Whether you are building a new house or renovating an old one, there are many that you need to consider. When working on the exterior of your house wall coping is a particularly important step. Coping is often placed on buildings to protect walls from elements, as it sheds rainwater inward towards the roofs drainage system. It can be difficult to know which type of coping is most effective and which will work best for your new house, so here are the types of coping that you we think you should consider.
Brick coping
Using brick as a material for coping a building is quite common. It involves setting bricks in a layer of mortar or cement which helps them to bond to the wall. Although this is an easy way of coping a building, it is not the first option when it comes to coping a house. Brick coping must be done properly in order for it to be effective, and frequent maintenance is also required. Poor maintenance of this coping can often lead to bricks falling, which will need to be replaced immediately to avoid further damage.
Clay or Terra Cotta
Clay or terra cotta is another popular material that is used when coping a house. Similar to bricks, the clay or terra cotta are set in a bed of mortar which bonds it to the top of the wall. Clay or terra cotta coping is sturdy and is quite long lasting. Although if not installed properly, separation between the clay and the mortar bed can occur, allowing water or rainfall to seep into the wall. This type of coping also requires frequent maintenance inspections.
Metal (Aluminium)
Unlike brick or clay coping, aluminium coping is lightweight and adaptable. It is also much easier to install. Aluminium coping involves screwing brackets to the wall and simply clipping the coping over the top of them. Using this method of coping means there are no visible fixings, just a clean line down your wall. Although if installed incorrectly it can lead to fastener failure or deformation of the coping. It should also be noted that aluminium coping can be more expensive than other coping materials but is still relatively inexpensive.
Metal (Stainless steel)
With stainless steel coping, typically an anchor plate is fastened to a wood blocking that is attached to the top of the wall. These anchor plates allow for the stainless steel coping to be hooked on. Stainless steel coping is strong and durable and is known to last longer than a roof. Therefore, it is not very popular when it comes houses.
Hopefully with this insight to coping you will now have a better understanding of how coping works and how it will benefit your new home. Like previously mentioned, finding and knowing what material is best suited for your new home can be difficult, but hopefully with this guide you will now which material is most effective.