Walk any street in Highland Park and you’ll see it: a curved bay over the front windows, a porch roof, a dormer or a run of gutters in copper. It’s the detail that makes a brick Georgian or a Tudor look finished. And when an architect writes “copper” on the plans, one name shows up more than any other: Revere.
I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years, and copper is some of the most rewarding work we do. It’s also work where the small decisions (ounce weight, solder, what water runs onto it) decide whether it looks right in 20 years. Here’s what Revere’s own documents say, in plain English.
Who Revere is
Revere Copper Products traces back to Paul Revere, who founded North America’s first copper rolling mill in 1801. The company is headquartered in Rome, New York, opened a second plant in Mebane, North Carolina in 2023, and celebrated 225 years in 2026. Revere also publishes Copper & Common Sense, the copper design manual architects have used since 1945. It’s now in its 9th edition. Sources: Revere’s Our Story, 225th Anniversary and Copper & Common Sense pages.
Revere’s architectural copper, compared
| Classic Copper | UltraPan | FreedomGray | Liberty Collection | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Bare, bright sheet copper | Copper strip engineered for portable pan-forming machines | Copper coated both sides with Revere’s tin/zinc (T-Z) alloy | Classic Copper with Rigidized textured patterns |
| Look over time | Bright, then darkens; can develop green patina | Same as bare copper | Weathers to slate gray; Revere says it never turns red or orange | Textured copper surface |
| Best fit | Bay roofs, cupolas, flashings, gutters | Standing seam formed on site | Homes where you want gray metal next to slate or limestone | Accent and wall work |
| Lead | None | None | Lead-free (an alternative to lead-coated copper) | None |
Sources: Revere Architectural page, FreedomGray Q&A, Classic Copper guide spec, Liberty Collection brochure.
Ounce weights: what “16 oz” and “20 oz” really mean
Copper is specified by weight per square foot, not gauge. Revere’s guide spec lists:
| Weight | Thickness | Minimum thickness | Pounds per sq. ft. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 oz | 0.0216” | 0.0204” | 1.00 lb |
| 20 oz | 0.0270” | 0.0258” | 1.25 lb |
| 24 oz | 0.0323” | 0.0308” | 1.50 lb |
| 32 oz | 0.0431” | 0.0411” | 2.00 lb |
Revere’s pan-forming spec calls out 12, 16 or 20 oz cold-rolled copper “as noted on drawings.” On a Highland Park bay roof, 16 oz is common and 20 oz is a step up in stiffness. Wider pans, longer runs and gutters that take a beating from oak limbs are where the heavier weight earns its cost. When we bid copper, the ounce weight is written on the quote. If two copper bids differ a lot, check this line first.
FreedomGray: copper that weathers gray
FreedomGray is worth knowing about on homes with slate, gray stone or limestone trim. From Revere’s FreedomGray Q&A:
- It’s architectural sheet copper made to ASTM B370, hot-dip coated on both sides with Revere’s tin/zinc alloy. The coating is about 0.0005” minimum.
- It ships with a satin micro-embossed finish that cuts glare, then weathers to a slate gray.
- It’s lead-free, and Revere positions it as the alternative to lead-coated copper.
- It can be formed below freezing and doesn’t need the vented underside that zinc does. (See our VMZINC and RHEINZINK post for why zinc needs that.)
- It’s stocked in 16 oz and 20 oz: 36” x 96” or 120” sheets, and 20”, 24” and 36” coils. Revere says it was first installed in 2000.
- Revere does not recommend it directly under roof runoff, where tannic acid can leach from some woods, or around aggressive chemicals.
- Flat-seam roofs and gutters in FreedomGray need positive drainage of at least 1/8” per foot, because standing water can stain it.
Revere’s warranty: what it covers and what it doesn’t
Homeowners hear “25-year warranty” and assume it covers the roof. Read the actual document.
Architectural Copper Warranty (PDF):
- 25 years after delivery on standard architectural sheet copper, UltraPan strip, valley rolls and gutter coil.
- Covers the material meeting Revere’s accepted specs and being free of defects in workmanship and materials.
- Only if installed in strict accordance with Revere’s published specs and instructions.
- Doesn’t cover unusual or uneven weathering, improper installation, the building’s architectural design, unusual weather or pollution.
- Revere’s liability is limited to repairing or replacing defective material, up to the purchase price. No incidental or consequential damages.
Tin/Zinc Coated (FreedomGray) Warranty (PDF): 25 years from date of sale. Revere won’t pay labor to remove or reinstall material.
In other words, Revere backs the metal. The installer backs the installation. That’s why we put our workmanship warranty in writing: from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job.
The details that ruin copper (and how we avoid them)
Revere’s guide spec and brochures are clear on these:
- Don’t scrub it. Revere says not to clean bare copper or FreedomGray with chemicals or abrasives. Wash off construction dirt with clean, fresh water only. No soaps or detergents.
- Don’t clear-coat exterior copper. Revere says clear coatings last far less time than the copper itself and doesn’t recommend them outdoors.
- Protect it during construction. Keep oils, grease, masonry cleaners and iron or steel filings off the copper. That matters when masons are pointing brick next to a new bay roof.
- Separate dissimilar metals. Steel and aluminum shouldn’t touch copper without separation, and copper runoff shouldn’t drain onto galvanized steel, aluminum or zinc.
- Use the right solder and fasteners. Revere specs pure tin or lead-free high-tin solder on FreedomGray, and copper or copper-alloy fasteners on copper. Bare copper gets pre-tinned before soldering.
- Think about where the water goes. A copper bay draining onto a limestone sill or light stucco can stain it. We plan the drip edges and gutters before the metal is ordered.
Where copper fits on a Highland Park home
- Curved and segmented bay roofs over front windows
- Porch and portico roofs, often in flat-lock or standing seam
- Dormers, cupolas, finials and chimney caps
- Half-round gutters and round downspouts with copper hangers
- Valleys and flashings on slate and tile roofs
For more, see our copper roofing page and our posts on copper flashing, valleys and gutters and slate and copper on turrets and mansards. If you’d rather have painted steel on a bay, we form our own standing seam in 24 or 26 gauge, typically in 1 to 2 weeks.
What we do on a copper job
- Confirm the ounce weight, seam type and panel layout against the drawings or Revere’s details
- Check every neighboring material: stone, stucco, steel, aluminum and any zinc
- Plan drainage so copper water doesn’t stain sills, walls or other metals
- Order through Revere’s distributor network, then fabricate and install to the published details
- A free digital photo report, and a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job
After a storm
Hail can dent soft copper and tear soldered seams. Get it inspected and documented before anyone patches it. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your policy. See our storm damage page.
Talk to us about copper in Highland Park
We work in Highland Park, University Park and across Dallas. We’re certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. We’re BBB A+ rated, with 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome. Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228.
