Materials
Copper guttering and rainwater goods
Copper is chosen when the rainwater goods are meant to be seen. It arrives bright, weathers through bronze to a soft green patina over years, and needs nothing done to it in the meantime.
We install half-round and box copper gutters, plain and ornamental hoppers, and round or square downpipes on country houses, barn conversions and contemporary architecture.
How copper behaves over time
New copper is deliberately conspicuous. Within a year it darkens, and over the following decade or two it moves through brown and bronze to the familiar verdigris. Nothing is applied and nothing is maintained, the finish is the metal itself changing.
Because the patina is the protective layer, a copper system is effectively self-maintaining and commonly lasts well beyond a human lifetime.
- Half-round and box gutter profiles
- Plain and ornamental hoppers
- Round and square downpipes
- Soldered and mechanically formed joints
- Pre-patinated options where instant age is wanted
- Coordinated copper flashings and detailing
Where copper works best
Stone and lime-rendered elevations, oak-framed buildings, barn conversions and architect-designed houses, where a warm metal reads better than a painted line. It is also a natural companion to a copper, lead or slate roof.
Copper should not be used in direct runoff below unprotected aluminium or galvanised elements, because the combination causes corrosion. Getting that detail right at design stage is part of what we do.
Installation and detailing
Copper is fabricated and formed rather than simply clipped together, so brackets, joints and expansion allowances all need to be set out properly. We survey the elevations, agree the profile and bracket style, and fabricate to suit rather than forcing a stock system onto the building.
In summary
- Best suited to
- Country houses, barn conversions, oak-framed and architect-designed homes, and restoration work where copper was the original material.
- Appearance
- Bright when new, bronze within a few years, and a green patina over decades. Pre-patinated finishes are available.
- How to begin
- Send photographs or drawings and we will advise on profile, size and detailing, and provide a written quotation.
Related pages
Begin a Project
Let's start a conversation.
Share a little about your property and requirements. We'll be in touch personally within one working day to arrange a site visit.
- 7a High Street, Highworth, SN6 7AG
- 01367 248417
- guttering@austendawson.co.uk