Matching profiles
We match slate by size, thickness, and color, and copper by gauge and profile, so new work disappears into the old instead of standing out.
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Historical RoofingPreserving
Preserving
New England.
Slate and copper are the materials that built New England, and the ones most contractors will not touch. Crown restores historic roofs the right way, matching profiles, flashing, and patina so your building looks untouched and lasts another hundred years.
100+ yrSlate & Copper Service Life
0+Years on New England roofs
100+ yrSlate & copper lifespan
MemberNational Slate Association
WBEWoman-owned, MA-certified
The CraftUnforgiving
Unforgiving
materials.
Slate splits. Copper work-hardens and stains. Neither forgives a shortcut, and neither rewards a generalist. Restoration is the difference between a roof that looks untouched and one that looks repaired.
Flashing details
Valleys, ridges, chimneys, and step flashing are where historic roofs actually fail. We rebuild them in metal and solder the seams, not caulk them.
Patina and aging
New copper starts bright and weathers to brown, then verdigris, over years. We detail every transition so the change reads as intentional.
Structural respect
Slate is heavy. We assess the deck and framing before a single course goes back on, so the roof you restore is one the building can carry.
SlateSlate roofs,
Slate roofs,
restored.
Natural slate is the longest-lived roof there is. On Boston's churches, brownstones, and landmark buildings it is not a finish, it is the structure's character, and a maintained slate roof carries a century or more.
Most slate roofs do not need replacing. They need a roofer who can read them. We replace cracked and slipped slates, rebuild failed valleys and flashing, and re-secure courses without disturbing the surrounding field. When a full replacement is genuinely warranted, we match the slate by color, size, and thickness so the result reads as original.
- Service life
- 100+ years
- Best for
- Churches, landmarks, brownstones
- We handle
- Repair, re-slate, full replacement
CopperCopper roofs,
Copper roofs,
restored.
Copper is the detail metal of historic New England: bay roofs, dormers, finials, gutters, and the flashing that ties an entire roof together. Installed correctly it lasts as long as the building and never needs paint.
We form, seam, and solder copper by hand. New copper starts bright, dulls to brown, and finally turns the green verdigris people associate with old roofs, a change that takes years. We detail every joint and transition so it weathers evenly and stays watertight the whole way through.
- Service life
- 100+ years
- Best for
- Flashing, bays, gutters, finials
- Finish
- Weathers bright to verdigris
The WorkUp close on
Up close on
historic roofs.
Every job is course-by-course detail work. A look at the slate, copper, and flashing that carry a New England roof through its next hundred years.
Our ProcessRestored the
Restored the
right way.
A measured, four-step sequence with one accountable team, from the first course we lift to the preservation plan we leave behind.
STEP 01
Assess
We survey the roof course by course, separate what is failing from what is sound, and identify the structural issues hiding under the cosmetic ones.
STEP 02
Document
We record profiles, colors, and details so replacement material matches the original, and hand you a written condition report with photos.
STEP 03
Restore
We source matching slate and copper, replace only what has failed, rebuild flashing and valleys in metal, and solder the seams the old-world way.
STEP 04
Preserve
You get a preservation plan: the inspection cadence and small fixes that keep a century-old roof going for the next century.
Common QuestionsGood to
Good to
know.
Repair first. Most slate and copper roofs fail at the flashing and a handful of slates long before the field is done. We replace what has failed, rebuild the metal, and leave the original roof intact wherever it is sound. Full replacement is a last resort, not a default.
Yes. We match slate by color, size, and thickness, and copper by gauge and profile, sourcing salvaged or quarry-matched material when needed. Done right, the new work blends into the old rather than reading as a patch.
Longer than anything else on the market. A maintained slate roof runs a century or more, and hand-soldered copper lasts about as long as the building. The roof usually outlives its flashing and fasteners, which is why periodic restoration, not replacement, is the norm.
Not at first, and that is expected. New copper is bright, dulls to brown within a year or two, and turns green verdigris over a decade or more. We detail the transitions so the metal weathers evenly. If a uniform look matters right away, we will talk through pre-patinated options.
Yes. We document existing conditions with photos and notes, match original materials and profiles, and keep records that support historic-commission and insurance requirements. Commercial, institutional, or residential, the standard is the same: the building should look untouched when we are done.
The roofs that prove it.
Slate and copper restorations Crown has delivered across Greater Boston. Browse the project record and see the detail up close.
Free EstimateRestore your
Restore your
historic roof.
Tell us about the building and what it needs. We will schedule a no-obligation assessment and walk you through what restoration involves, with no pressure to replace what can be saved.