Roofing Road Trips podcast, "Copper Shines"

• Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, 2024 "Show Us Your Snow Guards" contest 

• Architectural West, "Copper Shines"